Full Committee Hearing: “U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges AFRICOM + CENTCOM”

Committee on Armed Services

2025-06-10

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Source: Congress.gov

Summary

This meeting focused on the defense posture and policy in U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), addressing complex security challenges and strategic priorities in both regions. Witnesses provided updates on ongoing conflicts, the influence of state and non-state actors, and the critical need for modernized defense capabilities and robust international partnerships.[ 00:03:09 ]

Themes

Iran's Destabilizing Influence and Nuclear Ambitions

Iran is identified as the primary destabilizing force in the Middle East, with its influence seen in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Israel, and Iraq.[ 00:03:13 ] Concerns were raised about Iran's uranium enrichment to 60% for which there is no civilian purpose, and its potential to acquire nuclear weapons, which would fundamentally alter the region's security landscape. The discussion highlighted Iran's support for proxies like the Houthis, Hezbollah, and other militias, which frequently target U.S. forces, regional partners, and commercial shipping. Speakers emphasized the importance of countering this support and negotiating directly with Iran on these issues.[ 00:03:25 ]

Middle East Security and Regional Partnerships

The Middle East faces significant instability from conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, the Red Sea, and Yemen. Maintaining freedom of navigation, particularly in the Red Sea, against Houthi attacks is a key objective, though commercial shipping traffic has not yet fully recovered.[ 00:03:07 ] The U.S. is committed to supporting Israel's defense against threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, while also stressing the need for an alternative future for Palestinians beyond Hamas. Regional partners like Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are crucial for stability and burden-sharing, with military-to-military relationships forming the foundation for regional defense initiatives like the Middle East Air Defense Initiative.

Africa Security Challenges and Great Power Competition

Africa is recognized as a "nexus theater" with growing security challenges, including terrorist activity by groups like ISIS and JNIM, and increasing influence from China and Russia. China's ambitions include expanding military power projection through overseas basing and control over critical mineral resources, while Russia exploits chaos and instability. AFRICOM's priorities include disrupting Africa-based terrorist groups and countering Chinese efforts to establish military dominance. There's a strong emphasis on strengthening partnerships with African nations and investing in their operational independence, acknowledging that cuts to U.S. soft power and aid could undermine military objectives.

Defense Acquisition and Modernization

Significant concerns were raised about the slow and bureaucratic Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process, which hinders the timely delivery of critical warfighting capabilities to partners. Multi-year funding for defense contractors was proposed to incentivize investments in production lines and address the inability of the industrial base to keep up with weapons expenditure. Countering Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and swarms is a top priority, requiring investments in detection capabilities, directed energy, and high-powered microwave technologies.[ 00:25:01 ]

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 Lessons learned from recent conflicts, particularly regarding software integration, layered defense systems, and the evolving nature of drone warfare, are being actively incorporated into strategic planning.[ 01:28:39 ]

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Tone of the Meeting

The meeting conveyed a tone of serious concern regarding the escalating threats and instability in CENTCOM and AFRICOM areas of responsibility.[ 00:03:09 ] There was a strong sense of urgency, particularly in addressing Iran's nuclear ambitions, the proliferation of terrorist activities, and the increasing influence of China and Russia. Speakers consistently emphasized the strategic importance of international partnerships and the need for greater burden-sharing, while also expressing frustration with bureaucratic hurdles in defense acquisition processes. The discussions were professional, strategic, and forward-looking, seeking actionable solutions to complex global challenges.

Participants

Transcript

Yes, it's good that the Houthis for the moment have said that they're going to stop shooting at US ships, but we still don't have commercial shipping traffic feeling free to go through the Red Sea.  So we still have a lot of work to do to get after all of the instability in the region.   I will agree with the chairman that Iran is the primary driving force in that without question.  You see their hand everywhere, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Israel, Iraq.  Getting an ability to contain that is crucially important.  And I actually think it is good that President Trump is negotiating directly with Iran.   Now, my Republican colleagues would pretty much lose their damn minds every time Biden even suggested that he might talk to Iran.  So that particular hypocrisy grates a little bit.  But it is a good idea to try to have a conversation.  I think it is also crucially important in the negotiations that we focus on their support for proxies.  It is their support for proxies that is the most destabilizing force in the region.  But we also need to work more closely with our Israeli partners.   I have an enormous amount of sympathy for the threats that they face from Hamas, from Hezbollah, from Iran and others.  But we need to find an alternative to Hamas.  We need to work with Palestinians to give us some sort of future beyond Hamas.  Partners in the region, as you all know, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and others are working with those Palestinian partners, trying to generate that and being rebuffed constantly by the Israeli government.   This war won't stop until Hamas is gone.  I agree with that.  But Hamas won't be gone until there is some alternative for the Palestinian people.  I think it is really important that we step up pressure to try to push those negotiations and show the Palestinian people that they do have a future.  If they don't think they have a future, it's going to be very difficult to stop this conflict.  In Africa, I am very concerned about where that is going.  The terrorist groups, as I said, seem to be taking hold in a number of countries.
Russia has become more and more prominent in the region.  They don't seem to be doing a particularly good job of keeping the peace, but they are still very present and have relationships with a number of countries.  The path forward to that is not clear to me.  I will close with a note of agreement with the chairman.  These regions matter.  They lead to greater instability.   And when we talk about our primary concern being China, we must understand that the challenge with China is global.  Any notion that we're going to pivot to Asia and therefore deal with China and just ignore the rest of the world, I think fundamentally misunderstands what is happening.  As you gentlemen know, China is very active in Africa.  They're very active in the Middle East.  Russia is as well.  This is a global challenge.  These two regions are crucially important.   We need to be present, but we also need to work with partners in the region to try to create greater stability in what is a very challenging part of the world.  With that, I look forward to the testimony and the questions and answers, and I yield back.
I'd now like to introduce our witnesses.  First, we have Miss Catherine Thompson.  She's performing the duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Affairs.  General Eric Carrillo is the commander of United States CENTCOM, and General Michael Langley is the commander of United States Africa.  Welcome to all of our witnesses.  Miss Thompson, we'll start with you.  You're recognized for five minutes.
M
Ms. Katherine Thompson
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Smith, distinguished members of the House Armed Services Committee, thank you for inviting me today to testify on our defense posture and policy in U.S.  Central Command and U.S.  Africa Command, respectively.  It is my honor to appear alongside General Carrillo and General Langley.

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