Latest news with #USSpecialForces
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Former intelligence agent reveals big problem facing Australia
Australia risks falling behind in its defence readiness, according to dual-citizen and former US special forces veteran John Powers, who cautioned that the Australian Defence Force may not be keeping pace with strategic demands. 'We have not manned and equipped and sustained our military, our ADF, so that it can keep pace materially and capability wise with the United States,' he told 7News. Mr Powers, who served as a US special forces brigade commander and military intelligence specialist, warned that Australia could become a 'strategic liability' if defence resources remain stretched. Describing Australia's reputation among US planners he said, 'We'd always start to figure out how can we get the Aussies into the fray because when it comes to just grit and mettle and the intangibles of being a reliable solder, sailor, and airman … you could not have a better ally.' 'I think we've underspent on defence from the standpoint of we don't have the capabilities that we need to even defend ourselves,' he added. It presses the case US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth put to Defence Minister Richard Marles in late May: That Australia needs to increase its defence budget to 3.5 per cent of our gross domestic product, tens of billions more in military spending every year. On matters close to home, Mr Powers challenged concerns about Chinese control of the Port of Darwin. 'I don't think it's a big deal. This same company owns and operates ports in the United States.' When news of 2015 agreement broke he says he saw it as an intelligence opportunity to 'collect on the Chinese … see how they do business'. When the conversation shifted to Australia's submarine pact with the US and UK, Mr Powers didn't mince his words. 'I'm not an AUKUS fan. I don't think it's a good deal,' he said. He went on to cast serious doubts on whether the American-built Virginia-class submarines would ever arrive on Australian shores saying, 'I'm not confident we'll ever see those three submarines.' The trilateral submarine pact has been facing growing pressure recently due to limitations in submarine production capacity. The deal would see the US share its nuclear propulsion technology for only the second time in history, while helping Canberra develop domestic capability to build and maintain its own nuclear-powered attack submarines. In June, the Pentagon publicly announced a review of the alliance in what many reported was a dramatic move to force Labor to increase defence spending. Admiral Daryl Caudle, the U.S. navy's nominee for Chief of Naval Operations, warned the senate last month that the US industrial base must double its attack submarine output to meet commitments under Pillar 1 of the deal. Currently, the US builds around 1.3 Virginia-class attack submarines per year, but to satisfy both its own needs and Australia's, production needs to ramp up to approximately 2.2-2.3 submarines annually. 'The question of Australia's ability to conduct undersea warfare is not in question by me or by anyone,' Adm. Caudle told Senators, per USNI News. 'But as you know, the delivery pace is not where it needs to be to make good on the Pillar 1 of the AUKUS agreement, which is currently under review by our Defense Department.' The AUKUS deal would see the US share its nuclear propulsion technology for only the second time in history, selling up to five Virginia-class boats to Australia while helping Canberra develop domestic capability to build and maintain its own nuclear-powered attack submarines. Adm. Caudle said, there would need to be 'transformational improvement' order to reach the required output to build the submarines. 'Not a 10 per cent improvement, not a 20 per cent, a 100 per cent improvement. We need a transformational improvement and the ability to deliver twice the capacity that we're currently delivering,' he said. Australia has already injected hundreds of millions into US shipbuilding capacity with the Albanese government confirming an additional $800 million payment just last month – bringing the total contribution to $1.6 billion.
Metro
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Afghan veteran warns data breach poses shadow threat ‘for years to come'
A former British Paratrooper who spent more than a decade serving in numerous operations across Afghanistan has warned that the data breach will pose a security threat for years to come. Ahmad Fahim said maintaining cover 'is part of staying alive' after it emerged that more than 100 British personnel — including members of the SAS and SBS — have been compromised. The personal information relating to serving and former members of the special forces and spies was emailed out in error, it emerged yesterday, after it was earlier revealed earlier in the week that thousands of Afghans had been put at risk by the error. Fahim, who often worked alongside US Special Forces in the country, warned that this type of data could be traded or passed on to other groups with greater capabilities than the Taliban. The spreadsheet sent out in February 2022 by a defence official was first revealed to have included the personal information of 18,714 Afghans before it emerged that members of MI6 and British special forces were also among those compromised. Fahim said: 'As a former British Paratrooper who served in numerous operations across Afghanistan for over a decade, often alongside US Special Forces, this is a story I take seriously on both a personal and professional level. 'The leak of personal data, including the identities of over 100 British officials, some from specialist units, is more than just a serious administrative failure. 'Once information like that is exposed beyond secure systems, it becomes impossible to contain. 'Whether it's picked up by Taliban-linked networks, traded to proxy groups, or passed on to actors with broader capabilities, the long-term consequences are real.' Fahim, who worked across Afghanistan for more than a decade, assesses that the Taliban and their affiliates have become more sophisticated in how they deal with sensitive material. He raised the prospect that the information may have been traded or passed on to nefarious actors with greater capabilities than the Islamic militants — including foreign intelligence services. Red flags that have already emerged include one person named in the dataset threatening to post it in a Facebook group. The data is also understood to have exchanged hands in the UK for a large sum of money, according to The Times. 'The Taliban and their affiliates have become far more structured in how they gather and move sensitive material,' Fahim said. 'What starts as a local breach can quickly become global. 'Data like this can be sold or traded through shadow networks, shared with foreign intelligence services, or used for cyber-tracking, impersonation, mapping patterns of life, or even targeting contacts abroad. 'These aren't far-fetched scenarios, they're the kinds of risks that follow people for years, especially those who've served in classified or high-threat roles. Operational security isn't just about what happens in theatre, it's about protecting our people long after the mission ends. 'Many of those named in this leak worked in roles where staying off the radar wasn't optional, it was part of staying alive and keeping others safe. 'That line's now been crossed.' A secret programme to relocate Afghans named in the dataset to the UK took place while the details of the breach were kept secret. The largest covert evacuation mission in British peacetime history could end up costing billions of pounds. As a decorated veteran who encountered the Taliban firsthand and saw the chaos and death of the UK's mass evacuation from Kabul airport in 2021, Fahim believes a threat remains to those still in the country. He now works in the security industry after a military career which began when he served as an interpreter for US Special Forces in Afghanistan, where he was born, before joining the Paras. 'The threat to Afghan nationals still inside the country is even more immediate,' Fahim said. 'Many have no cover, no fallback. The fact that both British and Afghan individuals were exposed shows the scale of this failure. The least we owe these people is honesty and protection.' The breach took place when the official trying to verify Afghan applications to come to the UK erroneously sent out a large database. A super-injunction, meaning even the secrecy order itself could be reported, prevented the blunder being made public. In the meantime, the largest covert evacuation in peacetime British history was launched to get Afghans out of the country. Entitled the Afghanistan Response Route, the programme has cost around £400 million so far and could amount to £850 million by the time it ends. 'Mistakes happen, but what makes this worse is how long it was kept quiet, not just ignored but actively hidden under an injunction,' Fahim said. 'When something this serious goes wrong, leadership isn't about silence, it's about taking responsibility, fixing it, and ensuring it never happens again. If we say we stand by those who stood by us, then we've got to do better than this.' The latest revelations can be reported after a High Court hearing yesterday, which enabled some of the spreadsheet contents to be reported. In a statement to parliament on Tuesday, Defence Secretary John Healey said: 'My first concern has been to notify as many people as possible who are affected by the data incident and to provide them with further advice.' More Trending Mr Healey continued that it had not been possible to contact everyone affected as he outlined how anyone concerned about the breach can seek further security advice, including through a 'self-checker tool'. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: 'It's a longstanding policy of successive governments to not comment on Special Forces. 'We take the security of our personnel very seriously and personnel, particularly those in sensitive positions, always have appropriate measures in place to protect their security.' Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact MORE: British spies and SAS soldiers' personal details leaked in Afghan data breach MORE: Roll call of nameless Afghans killed in action while serving the UK MORE: Paratrooper tells how race out of Afghanistan left devastating toll
Courier-Mail
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Linda Hamilton channels her iconic Terminator character in big-screen return
Don't miss out on the headlines from Movies. Followed categories will be added to My News. She vowed never to star in the Terminator franchise again, but Linda Hamilton appears to channel her iconic character from the franchise as she makes her return to the big screen. The Hollywood star walked the red carpet in New Orleans, Louisiana, overnight at the screening of her new sci-fi film Osiris, which marks her first movie in six years. The 68-year-old almost looked unrecognisable in a pretty pink dress at the Prytania Theatre, looking in stark contrast to the gun-toting, bad-ass she's known for in the Terminator films. Actress Linda Hamilton arrives at a screening of her new movie Osiris at Prytania Theatre on July 8 in New Orleans. Picture:Nonetheless, the actress can still pack a punch, playing a Russian militant Anya in the film who comes to the aid of a group of US Special Forces who've been abducted by an alien space craft. In the action-thriller, Hamilton's role echoes the Sarah Connor character she played in three of the Terminator films opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger: The Terminator and two of its sequels, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator: Dark Fate. The latter was released in 2019 and Hamilton has only appeared on TV projects in the six years since, including a recurring role in the mystery comedy-drama Resident Alien. But now she makes her return to the big screen – and she only had 10 days notice to join the movie after another actor was recast because of a medical issue. Hamilton plays Russian militant Anya in the action-thriller. Picture: Vertical The actress in an iconic scene from Terminator II. 'It was hellish for a while,' Hamilton recently recalled to ScreenRant. 'Because my character is the one that really explains the story. There are gobs of Russian coming out of my mouth. But it was fun! It's fun when you have to think on your feet.' 'I worked my tail off, and we had a fantastic time. It was great... it was a dream job.' It comes after Hamilton vowed never to star in a Terminator film again following the 2019 offering Terminator: Dark Fate. With Terminator: Dark Fate co-stars Natalia Reyes (left) and Mackenzie David. Hamilton and Terminator co-star Arnold Schwarzenegger speak on stage during the CinemaCon Paramount Pictures Exclusive Presentation at the Colosseum Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in 2019. Picture: VALERIE MACON / AFP When asked by The Hollywood Reporter last year what was more likelier: her returning as Sarah Connor or AI writing the next Terminator movie, she didn't hesitate in her reply: 'AI writing the next Terminator movie. And they kill me off before we start. That's the best scenario,' she said. Hamilton was also married the blockbuster franchise's director and producer James Cameron from 1997 to 1999. When doing press for Terminator: Dark Fate in 2019, the star – who never remarried – revealed that she had been celibate for 15 years. 'I love my alone time like no one you've ever met,' Hamilton told the New York Times at the time. 'I've been celibate for at least 15 years. One loses track, because it just doesn't matter – or at least it doesn't matter to me.' 'I have a very romantic relationship with my world every day and the people who are in it.' Originally published as Linda Hamilton channels her iconic Terminator character in big-screen return
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How the US plans to fight off a Chinese invasion of Taiwan
A soldier careens into the briefing tent of Cross Functional Team (CFT) Taiwan, barely able to catch his breath. 'Attention on the floor!' he shouts. 'Sorry to barge in, sir, but you'll want to hear this.' Chinese ships have begun to cross the Taiwan Strait 'with full intention to invade'. Chaos breaks out in the command centre, where specialists had been outlining recent operations. Sirens blare, soldiers pick up rucksacks, plastic chairs are pushed aside. Over the tree-line, hostile drones whirr into view. As troops hustle a visiting congressional delegation to an evacuation point, they swoop overhead and drop munitions. Ear-splitting explosions send plumes of smoke into the air. People fall by the side of the road, screaming. So begins the long-feared war between the world's two largest militaries – or at least, a drill simulating the event at the 25th capability exercise of the US Special Forces at Fort Bragg army base. A hint of slapstick lingers in the air. Called upon to help the wounded, visitors fiddle with their lanyards, while fake blood soaks the clothes of gurgling actors. The scenario, however, is head-poundingly serious. Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, has ordered his military to be ready to 'reunify' the self-governing island of Taiwan with the mainland by 2027. An extraordinary build-up is under way. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) now boasts one million troops more than the US, as well as the world's largest navy, vast supplies of ground-based long-range missiles and a galloping nuclear arsenal set to hit 1,000 warheads by 2030. In satellite imagery, a mock-up of central Taipei including the president's office can be seen near a desert PLA base. Beijing also has home advantage: its resources are all closer to Taiwan than the US bases in the Philippines, Japan and Guam. Any movement of US forces will be immediately spotted by China's extensive sensor network. Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, warned on Saturday that the threat from China was real and a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could be imminent. He added that any attempt by China to conquer Taiwan 'would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world'. 'Beijing is credibly preparing potentially to use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,' Mr Hegseth said in a speech to the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier defence forum, in Singapore. In March, Mr Hegseth issued a classified memo that prioritised efforts to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, leaving Europe to 'assume risk' in facing down Russia. 'China is the Department's sole pacing threat, and denial of a Chinese fait accompli seizure of Taiwan – while simultaneously defending the US homeland is the Department's sole pacing scenario,' he wrote. The memo lifted sections almost word-for-word from a report by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington-based think tank. 'If I had to bet they are laying the groundwork now to begin large swings of forces out of lesser-priority theatres to the Indo-Pacific in around six months,' says Rob Peters, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, who co-authored the report. In Fort Bragg headquarters, a briefing video opens with the sound of a clock ticking ominously. Chinese lettering fills the screen. Three red stars mark the years 2014 (Russia's seizure of Ukraine), 2022 (the invasion of Ukraine) and 2027 – the year China could strike Taiwan. The impact of a Chinese invasion on the lives of ordinary people would make that of the Covid pandemic 'pale in comparison', says Lt Gen Jonathan P Braga, the commander of the US Army Special Operations Command. It would disrupt the supply of the microchips that power crucial technologies, 'from I can't buy a car, a refrigerator, a cell-phone… all that stuff'. 'We need people… to think about this, because it is by exponential means the greatest threat we have,' Lt Gen Braga says. What role ground troops would play is open to question. Around 500 US military trainers are currently based on Taiwan, teaching the local forces how to operate advanced weaponry. The first test with the long-range Himars was carried out this month. Special forces would likely enter Taiwan surreptitiously in the weeks before an invasion; army units might join, but public deployments could inflame the situation. The defenders' goal would be to 'turn the Taiwan beaches into the beaches of Normandy,' says Mr Peters. Failing that: 'box them in like Anzio.' But the fiercest battles will be fought in the skies and at sea. The US is preparing a 'hellscape' of drones, mines and unmanned ships to slow down China's crossing of the 100-mile Taiwan Strait. The PLA navy will form a blockade around the eastern flank of the island, preventing the US from reaching or resupplying the Taiwanese. Spectacular dogfights would erupt: US F-35s, bombers and stealth B-21 raiders attempting to sink the warships, as China's 3,000 aircraft fight back. To stand a chance, the US will need 'a metric s--- ton' of long-range anti-ship missiles, in particular the new Tomahawk, which has a range of 1,500 miles, says Mr Peters. 'I cannot stress this enough,' he adds, the arsenal is currently 'way, way [too] low.' One goal of the special forces – however many they number – would be to try and open up air corridors onto the island. Out on a Fort Bragg training range, a dozen camouflaged soldiers creep through the trees towards a Russian-made Scud missile and nearby command-and-control centre, which form part of China's Integrated Air Defence System (IADS). To the south of their position, a drone-operator, robot dog and two armoured vehicles mounted with M240b machine guns wait for the signal. Snipers watch behind camouflage. 'Open fire,' the commander orders over the radio. A drone whizzes overhead, dropping a bomb near the Scud. The M240b gunners spray the guards, providing cover for the soldiers to race out of the trees and eliminate those left alive. The Scud is disabled with a flamethrower (its unique fuel makes explosive detonation tricky). Then comes the most novel element of the exercise: as Chinese drones launch a counter-attack, an Anduril electronic warfare system breaks the link between the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and their pilots. The special forces team survives and a 'temporary air corridor' is opened. Whether Beijing's real drones would be so simply overcome is another question. 'There is an assumption that China has been observing [the war in Ukraine, where Chinese drones have been used en masse] and that their ability to ramp up capacity now appears to be better than the US and Nato's ability to produce these systems,' says Colin Smith, a Rand Corp. researcher and Marine veteran. It can be difficult even to train with the systems on US soil. Electronic warfare systems interfere with nearby residents' garages. On Camp Pendleton, in California, Mr Smith's team was unable to practise with the jammers they used in Afghanistan 'because of the electromagnetic spectrum limitations'. 'Those are things that the Department of Defense is trying to work through on certain bases,' he says. Homeland defence is the most pressing problem. China's intercontinental ballistic missiles can now strike the US mainland. In May, US Air Force Brig Gen Dough Wickert warned locals around Edwards Air Force Base that a Pearl Harbour-like scenario could hit their Californian homes. Donald Trump's solution is the Golden Dome, a network of space-based interceptors he claims – unfeasibly – could be finished within three years for a cost of 'just' $175 billion. In war games on Taiwan, China does often hit the US mainland, says Mr Smith. 'What if they want to hit the west coast and get the American population thinking, 'why are we doing this again'?' Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior advisor at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), ran a 2023 war game on an amphibious invasion. Over 24 run-throughs, the US managed to prevent China capturing the island most times, but at the cost of dozens of ships, hundreds of aircraft and tens of thousands of service-members. The US still needs to decide its position on how and when ground troops will enter the fray, Mr Cancian says. 'When you talk to the services, to the Marine corps, they say 'well of course we're going to be on Taiwan when the war begins'. But the state department says 'there's no f---ing way', as that will precipitate the conflict we're trying to avoid.' In one round of the war game, a player tried to fly a US brigade into Taiwan. But they turned back after they lost a battalion to air defences. 'After four, five weeks of combat, when the Chinese fleet has been chewed up, [perhaps] then you can start doing things,' he says. Sometimes, nuclear war erupts. Such hypotheticals are above the pay grade of the soldiers who will be called upon to fight in Taiwan's jungles, cities and beaches should war break out. On an urban training village in Fort Bragg, two Chinook MH47 helicopters fly a platoon of elite Rangers into battle. The soldiers rappel down ropes onto the roofs, while the helicopters rattle out machine gun rounds. Doors are stormed through, flash-bang grenades thrown as the unit rapidly clears the buildings. High above their heads, a single Himars missile streaks through the sky. Here, it will land safely on a patch of Fort Bragg, guided to within 1m of the intended target. The US hopes it will never come to war with China. Mr Xi may well think twice, wary of a long and costly conflict. If he does gamble, however, the Green Berets will no longer be practising on the fields of North Carolina – and those Himars missiles will be raining down on an army tasting its first real combat. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
31-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
How the US plans to fight off a Chinese invasion of Taiwan
A soldier careens into the briefing tent of Cross Functional Team (CFT) Taiwan, barely able to catch his breath. 'Attention on the floor!' he shouts. 'Sorry to barge in, sir, but you'll want to hear this.' Chinese ships have begun to cross the Taiwan Strait 'with full intention to invade '. Chaos breaks out in the command centre, where specialists had been outlining recent operations. Sirens blare, soldiers pick up rucksacks, plastic chairs are pushed aside. Over the tree-line, hostile drones whirr into view. As troops hustle a visiting congressional delegation to an evacuation point, they swoop overhead and drop munitions. Ear-splitting explosions send plumes of smoke into the air. People fall by the side of the road, screaming. So begins the long-feared war between the world's two largest militaries – or at least, a drill simulating the event at the 25th capability exercise of the US Special Forces at Fort Bragg army base. A hint of slapstick lingers in the air. Called upon to help the wounded, visitors fiddle with their lanyards, while fake blood soaks the clothes of gurgling actors. The scenario, however, is head-poundingly serious. Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, has ordered his military to be ready to 'reunify' the self-governing island of Taiwan with the mainland by 2027. An extraordinary build-up is under way. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) now boasts one million troops more than the US, as well as the world's largest navy, vast supplies of ground-based long-range missiles and a galloping nuclear arsenal set to hit 1,000 warheads by 2030. In satellite imagery, a mock-up of central Taipei including the president's office can be seen near a desert PLA base. Beijing also has home advantage: its resources are all closer to Taiwan than the US bases in the Philippines, Japan and Guam. Any movement of US forces will be immediately spotted by China's extensive sensor network. Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, warned on Saturday that the threat from China was real and a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could be imminent. He added that any attempt by China to conquer Taiwan 'would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world'. 'Beijing is credibly preparing potentially to use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,' Mr Hegseth said in a speech to the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier defence forum, in Singapore. In March, Mr Hegseth issued a classified memo that prioritised efforts to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, leaving Europe to 'assume risk' in facing down Russia. 'China is the Department's sole pacing threat, and denial of a Chinese fait accompli seizure of Taiwan – while simultaneously defending the US homeland is the Department's sole pacing scenario,' he wrote. The memo lifted sections almost word-for-word from a report by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington-based think tank. 'If I had to bet they are laying the groundwork now to begin large swings of forces out of lesser-priority theatres to the Indo-Pacific in around six months,' says Rob Peters, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, who co-authored the report. In Fort Bragg headquarters, a briefing video opens with the sound of a clock ticking ominously. Chinese lettering fills the screen. Three red stars mark the years 2014 (Russia's seizure of Ukraine), 2022 (the invasion of Ukraine) and 2027 – the year China could strike Taiwan. The impact of a Chinese invasion on the lives of ordinary people would make that of the Covid pandemic 'pale in comparison', says Lt Gen Jonathan P Braga, the commander of the US Army Special Operations Command. It would disrupt the supply of the microchips that power crucial technologies, 'from I can't buy a car, a refrigerator, a cell-phone… all that stuff'. 'We need people… to think about this, because it is by exponential means the greatest threat we have,' Lt Gen Braga says. What role ground troops would play is open to question. Around 500 US military trainers are currently based on Taiwan, teaching the local forces how to operate advanced weaponry. The first test with the long-range Himars was carried out this month. Special forces would likely enter Taiwan surreptitiously in the weeks before an invasion; army units might join, but public deployments could inflame the situation. The defenders' goal would be to 'turn the Taiwan beaches into the beaches of Normandy,' says Mr Peters. Failing that: 'box them in like Anzio.' But the fiercest battles will be fought in the skies and at sea. The US is preparing a 'hellscape' of drones, mines and unmanned ships to slow down China's crossing of the 100-mile Taiwan Strait. The PLA navy will form a blockade around the eastern flank of the island, preventing the US from reaching or resupplying the Taiwanese. Spectacular dogfights would erupt: US F-35s, bombers and stealth B-21 raiders attempting to sink the warships, as China's 3,000 aircraft fight back. To stand a chance, the US will need 'a metric s--- ton' of long-range anti-ship missiles, in particular the new Tomahawk, which has a range of 1,500 miles, says Mr Peters. 'I cannot stress this enough,' he adds, the arsenal is currently 'way, way [too] low.' One goal of the special forces – however many they number – would be to try and open up air corridors onto the island. Out on a Fort Bragg training range, a dozen camouflaged soldiers creep through the trees towards a Russian-made Scud missile and nearby command-and-control centre, which form part of China's Integrated Air Defence System (IADS). To the south of their position, a drone-operator, robot dog and two armoured vehicles mounted with M240b machine guns wait for the signal. Snipers watch behind camouflage. 'Open fire,' the commander orders over the radio. A drone whizzes overhead, dropping a bomb near the Scud. The M240b gunners spray the guards, providing cover for the soldiers to race out of the trees and eliminate those left alive. The Scud is disabled with a flamethrower (its unique fuel makes explosive detonation tricky). Then comes the most novel element of the exercise: as Chinese drones launch a counter-attack, an Anduril electronic warfare system breaks the link between the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and their pilots. The special forces team survives and a 'temporary air corridor' is opened. Whether Beijing's real drones would be so simply overcome is another question. 'There is an assumption that China has been observing [the war in Ukraine, where Chinese drones have been used en masse] and that their ability to ramp up capacity now appears to be better than the US and Nato's ability to produce these systems,' says Colin Smith, a Rand Corp. researcher and Marine veteran. It can be difficult even to train with the systems on US soil. Electronic warfare systems interfere with nearby residents' garages. On Camp Pendleton, in California, Mr Smith's team was unable to practise with the jammers they used in Afghanistan 'because of the electromagnetic spectrum limitations'. 'Those are things that the Department of Defense is trying to work through on certain bases,' he says. Homeland defence is the most pressing problem. China's intercontinental ballistic missiles can now strike the US mainland. In May, US Air Force Brig Gen Dough Wickert warned locals around Edwards Air Force Base that a Pearl Harbour-like scenario could hit their Californian homes. Donald Trump's solution is the Golden Dome, a network of space-based interceptors he claims – unfeasibly – could be finished within three years for a cost of 'just' $175 billion. In war games on Taiwan, China does often hit the US mainland, says Mr Smith. 'What if they want to hit the west coast and get the American population thinking, 'why are we doing this again'?' Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior advisor at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), ran a 2023 war game on an amphibious invasion. Over 24 run-throughs, the US managed to prevent China capturing the island most times, but at the cost of dozens of ships, hundreds of aircraft and tens of thousands of service-members. The US still needs to decide its position on how and when ground troops will enter the fray, Mr Cancian says. 'When you talk to the services, to the Marine corps, they say 'well of course we're going to be on Taiwan when the war begins'. But the state department says 'there's no f---ing way', as that will precipitate the conflict we're trying to avoid.' In one round of the war game, a player tried to fly a US brigade into Taiwan. But they turned back after they lost a battalion to air defences. 'After four, five weeks of combat, when the Chinese fleet has been chewed up, [perhaps] then you can start doing things,' he says. Sometimes, nuclear war erupts. Such hypotheticals are above the pay grade of the soldiers who will be called upon to fight in Taiwan's jungles, cities and beaches should war break out. On an urban training village in Fort Bragg, two Chinook MH47 helicopters fly a platoon of elite Rangers into battle. The soldiers rappel down ropes onto the roofs, while the helicopters rattle out machine gun rounds. Doors are stormed through, flash-bang grenades thrown as the unit rapidly clears the buildings. High above their heads, a single Himars missile streaks through the sky. Here, it will land safely on a patch of Fort Bragg, guided to within 1m of the intended target. The US hopes it will never come to war with China. Mr Xi may well think twice, wary of a long and costly conflict. If he does gamble, however, the Green Berets will no longer be practising on the fields of North Carolina – and those Himars missiles will be raining down on an army tasting its first real combat.
