WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today questioned top Pentagon nominees about America’s preparedness to confront threats presented by the evolving nature of conflict, asking them to prioritize cyberattack testing and to improve defenses against hypersonic missiles. During his questioning in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King pressed nominees for commitments to ensure every system under the Department of Defense’s purview is properly tested, and to invest in emerging technologies like directed energy weapons as a defense against hypersonic missiles. In response to Senator King’s questioning, Nickolas Guertin – the nominee to be Director of Operational Test and Evaluation Department of Defense – committed to “actively and aggressively” pursue cyberattack testing, and to have people in place to test every system.

“There's no question in my mind that if there is some level of conflict, it will begin with cyber. And we can have all the ships in the world in the Pacific, but if they are silenced - if they lose their communications capability, their navigation capability - then they're not going to be very effective in protecting the interests of this country,” said Senator King. “Will you pursue - actively and aggressively - testing for cybersecurity of every system that comes under your purview in this new position?”

“I commit to that,” responded Mr. Guertin. “We have red team people that can go in and have a high degree of expertise for doing penetration testing and finding out where the vulnerabilities lie and inform the programs what they need to do to go in and fix it.”

“I'm not certain, though, that we have all of the people in place for testing every system. I would have to look into that and get back to you if confirmed,” Mr. Guertin continued.

“I view this as an absolutely essential and urgent part of your responsibility. In terms of supply chain, in terms of acquisition of equipment, nothing's going to work if it's subject to a cyber-attack,” concluded Senator King. 

King later pressed Ms. Alexandra Baker – the nominee to serve as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy – on if the U.S. military is properly equipped and taking the necessary actions to combat the rising threat of hypersonic weapons. His questioning comes days after news reports indicated that China recently conducted a hypersonic missile test.

Senator King: “We just heard about the launch of a Chinese hypersonic missile into orbit and then out of orbit. We're still talking about missile defense hitting a bullet with a bullet. I'm concerned that for years we've been talking about directed energy as a possible solution, and yet it just doesn't seem to be getting the attention, the research money that I believe it deserves in terms of its future capability. We're not going to be able to do missile defense against a hypersonic missile. I think it's very unlikely. Will you commit to, in terms of policy, looking hard at directed energy as a potential asset in in the new world of missile defense?”

Ms. Baker: “Yes, Senator, I think there are a number of emerging and advanced technologies that we need to do a better job of incorporating into our concepts and our war planning. And certainly, I would put directed energy in that category.”

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, Senator King is recognized as one of Congress’s leading experts on cyberdefense and a strong advocate for a forward-thinking cyberstrategy that emphasizes layered cyberdeterrence. He has been one of Congress’ leading advocates for increased testing within America’s cyberspace operations – he routinely pushes top regulators to “be brutal in testing” critical infrastructure to identify any vulnerabilities for potential cyberattacks.

As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Strategic Forces – which oversees the United States’ nuclear posture worldwide – Senator King has expressed concern about the emerging threats of Russia and China’s development of “nightmare weapon” hypersonic missiles. Following reports of a potential Chinese hypersonic missile test earlier this week, Senator King stated that the “U.S. cannot lag in this development or allow for blind spots as we monitor the progress of our competitors.”