Military Watch Magazine

U.S. Army Outlines Plans for Intense War with China in First Island Chain

The U.S. Army has outlined plans to sustain a prolonged high-intensity conflict in the Western Pacific, with a new warfighting guidance document emphasising forward-deployed forces, hardened infrastructure, pre-positioned weapons stockpiles and long-range missile deployments along the First Island Chain. The How the Army Fights document acknowledges the ability of China’s People’s Liberation Army to employ anti-access/area-denial capabilities to disrupt American forces attempting to reach the Western Pacific from the continental United States. The guidance reflects a shift towards preparing for sustained combat across an extensive maritime region, where American forces would face challenges in transporting reinforcements, protecting bases and maintaining ammunition supplies under attack.