US Navy Chief: 'More Muscle Needed' to Counter China

0:00It's April 22nd. Welcome to Adelaide News Today, powered by AI. Adam Rosamio Puparo, the top U.S. military commander in the Indo-Pacific, just laid it out for Congress, we need way more naval muscle to check. China's rapid build-up. He's short on amphibious ships, surface destroyers, and especially attack submarines with production trends heading in the wrong direction. China's been on a tier, launching 12 submarines since last year, including nuclear ones, plus an aircraft carrier, two cruisers, ten destroyers, and seven frigates. Puparo says their aggressive moves toward Taiwan and ties with North Korea and Russia are ramping up regional threats, building a global force to rewrite the rules. Meanwhile, Australia's sterling naval base is fully upgraded and ready today for nuclear-powered subs under the August pact. Puparo inspected it himself and gives props for the progress, but stresses the U.S. defense industry must supercharge output to deliver those promised.

1:01Virginia class subs in the 2030s. Assets are getting pulled from the Pacific, too, like the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group shifted to the Middle East for operations against Iran. Which Senators say costs over $1 billion a day? Puparo admits the strain, but trusts it's handled wisely. Senator Blumenthal pushed for more public truth on these costs, and the urgent need to refill Pacific stockpiles, and Puparo agreed the defense. Secretary's on it. Bottom line, the region's firepower gap demands faster fixes to stay ahead of the curve.