Overview The United States is increasing its forward military presence near China by deploying Marine forces aboard the expeditionary sea base ship USS Miguel Keith. This afloat platform extends the reach of the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D), based in northern Australia, across the contested island chains of the western Pacific. This move underscores Washington’s commitment to countering Beijing’s growing influence and military footprint in the Indo-Pacific.
The Island Chain Strategy At the heart of this deployment lies the U.S. island chain strategy: three north-south defensive lines stretching across the Pacific. By leveraging allied territory and naval access points, the U.S. can project power, deter aggression, and defend against potential Chinese military action. The second island chain, where the USS Miguel Keith is homeported in Saipan, plays a pivotal role in supporting operations deeper into the Pacific.
Why This Matters Operating from a sea base offers the Marines flexibility and unpredictability. Unlike fixed land bases, the Miguel Keith allows U.S. forces to maneuver rapidly across archipelagic terrain and forward locations ashore, complicating adversary planning. This is especially important at a time when Chinese forces are building out anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities designed to push U.S. forces farther from contested waters.
Recent Exercises The deployment follows recent exercises across the first and second island chains:
Exercise Alon 25 in the Philippines (August 15–29).
Exercise Super Garuda Shield 25 in Indonesia (August 25–September 4).
These multinational drills reinforced cooperation with allies, improved readiness, and signaled a unified front in the region.
Implications for the Navy The Navy’s role in enabling sea-based expeditionary operations is central. With amphibious ships like the USS New Orleans temporarily out of service due to fire damage, expeditionary sea bases provide a critical stopgap. They allow Marines and sailors to continue distributed operations, demonstrating the Navy’s adaptability in keeping forward presence credible.
Implications for Our Allies For Australia, the Philippines, and Indonesia, U.S. deployments reinforce security guarantees. The Marines’ message, as articulated by Colonel Jason Armas, was clear: America and its allies “stand ready to maneuver, sustain and fight as one force.” This is reassurance at a time of rising Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea and beyond.
Why Americans Should Care This is not simply a faraway deployment. The Pacific is a lifeline for U.S. trade, energy, and global communications infrastructure. Securing these waters ensures that Americans at home continue to benefit from stable supply chains and open sea lanes. A failure to hold the line in the Pacific would ripple into our economy and national security alike.
Closing Call As the U.S. strengthens its presence in the Indo-Pacific, the question is not whether we can afford to maintain this posture, but whether we can afford not to. A stronger Navy and Marine Corps presence ensures deterrence, protects trade, and preserves peace.
That’s why we launched Charting the Course: Voices That Matter — a 24-part educational series breaking down how we got here, what went wrong, and what must happen next. Our goal is simple: educate the public, connect the dots, and build the support needed to close the readiness gap before it’s too late.
Introduction Most people don’t realize it yet. We are already in a quiet w@r. Not with bombs. Not with missiles. But with fentanyl, with financial schemes, and with cyber attacks. These are not random hacks — they are deliberate intrusions aimed straight at America’s lifelines.
Targeting America’s Core Systems They target our banks — draining trust from the financial system. They map our pipelines — threatening the flow of oil and gas that heats our homes. They burrow into our power grids — carrying the ability to shut down American cities. They test our hospitals and emergency networks. They infiltrate our communications — preparing to cut the way America speaks, trades, and defends itself.
And now, they even target our homes and businesses. The devices we plug in. The networks we rely on. Even solar panels and batteries made overseas — carrying hidden back doors that could one day flip a switch against us.
Banks. Grids. Solar.
Why Americans Should Care This is not only about us. Our allies are targeted too. These attacks seek to divide, to weaken the bonds that keep freedom strong. A crisis in one corner of the world can ripple across oceans — and into our own homes.
The Navy and the Nation Our strength rests on both our sailors and our civilian maritime industry. Civilian ships move the goods America needs. Our Navy protects those ships and the sea lanes they travel. Together, they keep our nation alive and our economy moving.
As Rear Admiral Mike Studeman, U.S. Navy (Retired) has said: “The reality is that adversaries have insinuated themselves in our homeland… and continue to exploit our society from the inside out.”
A Call to Action That’s why today I am asking you: Call Congress. Tell them to support our sailors. Find your Representative or Senator at USA.gov. Use your voice. Every call is logged. Every message counts.
Demand that Congress fund emergency shipbuilding. And strengthen the Navy’s fleet.
Conclusion The future of America depends on us — on our sailors, on our civilian maritime, on our citizens, and on a Navy that protects them all.
That’s why we launched Charting the Course: Voices That Matter—a 24-part educational series breaking down how we got here, what went wrong, and what must happen next. Our goal is simple: educate the public, connect the dots, and build the support needed to close the readiness gap before it’s too late.
As a former destroyer sailor from the ’70s, a Navy veteran who served on the Henry B. Wilson (DDG 7), and later a telecom and web technology executive, I don’t take words like “war” lightly. But we need to face facts: the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has already launched a quiet war against America and our allies.
It doesn’t look like Pearl Harbor or Midway. Instead, it comes as millions of cyberattacks, poisoned streets, disinformation campaigns, and infiltrations into our critical infrastructure. The weapons are different, but the intent is the same: weaken America from the inside out until resistance collapses.
Two voices recently captured this reality:
Retired Rear Admiral Mike Studeman, former Commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence, warned: “The reality is that adversaries have insinuated themselves in our homeland and continue to exploit our society from the inside out. This is the quiet and costly national crisis we have insufficiently mobilized to address.”
Another security analyst summarized it bluntly: “Massive list of aggressive actions against the US by China, but two stand out: 1) cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, and 2) subsidizing fentanyl to addict our citizens. The CCP is an existential threat to our democracy and we must treat it as such.”
These aren’t exaggerations. They’re the facts on the ground — and in cyberspace.
Cyber Siege: The First Strike of Modern Conflict
The Hudson Institute’s August 2025 policy memo makes it plain: Taiwan now faces an average of 2.4 million cyberattacks per day. These intrusions target energy grids, logistics, medical systems, and semiconductors. Hudson’s conclusion is chilling: in a crisis, Beijing could disable Taiwan’s systems “without expending a single missile.”
This isn’t theory. It’s the same playbook Russia used against Ukraine in 2022, starting with cyberattacks to degrade command and control. The difference is that Taiwan is at the center of global supply chains, producing 90 percent of the world’s advanced semiconductors. If its networks go dark, the shockwaves would slam every corner of the global economy — including the U.S. Navy’s shipyards and weapons programs.
Fentanyl: War in Our Streets
While Taiwan faces digital siege, America faces chemical siege. CCP-linked networks subsidize the production of fentanyl precursors that end up killing tens of thousands of Americans each year. This is not just crime — it’s a form of warfare. An addicted, divided society is weaker, less resilient, and less able to project power abroad.
Just as cyberattacks aim to paralyze a nation’s systems, fentanyl undermines its people from within. Together, they form a strategy of attrition: weaken the United States until it can no longer lead.
Why Americans Should Care
PRC-backed groups like Volt Typhoon have already penetrated U.S. critical infrastructure in places like San Diego, Norfolk, and Houston.
Our communities are flooded with fentanyl that is subsidized and trafficked through networks linked to China.
Our economic security hangs on supply chains that Beijing can disrupt with a few keystrokes.
The CCP doesn’t need to invade to weaken us. They’re already doing it.
Implications for the Navy A Navy cannot fight if its logistics, communications, and supply lines are compromised. If Taiwan falls prey to a digital siege, our fleets in the Pacific will face an even harder fight — one fought without the semiconductor edge or the industrial resilience we’ve taken for granted.
The Navy will inevitably be tasked with cleaning up the mess: defending supply chains, securing sea lanes, and protecting American infrastructure from further exploitation. That means cyber resilience and industrial revival are as critical to naval readiness as shipbuilding or new destroyers.
Implications for Our Allies Hudson warns of a dangerous ambiguity: there is no Indo-Pacific cyber alliance. Would Japan, South Korea, or Australia respond to a Chinese cyberattack on Taiwan? Would Washington retaliate in kind? The lack of clarity undermines deterrence — and gives Beijing confidence.
We need joint cyber defense drills, clear doctrine, and public-private coordination on resilience — not after a crisis, but now.
Conclusion We are already at war — just not in the way most Americans imagine. The CCP’s cyberattacks, fentanyl subsidies, and influence operations are part of a long game of attrition. Admiral Studeman is right: this is a “quiet and costly national crisis” we’ve failed to mobilize against.
Hudson is right too: resilience is deterrence. America must strengthen its cyber defenses, rebuild its industrial base, and support Taiwan’s ability to withstand a digital siege. At the same time, we must recognize how Silicon Valley’s past choices — offshoring technology and handing Beijing the keys — helped create this vulnerability.
The sooner we admit the war has already begun, the sooner we can rally the Navy, our allies, and the American people to win it.
A Comprehensive Series by Americans for a Stronger Navy
By Bill Cullifer, Founder – Americans for a Stronger Navy
Introduction: Why We’re Launching This Series on Scarborough Shoal
What is Scarborough Shoal?
At first glance, it’s just a triangle-shaped reef in the South China Sea, roughly 120 nautical miles west of Luzon, Philippines. No buildings. No runway. No flag.
Scarborough Shoal, courtesy of the U.S. Navy.
But don’t let its humble appearance fool you.
Scarborough Shoal is one of the most contested flashpoints in the Indo-Pacific. This seemingly minor cluster of rocks and reefs sits at the heart of one of the world’s most vital sea lanes — and could very well be the next spark in a global conflict.
What Prompted This Series
We didn’t choose Scarborough Shoal at random. This series was prompted by a disturbing escalation in Chinese maritime aggression in the South China Sea — specifically at Scarborough Shoal, a small reef with outsized strategic consequences.
Recent satellite photo of Scarborough Shoal showing Chinese vessels surrounding the reef, with overlay graphics indicating vessel positions and types
Recent events that brought this to a head include:
A Chinese cutter and guided-missile destroyer collided during a botched blockade attempt of Philippine Coast Guard vessels ten nautical miles off Scarborough Shoal in August 2025.
USS Higgins (DDG-76) sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal conducting a Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) — the first known U.S. military operation in at least six years in these specific waters.
Chinese Coast Guard harassment of Philippine resupply missions.
Dumping of concrete blocks — a likely signal of future construction.
Swarming of the area by Chinese maritime militia vessels.
The Scarborough Shoal is quickly becoming a litmus test for Chinese expansionism and U.S. resolve.
Why Now: The Wake-Up Call
Scarborough Shoal lies just 120 nautical miles off the Philippine coast — well within their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) — and even closer to America’s red lines. When China seized de facto control of the shoal in 2012, the U.S. stood back. Many viewed this as a strategic failure of deterrence.
Now, the world is witnessing the possibility of militarization of the reef — and direct confrontation with a U.S. ally. That makes this more than a regional issue. It’s a crisis in the making.
The 2012 Standoff: A Turning Point
In April 2012, Philippine authorities attempted to arrest Chinese fishermen operating illegally in the shoal. Chinese maritime surveillance ships intervened. A tense standoff ensued, lasting weeks. The U.S. brokered a deal: both sides would withdraw.
The Philippines kept its word. China didn’t.
Instead, China took control of Scarborough Shoal, effectively barring Filipino access ever since. They now patrol it with coast guard cutters, militia fishing boats, and surveillance drones — sometimes even water cannons. Construction may follow.
A Geopolitical Tinderbox in the Sea
The South China Sea is home to trillions of dollars in annual global trade. It’s also flush with resources: fish, gas, oil, and geostrategic leverage. China claims nearly all of it under its so-called “Nine-Dash Line” — a sweeping assertion that ignores international law and overrides the rights of Southeast Asian nations like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
Scarborough Shoal, or Bajo de Masinloc as the Filipinos call it, lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), as defined under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration definitively ruled that China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea had no legal basis under international law.
China’s response? They ignored the ruling entirely and doubled down on their aggression.
My Perspective: This Isn’t Just a Reef
As a former Navy destroyer sailor from the 1970s, I understand how seemingly minor naval flashpoints can quickly spiral. I launched Americans for a Stronger Navy to bridge the gap between what’s happening on the water and what the American public knows.
When I began Americans for a Stronger Navy, I did so because I believed — and still believe — that Americans are not being told the full story.
Scarborough Shoal isn’t on the nightly news — but it should be.
This reef is about more than rocks and water. It’s about:
Sovereignty
International law
Access to critical trade routes
Maintaining a rules-based order
The failure of deterrence
The rise of maritime bullying
The fragility of global trade
And the uncomfortable question: Will America act, or will we retreat?
Why Americans Must Pay Attention
Most Americans have never heard of Scarborough Shoal, but they should. Here’s why it matters to you:
Over $3 trillion in trade passes through the South China Sea annually.
China is testing the boundaries of international law and Western will.
Scarborough is a potential trigger point for a wider conflict — even WWIII.
The U.S. Navy may be forced to act, and our sailors are on the front line.
Success here emboldens China’s tactics elsewhere — Taiwan Strait, East China Sea.
Control of Scarborough supports China’s broader Belt and Road Initiative and maritime silk road ambitions.
If you think a shoal doesn’t matter, consider this: $3.4 trillion in global trade flows through the South China Sea every year. China is attempting to rewrite the rules of international waters. And the U.S. Navy — your Navy — is the thin blue line standing in the way.
Coming Up in This Series
The history of Scarborough Shoal and how we got here
The 2012 U.S.-brokered standoff and its long-term impact
The 2016 international arbitration ruling and China’s defiance
China’s maritime militia and “gray zone” tactics
The importance of fishing rights, seabed minerals, and cable networks
Allied response frameworks: QUAD, AUKUS, and Philippines mutual defense commitments
The implications for the U.S., our allies, and our Navy
Economic warfare potential and leverage tactics
Technology, surveillance, and intelligence dimensions
WWIII scenarios — and what they could look like
Congressional and policy tools available (or missing)
What Americans know (or don’t) about this growing threat
Each post will build context and momentum — helping readers understand why this small reef could shape the future of American security strategy in Asia and beyond.
Join the Mission
Understanding Scarborough Shoal is understanding a fault line in today’s global order. This series isn’t just about sounding the alarm — it’s about equipping Americans with insight, history, and facts so we can rally support, demand accountability, and avoid miscalculation.
If we don’t understand where the storm is brewing, we won’t know when to take shelter — or when to stand our ground.
Scarborough Shoal may seem far away. But the values at stake — sovereignty, freedom of navigation, and deterrence — are right at our doorstep.
Not to inflame. Not to fearmonger. But to educate, illuminate, and inspire action.
Please follow along, share with others, and help us shine a spotlight on one of the most important — and most underreported — strategic flashpoints of our time.
Stay with us. Read. Share. Talk about it.
Because understanding this reef might just help us prevent the next war.
A Final Thought
If a reef you’ve never heard of could spark the next major war — dragging America and its sailors into the fight — doesn’t that make it worth understanding?
Let’s chart the course together.
That’s why we launched Charting the Course: Voices That Matter—a 24-part educational series breaking down how we got here, what went wrong, and what must happen next. Our goal is simple: educate the public, connect the dots, and build the support needed to close the readiness gap before it’s too late.
The future isn’t coming—it’s already here, patrolling our oceans with no human hands on the wheel.
Personal Reflection
Bill Cullifer, onboard USS Henry B. Wilson -DDG 7 1976Bill Cullifer, Founder
As someone who stood watch on a destroyer’s deck for years, I’d love nothing more than for every young American to feel the salt air, a wooden helm at their fingertips, the roll of the ship beneath their feet and the breathtaking vastness of the sea. That experience shaped my life and the life of many others that I respect and admire.
But sentiment won’t secure the future. The world has changed—and it’s time we face some hard facts.
We’re now witnessing the dawn of a radically new era in warfare. One that demands we embrace and invest in the technologies that will define the next generation of naval power.
From Science Fiction to Sea Trials
Less than a decade ago, the idea of fully autonomous warships seemed like the stuff of sci-fi. Today, the U.S. Navy’s USX-1 Defiant—a 180-foot, 240-ton vessel designed without a single human accommodation—is conducting sea trials off Washington state.
No bunks. No heads. No mess halls. Just a steel-clad, AI-powered war machine optimized purely for mission.
This isn’t incremental change. It’s an exponential leap.
The Compound Effect of Convergent Technologies
What’s driving this revolution isn’t just a single breakthrough. It’s convergence.
AI Decision-Making at Machine Speed
Ships like USS Ranger and Mariner aren’t just autonomous—they’re operational. They’ve logged thousands of miles, fired missiles, and executed missions without direct human control. Real-time, tactical adaptation is already replacing human-triggered decision trees.
Swarm Coordination Beyond Human Capability
With programs like Ghost Fleet Overlord, we’re moving toward fully integrated autonomous networks—surface, subsurface, aerial. Swarms of unmanned systems coordinating at machine speed, executing joint missions across domains.
New Physical Designs, New Possibilities
When you remove the human factor, new design freedom emerges. The NOMARS program optimizes for function over form—rapid payload reconfiguration, longer endurance, fewer constraints. Defiant doesn’t compromise. It adapts.
The Multiplication Factor
Each of these capabilities amplifies the others:
AI enables swarm tactics
Swarms generate operational data
That data trains the next-gen AI
Which enables even more sophisticated missions
The cycle is accelerating. Consider DARPA’s Manta Ray, an autonomous glider designed to “hibernate” on the seabed for months. Now picture that working in tandem with unmanned surface vessels like Defiant, and traditional submarines—all coordinating without a single sailor onboard.
The MASC Paradigm: Speed Over Paperwork
The Navy’s new Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) program exemplifies this exponential thinking. Instead of designing ships around specific missions, MASC creates standardized platforms that gain capabilities through containerized payloads—like naval smartphones that become powerful through modular “apps.”
With an aggressive 18-month delivery timeline and emphasis on commercial standards over “exquisite” platforms, MASC represents a fundamental shift in how the Navy acquires capability. As Austin Gray, Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer & Co-founder/CSO, Blue Water Autonomy observed: “The way Navy is approaching MASC—procuring fast, iteratively, and with focus on speed over paperwork—should offer us hope that the future of U.S. seapower is not so dim.”
This isn’t just about new ships—it’s about new thinking. MASC vessels can be missile shooters one day, submarine hunters the next, simply by swapping standardized containers. The high-capacity variant could carry 64 missiles—more firepower than many destroyers, at a fraction of the cost.
Beyond the Horizon
In 2016, Sea Hunter launched with basic navigation. By 2021, converted vessels were firing missiles. In 2025, purpose-built unmanned warships are conducting sea trials. By 2026, MASC prototypes will be delivered for fleet operations.
What’s next?
The Pentagon is backing this future with a $179 billion R&D investment focused on AI, drone swarms, and autonomous systems. The revolution isn’t limited to ships—it extends to autonomous aircraft, land vehicles, and space-based platforms.
The Inflection Point
This may be the most transformative shift in warfare since the atomic age.
But unlike nuclear weapons, which stagnated under treaties and deterrence doctrines, autonomous systems evolve constantly—learning, adapting, improving. The next five years will likely deliver breakthroughs we can’t yet fully comprehend.
We’re not just upgrading platforms. We’re creating entire ecosystems of autonomous coordination that outpace human decision-making and redefine how wars are fought—and deterred.
Welcome to U.S. Navy 3.0—a new era defined not by bigger ships, but by smarter ones.
We’ve discussed this evolution before: Navy 1.0 was sail and steel; Navy 2.0 brought nuclear power and carrier dominance. Navy 3.0 marks a transformational leap driven by artificial intelligence, autonomy, and multi-domain integration. It’s not just about replacing crewed vessels with unmanned ones—it’s about rethinking naval power from the keel up. From swarming tactics to predictive logistics and machine-speed decision-making, Navy 3.0 is our opportunity to regain the edge in a world where adversaries are building faster, cheaper, and without rules.
The Legacy Challenge
This transformation faces significant resistance. Naval culture, built around centuries of seamanship and command tradition, doesn’t easily embrace unmanned systems. The defense industrial base, optimized for billion-dollar platforms with decades-long production cycles, struggles with MASC’s 18-month timelines and commercial standards.
But operational necessity is forcing evolution. When China builds ships faster than we can afford traditional platforms, alternatives become imperatives. The question isn’t whether to change—it’s whether we can change fast enough.
The Future Is Now
This isn’t a concept. It’s not theory. It’s happening:
Autonomous vessels are already patrolling the Pacific
Underwater gliders are proving months-long endurance
Unmanned surface warships are rewriting the rules of naval architecture
Containerized missile systems are operational
MASC solicitations are active with near-term delivery requirements
The revolution is not ahead of us. It’s around us.
And we’ve only just left the pier.
Why Americans Should Care
Autonomous warfare isn’t just a military story—it’s a national security imperative. Adversaries like China are racing to seize the advantage in unmanned systems. Falling behind means more than losing battles—it risks losing deterrence, freedom of navigation, and geopolitical influence.
The economic implications are equally significant. Navy 3.0’s emphasis on commercial standards and distributed production could revitalize American shipbuilding, creating jobs while strengthening national security.
Implications for the Navy
To remain dominant, the U.S. Navy must rethink everything: shipbuilding timelines, training paradigms, procurement processes, and alliances. Naval power in this new era will favor speed, adaptability, and distributed lethality.
Officer career paths built around commanding ships must evolve to managing autonomous swarms. Training programs must balance traditional seamanship with algorithmic warfare. Most critically, the Navy must maintain its warrior ethos while embracing radical technological change.
A Final Word
Let’s not confuse nostalgia with readiness. The romance of the sea will always have a place in our hearts—but it won’t protect our shores.
The wooden helm and salt air that shaped naval officers for generations remain valuable experiences. But future naval leaders will find meaning in different challenges: commanding autonomous fleets, coordinating multi-domain operations, and outthinking adversaries at machine speed.
If we want peace, we must master this new domain.
It’s time to embrace it. It’s time to invest. It’s time to lead.
That’s why we launched Charting the Course: Voices That Matter—a 24-part educational series breaking down how we got here, what went wrong, and what must happen next. Our goal is simple: educate the public, connect the dots, and build the support needed to close the readiness gap before it’s too late.
Every once in a while, something stops you in your tracks — not because it surprises you, but because it sadly confirms what you already knew deep down. That happened to me again recently, thanks to an article my old shipmate, Captain David Lennon, USNR (Ret.), sent my way — part of an ongoing decade-long conversation we’ve been having about where naval power is headed, and how the world around us is changing faster than many realize.
The article described a sobering reality: the UK simulated an attack on its own air defenses, modeled after the first night of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It wasn’t pretty.
What it revealed — and what Captain Lennon and I both see with growing clarity — is that the way we think about air superiority, naval strength, and even national security itself must urgently evolve.
Old Assumptions Are Crumbling
For decades, we built our strategy around two key ideas:
That we could achieve and hold air superiority across an entire theater
That our home bases would remain safe while our forces projected power abroad
Today, both assumptions are under direct assault.
I’ll admit, I’m deeply nostalgic about the Navy. There’s nothing quite like standing watch on a destroyer’s deck in the warm air of the Pacific, watching the sunset melt into the horizon, feeling the salt spray on your face, and the gentle roll of the ship beneath your boots. You smell the ocean, you hear the distant call of seabirds, and you feel part of something bigger than yourself.
Every sailor should have the chance to experience the thrill of far-off ports, the pride of representing America abroad, and the awe of watching our best and brightest launch and land from the deck of a mighty aircraft carrier. It’s a feeling that stays with you for life — a connection to the sea, to service, and to something that must be protected at all costs.
But the battlefield is changing.
Air superiority is no longer theater-wide — it’s trench to trench, rooftop to rooftop, fought with swarms of cheap drones, cyberattacks, and hypersonic weapons that can strike deep into what we once called the “rear areas.” Even home bases can no longer be assumed safe.
As someone who later spent a career in the technology sector, I can tell you from firsthand experience: cyber threats are not hypothetical. They’re already here — probing, stealing, destabilizing.
Maritime cyber vulnerabilities are now national vulnerabilities.
The Harsh Lesson of a Simulated Attack
The urgency of this shift was driven home by a recent UK military exercise.
In a simulation based on the first night of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK tested its own air defenses against a similar attack profile — and the results were sobering.
Despite having some of the world’s most advanced air and missile defense systems, the simulation exposed serious vulnerabilities at home bases, highlighting gaps that adversaries could exploit.
This exercise reinforced the grim reality: modern missile and drone attacks can overwhelm even advanced defenses if bases are not prepared for constant, layered threats. No nation can afford to assume that domestic facilities are automatically safe anymore.
As Newsweek recently reported, the UK has invested nearly $48 million in a “world-leading synthetic training system” called Gladiator, designed to replicate real-life scenarios during exercises. However, the war-gaming exercise in question did not account for several of Russia’s next-generation weapons, such as the Zircon and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles — threats that have challenged even the most advanced air defense systems.
While Russia has claimed these hypersonic weapons are nearly impossible to intercept, Western analysts remain skeptical, and Ukraine has successfully shot down several using U.S.-made Patriot systems.
Planning for a Navy in a New Era
Here’s the hard part:
How do we plan and build the fleet we need if we don’t have the budget, the shipbuilders, or the industrial base ready to deliver it?
How do we harden our forward positions and our homeland if procurement cycles still move at peacetime speed, while threats evolve at wartime speed?
Efficiency matters. Cost-effectiveness matters. Dialogue matters. High technology matters.
And urgency matters most of all. Whatever we do, we must hustle.
This is Why “Charting the Course” Matters This is why we launched the Charting the Course education series at Americans for a Stronger Navy.
We’re not just presenting expert opinion — we’re inviting a national conversation about the future of sea power, economic security, and America’s place in the world.
Because the stakes couldn’t be higher. Because being a maritime nation matters. Because naval statecraft matters. Because — despite what some may dismiss as a catchphrase — Peace Through Strength still matters.
We can’t afford to get this wrong. We can’t afford silence, division, or delay.
A Final Word
Captain Lennon and I served together decades ago aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer, but our commitment to service never really ended. Today, that service continues — through conversations like these, through sharing insights, and through rallying Americans to remember that sea power has always been at the heart of our security, prosperity, and peace.
We invite you to join us.
Charting the Course is open to all, free of charge, and designed to spark the kind of dialogue — and action — that America desperately needs right now.
Let’s move — together.
Sea power is America’s future — and it’s a future worth fighting for. Join the conversation today:Charting the Course
As part of China’s ongoing push to enhance its global military and strategic presence, a significant development has emerged with the deployment of the Liaowang-1, China’s next-generation maritime space tracking vessel. This vessel is a direct response to the increasing integration of space operations with naval activities, marking a major leap in China’s ability to track U.S. military satellites and missile launches on a global scale. It’s not just about satellite monitoring—this ship’s capabilities have far-reaching implications for naval and space-based military operations, reshaping how global surveillance and intelligence will be conducted.
What This Means for the U.S. and Its Allies
The Liaowang-1 enhances China’s ability to track intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests, providing crucial data on missile trajectories and satellite orbits. More than just a space-tracking ship, this vessel also plays a key role in China’s growing anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities, providing real-time telemetry from space and missile launches. For the U.S. Navy and its allies, this development presents new challenges, as China can now monitor naval movements, space launches, and satellite trajectories over vast distances.
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Moreover, this new vessel underscores China’s strategic ambition to exert greater control over both the high seas and space. With Liaowang-1 operating from international waters, China is signaling its intent to be a dominant player not only in maritime power but also in space warfare—a domain that is becoming increasingly integral to national defense.
Why Americans Should Care
The U.S. Navy is at the forefront of global naval operations, ensuring the safety and security of international trade routes, conducting deterrence operations, and supporting allies around the world. China’s advancements in space and missile tracking, as exemplified by Liaowang-1, directly challenge the U.S. Navy’s ability to operate freely and securely. By enhancing its space surveillance capabilities, China is positioning itself to challenge U.S. technological and strategic dominance.
In an era where naval power and space capabilities are increasingly intertwined, the United States must be proactive in adapting its strategies and technologies to ensure continued maritime supremacy. The U.S. Navy’s ability to secure its operations, maintain intelligence superiority, and protect vital infrastructure relies on staying ahead in the race for space-based military assets.
Implications for the Navy and National Security
The deployment of Liaowang-1 highlights a critical shift in how modern naval and space operations are conducted. The U.S. Navy will need to strengthen its own space-based capabilities to ensure that it remains a step ahead in this high-stakes geopolitical game. The Navy’s strategic advantage depends on continued investment in satellite defense, advanced tracking systems, and the integration of space operations into traditional naval doctrines.
In response to these threats, the U.S. must prioritize modernizing its naval fleets, enhancing its cyber and space defense infrastructures, and forging stronger alliances with global partners. The challenge posed by China’s expanding surveillance and space capabilities is not just a military issue; it is a critical component of national security, requiring a unified, cross-domain defense strategy.
Looking Ahead: What’s at Stake
As we delve deeper into the Charting the Course educational series, the growing influence of China in both maritime and space domains will continue to be a focal point. It’s crucial for Americans to understand how these developments impact national security and the U.S. Navy’s readiness. Strengthening our naval forces and space defense capabilities isn’t just an option—it’s an imperative to safeguard our interests and uphold global stability in an increasingly competitive and unpredictable world.
The world is watching as China asserts its space and naval dominance. The question is: will the U.S. be ready?
By Bill Cullifer Founder, Americans for a Stronger Navy Former U.S. Navy Destroyer Sailor (1970s)
There’s been a lively debate online between economic giants Larry Summers and David Sacks about tariffs, trade policy, and the consequences of decades of globalization. But while they spar over markets and presidential strategies, a bigger question goes largely unspoken:
Who picks up the pieces when economic policy becomes a national vulnerability?
As someone who served in the U.S. Navy in the 1970s and now leads Americans for a Stronger Navy, I’ve watched closely as the Navy quietly shoulders the consequences of decisions made far from the sea. While economists argue over the stock market’s reaction to tariffs, the Navy secures global trade routes, deters adversaries, and absorbs the burden of an offshored industrial base.
But the Navy isn’t alone. Entire sectors of American life—logistics, agriculture, energy, pharmaceuticals, entertainment, finance, and technology—depend on the smooth flow of global trade. From major ports and retailers to family farms and Fortune 500 companies, virtually every modern American business benefits from the stability the Navy helps provide.
The American economy is global because the U.S. Navy keeps it that way.
Yet in the recent debate, while Summers described trillions lost in market volatility and economic fallout, no one mentioned the ripple effects on military readiness, deterrence, or strategic capability. That absence reflects a dangerous blind spot.
When Wall Street stumbles, the Navy sails. When diplomacy falters or trade routes are threatened, the Navy deploys. But today it’s doing so with fewer ships, aging platforms, and underinvested shipyards—while our adversaries build, modernize, and maneuver.
This isn’t just a Navy issue. It’s a business issue. A national issue.
If your industry touches global trade—if you depend on international logistics, rare earth minerals, undersea cables, satellite access, shipping lanes, or simply consumer confidence—then you depend on a ready and capable Navy.
This is a message to American industry: You benefit. You must engage. You must contribute.
We need your voice—and your leadership—in support of:
Rebuilding our shipbuilding and repair base
Investing in drones, AI, and technologies that give our fleet an edge
Modernizing infrastructure and dry docks that sustain readiness
Funding advocacy and education to spark public awareness
The economic world order your industry thrives in exists because American sea power has kept the global commons safe for decades. That foundation is eroding—and silence is no longer an option.
At Americans for a Stronger Navy, we’re connecting the dots between civic awareness, economic strategy, and maritime strength. We’ve launched a 24-part educational initiative to help Americans understand what’s at stake and how to act.
Explore the series: Charting the Course – For Country. For Unity. For a Stronger Navy.
Whether you’re a CEO, policymaker, investor, teacher, or neighbor—this affects you. Now is the time to link economic resilience with strategic defense. To give the Navy the tools—not just praise—before the next storm arrives.
This is your moment to lead. Not from the sidelines—but from the front.
Use your platform. Leverage your influence. Show the next generation that prosperity is earned—and defended.
Because a secure economy doesn’t start with policy. It starts with power. And power starts at sea.
Learn more at StrongerNavy.org and join the movement to educate, equip, and engage.
A stronger Navy requires a stronger America behind it. Let’s get to work.
In a bold move aimed at restoring America’s maritime edge, President Donald Trump signed an executive order today (April 9, 2025) designed to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry and reduce China’s growing control over the global shipping supply chain. The order calls for sweeping changes across trade, industry investment, and national security infrastructure—setting the stage for long-term renewal of America’s commercial and naval shipping capabilities.
What the Executive Order Includes
The new executive order establishes:
Maritime Security Trust Fund A dedicated fund to provide stable, long-term investment in shipbuilding, shipyards, dry docks, and repair facilities. Potential funding sources include tariffs, fines, port fees, and other federal revenue streams.
Port Fees on Chinese-Linked Ships Ships flagged by China or built in Chinese shipyards may soon face significant docking fees at U.S. ports. The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is expected to finalize this remedy by mid-April. Allies will also be encouraged to implement similar restrictions.
Tariffs on Chinese-Made Cargo Equipment The order directs the USTR to consider imposing tariffs on ship-to-shore cranes and cargo handling gear manufactured or assembled in China—or made with Chinese-controlled components anywhere in the world.
Enforcement of Harbor Maintenance Fees To prevent workarounds, Homeland Security will crack down on companies trying to avoid U.S. fees by routing shipments through Mexico and Canada before transporting them across land borders.
Incentives for U.S. Shipyard Investment The executive order includes provisions for incentivizing private sector investment in new or revitalized U.S. shipyards, commercial ship components, and critical maritime infrastructure.
Why Americans Should Care
The United States currently produces less than 1% of the world’s commercial ships—while China builds about 50%. In 1999, China’s share was just 5%. This trend has massive implications not just for economic competitiveness, but for national security and maritime logistics.
As President Trump put it: “We used to build a ship a day, and now we don’t build a ship a year, practically. We have the capacity to do it.”
This executive order is more than policy—it’s a call to action.
Implications for the Navy
While the executive order does not explicitly mention the U.S. Navy, its impact on naval readiness and strategic capability is unmistakable. Revitalizing America’s commercial shipbuilding infrastructure strengthens the industrial base the Navy relies on for new construction, maintenance, and repairs. Investments in dry docks, skilled labor, and cargo handling capabilities bolster our ability to support fleet operations—especially in times of crisis.
Moreover, reducing reliance on Chinese-built shipping equipment and infrastructure directly supports U.S. naval strategy. It limits vulnerabilities in ports and logistics chains, while reinforcing America’s control over critical maritime assets. A stronger shipbuilding sector means a stronger Navy, even if it’s not named in the order.
Implications for Our Allies
The executive order sends a message to America’s allies: We are serious about maritime strength and expect partners to do the same. With Chinese-built vessels operating across global supply chains, coordinated action could limit strategic vulnerabilities and encourage diversified, allied-aligned shipping infrastructure.
A Statement from Americans for a Stronger Navy
“This executive order is a long-overdue step toward restoring our nation’s ability to build and maintain the ships we depend on for both commerce and defense. The Navy does not operate in a vacuum—it needs a healthy, resilient industrial base. America must lead again on the seas, not just militarily, but commercially. This is how we secure freedom of navigation, economic stability, and peace through strength.” — Bill Cullifer, founder, Americans for a Stronger Navy
Your Voice Matters
This is our moment. Let’s celebrate the executive order—but keep pushing until America leads on the seas again. Congress must act, industry must respond, and Americans must stay engaged.
At this year’s Sea-Air-Space Expo, a powerful message came through loud and clear: shipbuilding and repair aren’t just logistics or budgeting issues—they are strategic priorities. With the U.S. Navy facing growing demands across the Indo-Pacific and beyond, the ability to maintain and sustain our fleet has never been more important. One of the most important announcements at #SAS2025 came from NAVFAC leadership, who shared critical updates on the Navy’s long-term infrastructure plan: the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP).
What Is SIOP? The Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program is the Navy’s comprehensive, decades-long effort to modernize its four public shipyards: Norfolk, Pearl Harbor, Portsmouth, and Puget Sound. These yards are essential to maintaining our nuclear-powered fleet, and many of their facilities date back a century or more. SIOP aims to upgrade dry docks, replace aging infrastructure, optimize layout and workflow, and improve productivity and quality of service for 37,000 shipyard workers.
Why This Matters Fleet readiness is impossible without reliable infrastructure. Every day a ship sits idle in maintenance delays is a day it can’t defend our interests. As Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey of NAVFAC stated at #SAS2025, shore infrastructure is the foundation of American maritime power. And without modern, capable shipyards, our ability to project sea power and maintain naval dominance is at risk.
Smart Construction, Smarter Strategy SIOP isn’t just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about doing things better. NAVFAC leaders highlighted new strategies like early contractor involvement, modular/offsite construction, and industrialized building techniques—all aimed at delivering faster results at lower cost. For example, the dry dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard will require twice the concrete used to build the Pentagon. That’s a massive, multiyear undertaking—and it shows the scale and urgency of the mission.
A Civilian-Military Partnership Shipyard revitalization is more than a military investment. It represents an opportunity for public-private collaboration, workforce development, and industrial revitalization. It’s a call to rebuild America’s maritime edge with the help of skilled labor, advanced engineering, and modern project delivery.
Conclusion: Time to Stay Focused At Americans for a Stronger Navy, we believe this is the kind of long-term, bipartisan initiative that can reset the trajectory of our Navy and our civilian maritime capability. Shipbuilding is strategy. Repair is readiness. And shore support is the glue that holds it all together.
Let’s make sure SIOP gets the support, oversight, and public awareness it deserves.
