US military bases in Pacific 'highly vulnerable' to N. Korean, Chinese missiles, drones: expert
WASHINGTON — U.S. military bases in South Korea, Japan and other countries in the Pacific are "highly vulnerable" to North Korean and Chinese missile and drone attacks, a U.S. expert has said, calling for efforts to strengthen air and missile defenses. Seth Jones, president of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), made the remarks in an…
U.S. military installations in South Korea, Japan and other Pacific nations face significant risks from North Korean and Chinese missile and drone assaults, according to a U.S. expert. Seth Jones, head of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), made these comments in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, following reports of a shortage of crucial missile defense interceptors due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Jones highlighted that advancements in drone and missile warfare have led both Ukraine and Russia to take extensive measures to safeguard their bases since their full-scale war began in 2022. However, Jones contended that the U.S. has lagged behind in learning from the war and implementing protective measures for its bases and infrastructure in the Middle East.
The situation in the Pacific is considerably more complex, with China posing a more formidable threat than Iran due to its larger and more capable stockpile of drones, cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic missiles. U.S. military bases in the region are thus at heightened vulnerability.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
