US Air Force will not close China force research institute — Breaking Defense

In the United States, the Air Force will not close the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI), which studies China’s air and space forces, despite the elimination of civilian positions at the institution. Its work will be continued by military personnel, Breaking Defense reports, citing a U.S. Air Force spokesperson.

Changes for civilian personnel

According to the Air Force spokesperson, civilian employees will no longer be assigned to CASI due to the ongoing civilian personnel reorganization at the U.S. Air Force’s Air Education and Training Command. At the same time, the institute’s mission will continue: assigned military personnel will be involved in carrying out its tasks.

Employees affected by the decision will remain in their current positions until further notice. They will subsequently be evaluated for possible reassignment to other positions.

Research on Chinese forces

CASI is a government analytical center that regularly publishes research on Beijing’s air and space forces. The institute distributes its findings among the U.S. military and the broader defense community to promote understanding of China’s military capabilities and inform policy and strategy.

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CASI’s latest work, released on Monday, focuses on China’s roadmap for the development of space science. It examines how technologies formally aimed at space exploration could provide persistent multispectral surveillance over the Pacific Ocean with data updates in near real time. The authors note that such capabilities could be used for military purposes as part of an integrated sensor network for tracking and striking targets.

Other specialized centers

Questions about CASI’s future arose after one of its civilian employees wrote online about the elimination of their position and the institute’s possible closure. The U.S. Naval War College told the publication that it does not expect changes in staffing levels or capabilities at the China Maritime Studies Institute. Army University did not respond to a request regarding the status of the China Landpower Studies Center, which is overseen by the U.S. Army War College.

The cuts at CASI come after a large-scale reduction in civilian positions at the U.S. Department of Defense, which Breaking Defense and the American Enterprise Institute reported last year. According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, significant cuts later prompted the U.S. Air Force to seek thousands of new employees.