Pentagon spends $15.9 billion to upgrade surveillance of China’s subs, satellites

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said that it does not serve the regional countries' interests. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The Pentagon plans to spend an additional US$12.6 billion (S$15.9 billion) to improve surveillance of China’s military maneuvers, submarines and satellites as the US tries to counter the “unprecedented Chinese military buildup” in Asia, according to a budget document sent to Congress.

The funds, approved by Congress outside of the normal budget process, are designed to improve US military readiness, offensive cyber capabilities and surveillance efforts across the Indo-Pacific. It will also help expand operations of a classified Boeing spacecraft. 

The China-focused expenditures are detailed in a new 85-page document sent to Congress earlier in February that spells out how the Department of Defense (DoD) plans to allocate almost US$152 billion passed in the 2025 massive tax-and-spending package.

That is separate from the formal US$893 billion fiscal 2026 defence spending measure Congress passed in January.

The document says the new funds “are dedicated to improving critical DoD efforts in the US Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility to counter the unprecedented Chinese military buildup and the growing threats to US security interests and economic prosperity in the region”.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning criticised the funding plan at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Feb 27.