The Ultimate Way to Deter China: Why Island-Chain Defense Can Work

[rangerrebew]

June 10, 2019

The Ultimate Way to Deter China: Why Island-Chain Defense Can Work

"Message to Beijing: you can try to deny U.S. and allied forces access to the Western Pacific or the freedom to move around within the theater, but you will see your access and freedom of movement curtailed if you do. Strewing missiles of various kinds along the island chain while deploying manned and unmanned aircraft and ships of war nearby would seal up the straits through which surface and air traffic must pass to reach the broad Pacific."
by James Holmes

It’s always gratifying to see your ideas take wing. Back in 2012, on a lark, Toshi Yoshihara and I broached a strategic concept we took to calling “island-chain defense,” or sometimes a “Great Wall in reverse.” Long story short, the conceit behind island-chain defense is that the United States can mold geography, land, air, and sea power, and adroit alliance management into a formidable barrier to Chinese maritime movement. Fortifying the “first island chain” that runs parallel to the mainland coastline would discourage aggression by convincing the Chinese Communist leadership aggression cannot pay.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/ultimate-way-deter-china-why-island-chain-defense-can-work-61942

[thackney]

Strewing missiles of various kinds along the island chain while deploying manned and unmanned aircraft and ships of war nearby would seal up the straits through which surface and air traffic must pass to reach the broad Pacific."

What a strange article.  They accurately describe what is being done, but it is being done by China, not the US.

South China Sea: Beijing deploys troops and weapons on islands vowing to defend territory
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1136915/south-china-sea-latest-news-world-war-3-beijing-spratly-island-usa-jingping

...Satellite images last month showed Beijing’s increased military presence on islands in the disputed sea.

Military expert Andrei Chang noted the islands were not being used for civilian use.

Mr Chang told SCMP: “The satellite pictures show Beijing has stepped up its progress on militarising those island outposts, which will become the PLA’s naval and air force bases in the future.

“The facilities and buildings flanked by radar equipment on the tiny islands are not for civilian use, but are large-scale military complexes.”...