In a war-game run by Pacific Air Forces here, aviators concluded that U.S. airpower would be sufficient to defeat a "near-peer competitor" in the Asia-Pacific region over the next seven years — provided a strategy of dispersal was adopted and certain investments are made.

For the "near-peer competitor" in the war-game called "Pacific Vision," read China. Air Force officers cautioned, however, that an adversary could also be a resurgent Russia. In any case, the war game was intended not only to test strategic plans but to deter China and Russia from miscalculating U.S. power and intentions, a priority for U.S. commanders in this region.

Gen. Carroll H. "Howie" Chandler, who commands Pacific Air Forces, said in an interview: "I asked them to look at what we think we need to carry out our mission, particularly when we have finite resources."

A staff officer said the general, in effect, "asked us to tell him where he should spend his next dollar."

In contrast to Pacific Air Forces' upbeat assessment, the publication Defense News reported this week that a study by RAND, the research organization in California, suggested that "U.S. airpower in the Pacific would be inadequate to thwart a Chinese attack on Taiwan in 2020." Disagreement over Taiwan, the island claimed by China but informally allied with the U.S., is the most likely cause of hostilities between the U.S. and China.

Among the conclusions drawn from the weeklong Pacific Vision were:

Dispersal. Before hostilities begin, U.S. fighters, bombers, and aerial tankers should be dispersed to bases along an arc anchored in Alaska and wending south through Japan and South Korea, the U.S. territory in Guam, and on to Southeast Asia and Australia. Said one officer: "This would complicate targeting for an adversary."

Access. Starting now, the U.S. should intensify efforts to cultivate nations along that arc, including treaty allies such as Japan and South Korea, to assure access to bases within their borders and the freedom to operate from them in the event of hostilities.

Hardening. Aircraft hangars, command posts, electrical plants, ammunition depots and supply warehouses should be hardened to withstand attack, particularly from missiles rapidly being acquired or developed by China.

Repair. Crews and equipment to repair damaged bases should be trained and positioned so they can move quickly to bases where they are needed. Airfield runways, for instance, would need to be repaired within hours of suffering damage.

Tankers. The aging of the Air Force's tankers has been documented. Because of long distances in the Pacific, more tankers would be needed to defend this region than were needed in Europe to deter the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Stealth. Pacific Vision validated the advantages of stealth technology that permits B-2 bombers and F-22 fighters to evade radar detection. "We are sure that we can shoot them before they can see us," said a staff officer.

Communications. The war game underscored the vulnerability of communications because the Air Force relies on unprotected commercial channels. Moreover, China knocked down an inactive satellite in 2007 with an anti-satellite missile.

Integration. The U.S. Navy's aircraft carriers and submarines armed with cruise missiles would need to be dispersed, just like land-based aircraft. The Navy was represented in the war game but Air Force officers said more work was needed to fully integrate war plans.

Intelligence. Pacific Vision confirmed the need for Global Hawk, the large unmanned reconnaissance plane that can fly a long way, covering 40,000 square miles a day in all weather. The first of three Global Hawks is due to be stationed on Guam next year.

Cyber warfare. Players in the war game discovered that the U.S. has lagged in cyber warfare, which includes all manner of electronic operations, from jamming enemy radar to attacking computer networks as well as protecting U.S. radar and computers. China has emphasized cyber operations.

Control. The Air Operations Center in the 13th Air Force, which is next door to and part of Pacific Air Forces, has been up and running for two years. Pacific Air Forces and 13th Air Force fight the aerial war in Asia and the Pacific through this center, which still needs to improve controls over Pacific Air Forces' widely dispersed forces.

After Pacific Air Forces officers have digested the lessons learned in Pacific Vision, they plan to incorporate them into operations and to feed them to Air Force trainers. A Pacific Air Forces officer asserted: "We've maintained a long period of peace because we continually prepare for war. That's what Pacific Vision was all about."

Richard Halloran is a Honolulu-based journalist and former New York Times correspondent in Asia. His column appears weekly in Sunday's Focus section.