The U.S. has the capability to send stealth bombers over long distances, monitor missiles from orbit, and position troops anywhere around the world.
But as the country draws near to its 250th birthday Next month, research indicates a simpler issue requires focus in Washington: can the armed forces consistently supply, support, and link these units during an emergency?
From the atmosphere into space, two recent studies highlight weaknesses in key elements of American military reach during an era of growing rivalry with China.
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A study released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) this month revealed that the Air Force's aerial refueling fleet regularly failed to meet availability and mission-readiness targets from 2019 through 2025.
The watchdog pointed to aging planes, lack of replacement parts, difficulties with upkeep, shortage of skilled personnel, and slow deployment of modern tankers as major reasons impacting preparedness, along with noting regular machinery breakdowns.
According to the report, the proportion of airborne refueling aircraft that are operational and ready for missions has consistently stayed under the levels set by the [U.S.] Air Force for the entire fleet.
The results are significant since these vessels serve as a link over the sea. In a possible confrontation in the Indo-Pacific U.S. fighter aircraft and bombers are unable to cover the extensive distances needed to reach the conflict zone and then return to base without frequent aerial refueling. Should the tanker support system fail, U.S. air capability would be significantly limited.
The GAO said the air force continued to rely significantly on the KC-135 Stratotanker, an aircraft from the Cold War period, as the shift toward the more modern KC-46 progressed at a pace below expectations due to technological and administrative issues.
The document also pointed out issues related to structural upkeep and long-term support throughout the entire fleet. Personnel from several bases mentioned early-stage rusting that impacted both KC-135 and KC-46 planes.
During one site visit, authorities informed inspectors that even though the maintenance teams were completely filled with members, approximately three-fourths of the maintenance workers did not have sufficient expertise to perform tasks alone.
The GAO stated that personnel responsible for maintaining units mentioned regular issues with equipment, which resulted in higher instances of "cannibalization"—the act of taking components from one plane to ensure another remains functional. As per the report, crew members indicated this activity happened more frequently than anticipated for an aircraft still in the initial phase of its deployment.
The watchdog also highlighted software problems with the KC-46, stating that Air Mobility Command representatives admitted that upon delivery of the initial aircraft, the system was already obsolete. Over 100 of these refueling planes had been handed over by spring.
The research revealed that the U.S. Air Force had not thoroughly evaluated sustainability hazards within its KC-135 and KC-46 refueling aircraft groups, and had also failed to create strategies for addressing the highest probability and most significant threats.
The GAO stated that the Air Force classified a tanker as mission-ready, even if its fueling system had issues, as long as it was capable of performing cargo transport or medical evacuation tasks.
The results emerge as the Department of Defense still views China as its primary strategic concern, leading to increased examination of the preparedness, durability, and effectiveness of the systems that back U.S. military activities worldwide.
Lyle Goldstein, who leads the Asia Program at Defence Priorities, a security research organization based in Washington, stated that refueling aircraft play a crucial role in U.S. Air Force activities, noting that their influence would be disproportionately significant in any conflict within the Asia-Pacific area because of the vast distances involved and the limited number of air force bases present in the region.
He stated that the U.S.-Iran conflict demonstrated "very clearly" that air refueling aircraft could be attacked at forward locations, and "it is possible that the Chinese military has the ability to conduct more intense attacks against American aerial tankers using both missiles and drones compared to Iran."
In the meantime, U.S. space infrastructure also faces challenges related to modernization and implementation.
A different study from Rand, a research institute based in Washington, stated that China has developed the opposing ability, noting that in June of last year, China "probably" finished an effective autonomous operation. refueling of the Shijian-21 in space using the Shijian-25 satellites while in geosynchronous orbit.
The official announcement regarding this achievement has yet to be made by the Chinese administration.
The research cautioned that swift advancements in dual-purpose space technologies were surpassing regulatory frameworks, resulting in delays in policy development and areas lacking proper supervision — with clear security consequences already emerging.
These developments, it noted, not only increased satellite longevity and facilitated novel military uses but also introduced dangers of misunderstanding and intensification.
It stated that misunderstandings might threaten global security and the safe utilization of space, as countries could implement preventive or protective actions that lead to confrontation.
In its January publication, the GAO additionally pointed out similar dangers within the space environment.
The United States Space Development Agency is working on its proliferated warfighter space architecture a vast network of hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit designed to identify and monitor missile dangers, including sophisticated hypersonic weapons developed by adversaries like China.
Nevertheless, the GAO determined that "the SDA faces a potential inability to provide capabilities at the scheduled pace."
The watchdog stated that the agency was overstating the preparedness of key technologies, like adapted spacecraft, resulting in unexpected tasks, integration issues, and timeline extensions.
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The article was first published on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), a top-tier news outlet covering developments in China and Asia.
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