Alhough the three East Asia Strategic Initiatives (EASIs) and a number of recent statements from Washington stress the need for a prolonged US, military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, such proclamations have largely ignored two crucial issues: What kind of force structure should the United States maintain? And with what type of weapons systems should those forces be equipped? Unfortunately, the existing disparity between strategies and the force structure and procurement practices of key branches of the U.S. military–specifically the navy and the air force-could undermine America’s ability to achieve its goals in the region. Indeed, the military’s force planning and procurement policies may be inadequate to protect American interests in East Asia.

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