US Lacks The Planes To Win An Air War With China


(MENAFN- Asia Times) The US Air Force is caught between a rock of ever-tightening budgets and a hard place of rising calls for innovation and modernization as China races ahead with advanced fighter jets and a fast-expanding fleet.

This month, Air & Space Forces Magazine reported that US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall highlighted the funding challenges faced by the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter, Next-Generation Aerial Refueling System (NGAS) tanker and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones at the Airlift Tanker Association Symposium held in Grapevine, Texas.

The report notes that Air Force leaders have said the US needs all three marquee programs to be prepared for a future air war with China. Kendall emphasized the need for“creativity” in future force structure due to budget constraints, despite these programs' interconnected operational and affordability aspects.

He also noted the US Air Force's struggle to modernize amid commitments to nuclear deterrent upgrades and the growing threat from China, particularly regarding precision missiles targeting US air bases and mobility platforms.

Kendall said the Air Force has used“a lot of tricks to squeeze more capability out of the same set of resources” and that this“has come at the expense of our ability to deal with our pacing challenge” of China.

The US Air Force secretary mentioned the necessity of a stealthy tanker to support combat air forces in contested territories and the importance of the US Space Force's growth. The Air and Space Forces Magazine report also mentions that a US Senate blue-ribbon panel is reviewing NGAD requirements, with recommendations expected in December.

He stressed the urgency of increased investments to meet modernization needs and counter China's military advancements, especially as Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed his military to be ready to seize Taiwan by 2027.

In assessing these US projects, Brandon Weichert argues in a May 2024 article for The National Interest (TNI) that the US Air Force's development of sixth-generation fighter jets is unnecessary and a waste of resources.

Weichert asserts that these advanced warplanes, incorporating drones and AI, are speculative investments that may not significantly enhance US military capabilities.

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Asia Times

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