China has not only increased the number of aircraft, but also expanded its technological capabilities. The Chinese Air Force has built 5th Generation fighter jets to rival the US F-22 Raptor and F-35. With these developments, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force has become ambitious in terms of fighter jets to rival the US.
For more than 20 years, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has been working hard to be on par with the United States in terms of fighter jets. While the F-22 Raptor and F-35s of the United States have reached a very strong position in the world, the PLAAF seems ready to do its best to be on par with the United States by developing fighter jets called the Fifth Generation.
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China has declared war on Taiwan, and as a result, it needs an air force large enough both to suppress Taiwan’s territorial defenses and to protect its territory and occupation force against possible military responses from the United States and its regional allies.
WILL BE A COMPETITOR TO THE US F-35!
Chinese war planners have not only increased the number of aircraft in the PLAAF, but also improved their technological capabilities. In this context, China has built a series of so-called Fifth Generation fighters to rival the powerful US fighter jets, the F-22 Raptor and the F-35. Many technology analysts argue that China’s Fifth Generation fighters are neither as good nor as stealthy as America’s.
But apart from that, nothing China builds needs to be perfect. If they are good enough, it is an indication of how powerful they are.
The old Maoist doctrine of “quantity with a quality of its own” combines nicely here with the old axiom that “geography is destiny”. Indeed, China’s geographical location, close to the North Indian, South and East China Seas, as well as Taiwan, strengthens China’s hand.
CHINA’S FIGHTER JETS ARE MORE RELIABLE THAN THE F-22 RAPTOR
The fact that China’s aircraft are not as advanced as America’s is unfortunately a disadvantage for China, but its biggest advantage is that China’s aircraft are much more reliable, faster and more easily replaceable than the US can deploy, repair and replace its fighter jets.
Taking the F-22 Raptor as an example, in every war game scenario run by the Pentagon, the deployment of even a small number of Raptors could turn a war with Chinese forces in America’s favor.
But there are a limited number of these fighter jets. And while they can do more than the previous generation of fighter jets, they will eventually be shot down when faced with a much larger number of Chinese fighter jets. What’s more, China’s secret inventory of fighter jets will surpass America’s.
THE F-35 IS NOT AS GOOD AN AIR-TO-AIR FIGHTER AS THE F-22
As for the F-35, the US military’s preferred replacement for its aging fleet of fourth-generation fighter jets, it appears to have many problems.
First, China stole detailed schematics of this fighter jet as early as 2005 during a cyber operation known as Titan Rain. They had enough time to copy the plane and take measures against it.
Also, the F-35 is not as good an air-to-air fighter as the F-22.
However, former President Barack Obama stopped the production line of the F-22 in 2009 to save costs. The number of F-22s in the hands of the US air fleet is the highest it will have until the vaunted sixth-generation fighter jet is ready in a decade or so.
THE F-35 IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE AND MAINTAIN
The F-35 is a much more expensive aircraft to produce and maintain than most Chinese aircraft. If airframes are lost faster than America’s limited industrial capacity can replace them in wartime, then these assets are lost and strategic weaknesses in American defense are created.
Not only has China worked assiduously to protect its society and economy against Western economic sanctions, but it has also developed ties with nearby powers, especially Russia, to ensure that its industrial base is not affected by any conflict with the West.
CHINA COULD DEFEAT THE USA IN TAIWAN!
China still has weaknesses. But in the special case of China’s huge air fleet and the proximity of its targets to Chinese forces, China could defeat the US alliance in an air war over Taiwan. With the possible loss of American air dominance over Taiwan, China’s occupation would be free to do whatever it wants against Taiwan’s defenders, and Taiwan would be isolated for the duration of the occupation, away from its Western allies, unless the US intervenes in a significant way. It is unlikely to escalate tensions against China.
