A concerning disparity exists between the U.S. and China's missile capabilities, raising serious questions about America's defense posture in the Indo-Pacific. Admiral John Aquilino, head of U.S. forces in the Pacific, has confirmed the U.S. currently lacks the capacity to match China's substantial arsenal of theater-range missiles.

This imbalance is a significant vulnerability. The Pentagon has reported that China possesses over 1,250 ground-launched theater-range ballistic and cruise missiles capable of striking U.S. assets throughout the Indo-Pacific. This missile force forms the core of China's "anti-access/area denial" strategy, designed to repel U.S. forces from the region. War game simulations highlight the effectiveness of this strategy, demonstrating China's potential to inflict significant losses on U.S. air and naval power in a conflict over Taiwan, for instance.

The historical context of this missile gap is rooted in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty. This treaty, while preventing the U.S. and Russia from developing these types of missiles, did not apply to China, allowing them to build up their arsenal unchecked. Although the U.S. withdrew from the INF treaty in 2019, progress in catching up to China has been slow.

The Rings of Fire Act of 2023 aims to address this deficiency by mandating the Pentagon to formulate a strategy to counter China's missile advantage. This strategy would involve assessing capability gaps, defining military requirements, developing operational concepts, and identifying allies and basing locations for these systems. The objective is to establish a robust and cost-effective combat capability across the Pacific, thereby diminishing China's strategic advantage.

This strategy envisions a geographically distributed approach, with shorter-range systems potentially based in Japan and the Philippines, and longer-range systems in locations like northern Australia, the Pacific Islands, and Alaska. This "rings of fire" concept would create a layered defense across the Pacific.

Collaboration with allies, particularly Australia, is crucial for cost-sharing and accelerating development and production timelines. Joint efforts through initiatives like AUKUS can optimize resource allocation and strengthen interoperability.

Closing the missile gap is not merely a technological challenge but a strategic imperative. It's about restoring deterrence, ensuring regional stability, and signaling U.S. resolve to potential adversaries. This requires sustained commitment and oversight from Congress, the Pentagon, and the State Department. The urgency of this issue cannot be overstated.