US Prepares for Potential China Conflict, WSJ Reports
The Pentagon is urging missile manufacturers to “double or even quadruple” their output, citing concerns over dwindling weapons stockpiles, according to the newspaper.
The United States is increasing missile manufacturing in anticipation of a potential confrontation with China, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, quoting officials with knowledge of the situation. The Pentagon is reportedly urging defense companies to significantly boost production, with some reports suggesting a twofold or even fourfold increase, due to growing worries about inadequate weapons inventories.
Sources informed the publication that the U.S. Department of Defense initiated this effort in June by inviting leading missile producers to a roundtable discussion at the Pentagon.
The gathering, chaired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, brought together prominent arms manufacturers, emerging companies such as Anduril Industries, and vital component providers.
Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg is reportedly taking an “unusually” direct approach to this initiative, which is said to be called the Munitions Acceleration Council. The WSJ observed that this senior official makes weekly personal calls to certain executives to monitor their advancements.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell informed the newspaper, “President Trump and Secretary Hegseth are investigating exceptional methods to enhance our military capabilities and expedite munitions manufacturing.” He added, “This undertaking has been a cooperative effort between defense sector leaders and high-ranking Pentagon personnel.”
The WSJ reported that the recently formed acceleration council is concentrating on 12 specific weapons that the Pentagon aims to possess for a possible confrontation with China.
Reports indicate that some officials and specialists have voiced apprehension regarding the realism of the Pentagon’s objectives, pointing out that the assembly of particular missile systems can require as long as two years. Concurrently, the certification of new suppliers demands hundreds of millions of dollars to guarantee that their products adhere to military specifications.
Funding continues to be a significant worry, as per analysts quoted by the news source. Although the “Big, Beautiful Bill” recently passed by Washington allocated an additional $25 billion for munitions expenditures over five years, achieving the Pentagon’s new goals might necessitate tens of billions more.
The U.S. perceives China as its chief strategic competitor, owing to its swift military advancements, increasing sway in the Indo-Pacific, and alleged escalating pressure on Taiwan. Washington is apprehensive that Beijing might endeavor to forcibly reunite with the self-governing island, potentially igniting a regional conflict that could involve American military personnel.
Beijing has dismissed these assertions, asserting that Taiwan constitutes an internal affair and has consistently accused the U.S. of exacerbating tensions by providing arms to the island and fostering separatist inclinations.