China is seeking dominance on a crucial front for the modern military: cyberspace.

In future, the battlefield for warfare will be the server room. Engagements on land and sea, even in air and space will rely heavily upon who wins the battle on the front lines of computer code. For this reason, Beijing wants electronic superiority, especially over the United States.

The recent attack on Estonian networks bears witness to the importance of electronic stability. Many nations recognize the need for a cyber military option. The U.S. Department of Defense “now sees [cyberspace] as critical to everything from communications to surveillance to infrastructure security, and just as important as ‘kinetic war,’” wrote Alex Spillius for the London Telegraph (June 15). This is why the department’s latest report on the Chinese military caused concern for specialists. The Telegraph quoted Jane’s Defense Weekly specialist Caitlin Harrington: “The U.S. military is taking this very seriously. It is similar to the once-emerging question of dominance of outer space.” The U.S. military relies heavily on its computer networks, a vulnerable Achilles heel that could lead to the collapse of American military operations if compromised.

While the report cited the electronic defense vehicles China is instituting, the offensive measures were of primary concern. “The pla [Chinese military] is also building capabilities for information warfare, computer network operations, and electronic warfare, all of which could be used in preemptive attacks.” Additionally, China has “established information warfare units to develop viruses to attack enemy computer systems and networks,” said the DoD’s report.

“China’s near-term focus on preparing for military contingencies in the Taiwan Strait, including the possibility of U.S. intervention, appears to be an important driver of its modernization plans,” the DoD said.

But it is not just China seeking to gain the ability to attack the U.S. in cyberspace. The Telegraph reported (emphasis ours):

Lt. Gen. Robert Elder, commander of the 8th Air Force, said that all of America’s foes, including Iran, were looking at ways of hacking into U.S. networks to glean trade and defense secrets.But efforts by China set it apart. “They’re the only nation that has been quite that blatant about saying ‘we’re looking to do that,’” said General Elder in Washington.

Beijing has made huge strides in catching up to the leaders in the fields of space exploration, satellite communication, and military modernity. Now it is busy seeking a highly organized electronic warfare unit so it can gain the higher ground. Bringing the Pentagon’s highly secured network to its knees may be a tall order, but a coordinated attack would severely hamper U.S. response. Also, dredging sensitive information from America’s servers without damaging the network could prove extremely helpful. China has been working to access sensitive U.S. files. Information about the American military capability could be reverse-engineered into knowledge of how to counter Washington’s formidable military. For more information on China and electronic firefights, click here, and for more on a less-documented cyber threat to America, click here.