US Air Force closes China Aerospace Studies Institute, ending key open-source intel hub

The US Air Force is shuttering the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI), its dedicated open-source analysis center for Chinese military capabilities, effective October 1. The closure removes a key institutional source of unclassified intelligence on Chinese air, space, cyber, and missile programs, potentially degrading US understanding of a strategic competitor. The move signals a shift in defense intelligence priorities, though the rationale remains unclear.