Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn visited with American allies in Australia recently, promoting American ties with the nation and to seek cooperation on cyber security issues.As reported by The New New Internet:
“We are much less in a world now of ‘like on like,†he said, using a term for conventional warfare. “We face a world now where it is much more likely to be a hybrid kind of conflict, where seemingly low-end forces could have sophisticated equipment, whether it’s improvised explosive devices that can penetrate the strongest armor, surface-to-air missiles, or whether it’s cyber capabilities.â€
Both the US and Australia have well developed militaries that can carry out conventional operations. However, Lynn raised the question of how to ensure that our respective militaries are capable of combating asymmetric threats as well.
“In the U.S., it means we are spending much more on cyber defense, but also intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance [and] counter-IEDs,†Lynn said. “We’re looking at long-range strike platforms to deal with anti-access tactics it looks the Chinese have developed with surface-to-surface missiles, trying to drive forces further and further from their borders and coasts.â€