Pentagon Changes Military Strategy and Needs to Calm China

04.06.2012 The Pentagon changes its military strategy and has to calm China. The US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta declared that most US warships would be concentrated in the Pacific Ocean by 2020.

He announced change in balance when appeared at the regional security conference held in Singapore. Panetta stressed that objective had been set as a part of the strategic accent shifting towards Asia, reports Radio Svoboda.

In his speech, Panetta detailed new America's security strategy which places special emphasis upon Asian-Pacific region. According to news agencies, Panetta confuted suppositions that changes in the US military strategy were aimed at deterrence of China's growing power.

However, statements of US defense minister unlikely calm Chinese leaders, say experts. Currently, almost half of American warships are deployed in the Atlantic while another half is stationed in the Pacific. After announced redeployment, almost 60% of US naval forces will be based in the Pacific Ocean.

According to Kommersant, present-day strength of US Navy is 282 ships. As Panetta admitted, many of them are a kind of obsolete. But despite perceptible budget cuts of somewhat $600 bln within the next ten years, the Pentagon plans to increase number of naval ships up to 300 and equip overaged ships with up-to-date armaments. Newest American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is supposed to join US Navy's Pacific Fleet in 2015.

The Pentagon is about to deploy fifth-generation Joint Strike Fighters to Asian-Pacific region, as well as Virginia-class attack submarines capable to operate in shallow waters, new electronic warfare means and precision weapons. According to Panetta, the US will gradually and steadily shift balance of deployed armed forces to that vital region.