US admiral says sending Israel and Ukraine weapons like Patriot missiles is eating into what's needed for countering China
Story by mloh@businessinsider.com (Matthew Loh) • 5h
China's missile arsenal is rapidly growing and represents a clear threat to the US military.
Beijing's Rocket Force recently launched an ICBM on a rare test flight in the Pacific Ocean.
Here are the major missiles in China's arsenal that pose a threat to adversaries near and far.
A reminder of China's growing might streaked across much of the Pacific on Wednedsay.
The showy test of an intercontinental ballistic missile is part of the vast and advanced missile force China is building to threaten neighbors and negate the US military's edge in the air and at sea.
The US believes that China's Rocket Force has doubled the stocks of many of its missiles in recent years.
While China hasn't revealed the size of its nuclear arsenal, the country's nuclear arsenal is growing faster than any other country. A Pentagon report estimated that the country's arsenal has more than 500 operational nuclear warheads — more than half of which are ICBMs.
The report also projected that China will have more than 1,000 warheads by 2030, potentially able to deploy the same number of ICBMs as the US.
Here are the major known missiles in China's arsenal that the country is stockpiling amid heightened tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
Adm. Sam Paparo is concerned that the US is giving out vital defenses it needs to deal with China.
"It's now eating into stocks," he said on Tuesday of advanced weapon shipments to Ukraine and Israel.
Paparo urged the Pentagon to start replenishing those stocks and expand beyond its original inventory.
The US Navy's top commander in the Indo-Pacific raised concerns on Tuesday that the Pentagon's advanced weapons shipments to Ukraine and Israel could sap the strength it needs to deal with China.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-admiral-says-sending-israel-and-ukraine-weapons-like-patriot-missiles-is-eating-into-what-s-needed-for-countering-china/ar-AA1uphPQ?ocid=widgetonlockscreen&cvid=1ca0c5d81ae244c29cac2526eb929531&ei=121
