Obama presents plan for 'leaner' US military

President Barack Obama unveiled a strategy for a leaner US military focused on countering China's rising power and signaling a shift away from large ground wars against insurgents.

The plan calls for preparing for possible challenges from Iran and China, requiring air and naval assets, while downplaying any future massive counter-insurgency campaigns such as those conducted in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The "defence strategic review" sets out an approach for the US military in a looming era of austerity, as Obama's administration prepares for $487bn in defence cuts over the next 10 years.

Al Jazeera's Rosalind Jordan reports from Washington DC.