How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China
A US sailor assigned to the USS Delbert D Black directs an MH-60R. (Photo: US Navy)
The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.
The ongoing US attacks against Iran could have a deep, long-term impact on the Pentagon’s readiness, analysts have said, especially if the Joint Force is deployed in a long-lasting campaign. This could, in various ways, lower the country’s capacity to withstand a future conflict against China.
Aside from reducing Washington stockpiles of weapons and ammunition, Operation Epic Fury has also been showing off the US’s tactics and strategies to Beijing.
For Joe Costa, director of forward defence within the Atlantic Council thinktank, the US has “unquestionably” lost its tactical advantage over its adversaries because “China and Russia are watching this extremely closely”
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Thinning Arctic ice reveals naval capability gaps and new opportunities]()
Thinning Arctic ice reveals naval capability gaps and new opportunities
As sea ice extent hits a record low and geopolitical tensions increase in the High North, navies are contending to adopt the technologies needed to operate beneath an increasingly unpredictable Arctic Ocean.
-
![Italy’s U212 Near Future Submarine production builds pace as upgrade plans mature]()
Italy’s U212 Near Future Submarine production builds pace as upgrade plans mature
Andrea Simone Pinna, OCCAR-EA combat system officer for the U212 NFS programme, outlined production progress, new capabilities and plans for the Italian Navy’s next-generation conventional submarine.
-
![Hormuz mines reopen the MCM capability question]()
Hormuz mines reopen the MCM capability question
The US-led mine clearance mission in the Strait of Hormuz is a reminder of the long-overdue reckoning among Western navies. With ageing fleets and uncrewed systems still maturing, the gap between rhetoric and investment is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
-
![Australia’s revised defence investment plan: what it means for naval warfare]()
Australia’s revised defence investment plan: what it means for naval warfare
The 2026 Integrated Investment Program allocates up to A$130 billion for undersea warfare, committing the Royal Australian Navy to nuclear-powered submarines, autonomous platforms and an expanded surface combatant fleet over the next decade.
