The Chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), has submitted defense recommendations to the Pentagon, in response to potential threats posed by China to Taiwan. The recommendations follow war games conducted by the Select Committee, which simulated a hypothetical 2027 invasion of Taiwan by the CCP and highlighted potential gaps in U.S. preparedness.
In a letter addressed to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, Gallagher outlined his suggestions for bolstering United States readiness against a possible invasion of Taiwan. His advice was prompted by President Xi Jinping's directive for the Chinese military to be prepared for such an eventuality by 2027, as per a press release from the Select Committee on the CCP.
According to National Review, the Select Committee conducted a war game simulation of a Taiwan invasion scenario in April, thereby raising concerns among Congress as China's aggression towards Taiwan escalates. The simulation, which lasted two and a half hours, was supervised by the Center for New American Security. Experts played the role of the Chinese military while members of Congress assumed roles within the president's national-security team. Following this exercise, lawmakers expressed concern that American companies are not taking this issue seriously enough and pledged to issue warnings to the business community.
The Select Committee also discovered during this simulation that the United States would "run out of key weapons in a matter of days during a Taiwan invasion scenario." However, it was noted that there is approximately "$19 billion backlog in military equipment for Taiwan" that could potentially be accessed by 2029, according to another press release from the Select Committee on the CCP.
Gallagher's recommendations centered around "the 'MacGyver' Harpoons and Powered JDAMs [Joint Direct Attack Munitions]." He wrote that with minor modifications, existing Harpoon missiles in U.S. inventory could be combined with land-based systems either in American or Taiwanese stocks. Additionally, Powered JDAMs could be fitted with 500-pound bombs and function as cost-effective cruise missiles, capable of traveling at least 300 nautical miles. While these alternatives would not replace precision guided missiles, Gallagher suggested that they could supplement the missile inventory and provide immediate deterrence for Taiwan as CCP aggression intensifies.
Currently representing Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District, Gallagher is seeking re-election to the U.S. House. He holds a degree in international relations and affairs and served seven years of active duty in the Marine Corps, leaving in 2013 with the rank of captain. During his service, he worked in counterintelligence and was a member of the Central Command (CENTCOM) assessment team during deployment, according to Ballotpedia.
