Pentagon says Congress funding fights delay programmes to counter China

The Pentagon has estimated that its modernisation programme – considered essential to its efforts to deal with the “pacing challenge” that China poses – is four years behind due to funding debates in the US Congress.

Deputy Defence Secretary Kathleen Hicks said on Tuesday that the department faced “significant consequences” from the short-term spending bills, or continuing resolutions (CRs), used in recent years, the latest of which passed earlier this month.