Washington: As China intensifies activities in the South China Sea, the US Navy has begun to step up efforts for expanding its capabilities. In a year, the US Navy will be armed with laser weapons, submarine drones and hypersonic missiles, a US website and media-affiliated with the US Department of Defense claim. 

In the last year, the Chinese navy started making aggressive moves in the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific. Incidents of incursions from the Chinese warships, submarines, patrol ships and fighter jets into other nations’ territories are surfacing consistently. At the same time, China has started adding more military bases in the South China Sea, and satellite images reveal three new bases in the Hainan region. China is also rapidly producing submarines, destroyers and amphibious warships. New missiles for the warships as even helicopters are being developed.  

After surpassing the US Navy, the Chinese navy has earned recognition as the world’s largest navy. The US has provided an impetus to its naval activities to curb the expansion and activities of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). At the start of December, the US Navy announced plans for the next three decades. Accordingly, in the next decade, the US aims to take its warships to 347. Simultaneously it has also indicated increasing fleet of its submarines and drones. Therefore, the US Navy has begun taking steps in that direction, claims website ‘The National Interest’.  

In a recent event, Admiral Michael Gilday, a senior US naval official, stated that the US Navy was trying to acquire new hypersonic missiles and laser systems along with new submarines. He said that approximately $5 billion would be needed to make the required purchases. The US Navy has indicated arming its aircraft carriers, destroyers, and amphibious warships with laser systems.  

The defence website – The War Zone reported that the US had expedited plans for underwater drones. The drones were being developed under the Snakehead program and would be deployed in nuclear submarines. Apart from that, the US Navy had demanded three types of autonomous warships in the Defense Budget. The US Congress report from last week noted the information and mentioned including five large unmanned warships.   

An independent hypersonic missile called Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) was being developed for the US Navy. Leading US company, Lockheed Martin has been awarded the contract for it. Moreover, US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien has asserted that the US would deploy all guided-missile destroyers and hypersonic missiles with the navy.

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