As I mentioned on yesterday’s Midrats with Bryan Clark, the below graph from their latest report from Hudson is one of the first things anyone discussing a possible conflict with the People’s Republic of China must fully understand.

You cannot wish away, spin, or “offset” geography. The land component knows this better than anyone. The geography below the ocean is just as critical as that above it.

The geeks who like to soak in the details of ASW (guilty) know this well, but as they are usually kill-joys armed with “math” and “geography” – they are not all that popular during OPLAN development or revisions. When their Dungeons and Dragons partners are responsible for logistics, sustainment, and maintenance to – their corner of the briefing room can be downright insufferable at the Q&A session following briefs by the DOD’s version of inspirational OceanGate alumni with their cool new ideas about fighting China they got after binge reading their latest military fiction novel on the way home from an industry sponsored conference in San Diego or Crystal City.