"And they have just announced a new round of shoving to commence."
Maybe, but I think there's a WHOLE LOT we're not being told about this.
If they meant to be confrontational, it's going to backfire on them. We'll respond to their new capabilities with countermeasures. It would have been much better for them from a warfighting point of view to keep their little secret for a more opportune time.
Actually, my first very cynical thought is that the Navy wants its ASW budget enhanced.
Well for sure... but that's likely not even their major concern. There appears be a serious need for an attitude adjustment internally at the Pentagon. No amount of money will fix this problem of laxness of attitude. An attitude on display for all to see:
How else do you account for Admiral Gary Roughhead supposedly being mystified about China's intent??!
And if the attitude gets fixed, then the money issues might get better too. Albeit...it will be more than a little uphill with the RATs running Congress now.
If it were a mere budgetary gimmick...it should have been leaked a heck of lot earlier than this election.
Not if they hope to deter us from any strong defense of Taiwan or of intervention in N. Korea...or Iran for that matter.
As for countermeasures...they likely saw all that we are decommissioning...and have concluded that we can't restore the lost muscles on the flabby frame quickly enough to turn this around. It is possible, that in their judgment, the "window of their opportunity" has opened. They are alerting us to give up our allies without a fight...or else. And they are calling our bluff that we can't...or won't... fix our decrepit and dilapidated ASW capabilities before they make their move.