This summer's annual Pentagon report on the Chinese military noted the increasingly rapid expansion in the capabilities of the People's Liberation Army.  What was once a military notable for its outdated equipment, shoddy training, and lack of professionalism is becoming a leaner, more sophisticated force.  Which capabilities are of particular concern to the United States? What conclusions, if any, can be drawn from these developments? Please join Colonel Tom Ehrhard (USAF, retired), Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, to discuss these and other issues related to Chinese military modernization.

This discussion will be held from 6:30 - 8:00 pm at 1150 17^th St. NW on Thursday, November 15th.  To attend, please register by responding with your name and affiliation to events@ypfp.org

We hope to see you on the 15^th.

Laura Conniff

Tom Ehrhard

Tom Ehrhard is Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.  Prior to his retirement from the Air Force in 2006, Colonel Ehrhard served as the military assistant to Andrew W. Marshall, the Secretary of Defense's Principle Advisor for Net Assessment.

During his 26 years active service, Ehrhard worked in key Air Staff assignments in the Pentagon, including one as chief of the "Skunk Works" (Strategy, Concepts, & Doctrine Division) and as a division chief on the Air Force's 2001 Quadrennial Defense Review staff.

He earned his Ph.D. in international relations at Johns Hopkins SAIS, where he researched the development and integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the U.S. armed forces, the intelligence community, and Israel.

His recent published works include "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the United States Armed Services: A Comparative Study of Weapon System Innovation," (Johns Hopkins SAIS) and "Making the Connection: An Air Strategy Analysis Framework," (Air University).