China's Self-Described Quantum Leap In Military Power

China’s Defense Minister has offered some interesting observations, especially in light of Secretary Gates' speech to the Air Force Association earlier this month.

Secretary Gates said we should be most concerned about China's ability to disrupt our freedom of movement and narrow our strategic options.

This could be done by cyber and ASAT investments, anti-air and anti-ship weapons, and ballistic missiles.

Basically, China is doing or has already done much of this. It’s a gigantic anti-access strategy to keep us from getting in close enough to fight effectively.

The Secretary also highlighted some areas of ongoing and future importance to the Air Force:

• Our military is more dependant on communications, satellites, and data networks than we've ever been. They underpin our ability to execute precision strike, effective command and control, and ISR

• The criticality of space for military operations is at an all time high

• Expertise within the nuclear mission areas has to be sustained

If you really squint between-the-lines, can you almost envision that he might support the emergence of a U.S. Space Force or Space Corps or cyber equivalent?