US Lacks Model To Cope With Russia, China Military Challenges At Same Time - STRATCOM Head

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th April, 2021) China's rapid nuclear and and regular military growth and Russia's strategic modernization means the United States now faces the unprecedented challenge of having to deter two "peer" global powers simultaneously, Strategic Command (STRATCOM) chief Adm. Charles Richard said on Tuesday,

"For the first time in our history, the nation is on a trajectory to face two nuclear-capable, strategic peer adversaries at the same time, who must be deterred differently," Richard said in his testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee. "We can no longer assume the risk of strategic deterrence failure in conflict will always remain low.

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Richard explained that China and Russia were already challenging US strength through a wide array of activities that warrant a concerted and integrated whole of government response.

However, Richard acknowledged that the Defense Department had no theoretical model or coherent strategy for coping with such simultaneous challenge.

"We have never had to deter two opponents that are different. Most of our theory doesn't account for that. We are working very hard on that," Richard said.

China was no longer a case of being merely a "lesser included case" of the pacing nuclear threat, Russia, he added.