Asia's F-35 buyers forced to wait as China seeks edge

"Military Intelligence" at its best. The other countries steal the "military intelligence" then sit back and watch the USA sweat. By the time the F-35s arrive, they will be as useful as Ospreys. Whatever happened to the superiority of USA "military intelligence."

At the same time, China’s soaring defense spending is rapidly eroding the advantage in technology, particularly in air power, that Washington and some of its regional allies have had over the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) since the 1950s.

Flying plane with very fast speed consume more fuel. Refuelling in the air makes planes and pilots getting paid breaks and slowing down the action. Whoever plane can fly without refuelling will control their rivals fate.

So the whole world is geering up for a plane to plane ship to ship showdown? Gee, seems we forgot to mention ICBMs. If you include them in the battle, there may not be any places for these wonderful planes to land.

If they are so concerned, they should invest in the project.

What a total and complete WASTE of money!

Put the astronomical amounts of cash that are spent on "defence" into programs that help and work toward international peace and understanding and no one needs these expensive toys.

noriyosan73,

"Military" and "intelligence" are two words that are just not very easy to fit into the same sentence, unless it's a joke, or a question or there's a "not" in there somewhere.

"Ours not to reason why, ours but to do or die," is military think.

Where the military gains political power, that regime is on the way out.

Not impressed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxM5bfh1TqI shows stealth fighters from US can be shot down

http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-NOTAM-090111-1.html shows Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter. This design outperforms the F/A-18E/F , F-35 JSF and US legacy fighters in every important respect

Furthermore China and Russia are improving stealth detection with more computing power and improved radar thus giving them more advanced warning. Suggest US just stop sticking her nose into other countries business. Maybe China and Russia should plan a joint air sea battle plan off Washington DC/Pentagon?

BertieWoosterMar. 25, 2013 - 11:27AM JST What a total and complete WASTE of money! Put the astronomical amounts of cash that are spent on "defence" into programs that help and work toward >international peace and understanding and no one needs these expensive toys.

While China continues it's military buildup?

@ Jack, the ICBMs are not thought of the same way, because there is only so much upgrading you can do to them. Missile Defense Systems are built to take down the ICBMs; Patriot missles are the number one answer most people think of. That's why the U.S. is moving more MDS's into Alaska. And why they have been so hell bent on re-doing the defense shield in Europe. The aircraft and naval vessels can still be significantly upgraded, so that's where the wars will likely be won/lost. Hence the build ups and technological advances.

Maybe China and Russia should plan a joint air sea battle plan off Washington DC/Pentagon?

China and Russia first need to develop the ability to reach Washington DC....

What the US need to do is to invest more money to rebuild 50-year-old infrastructure and education as ewll as taking care of low income american instead of making more people-killing machine.

The J-20 and J-31 for the most part appear to be formidable aircraft so I'm not holding my breath for the F-35 to make the difference. By contrast I'm more interested in Japan's domestic projects namely the ATD-X Shinshin which may eventually become the Mitsubishi F-3 and the in all probability the interlinked new Kaga-class carriers intended to supersede the much smaller Hyuga-class helicopter destroyers. And while it's still just a prototype if it specifications I've read are to be believe then the ATD-X/F-3 is smaller, lighter and probably stealthier than the even the already tiny F-35 or J-31 but has powerful engines comparable to the F-22 (>20000 lbs. each) with movable paddle nozzles for increased agility. The Eurofighter Typhoon already proved that smaller is better for aerial superiority even against the F-22 which makes sense. The F-3 may just become the Mitsubishi Zero of the 21st century for all that may amount to. Just speculation on my part though. :)

I think we're forgetting something, there are homeless people in America, Japan, China and just about everywhere else in the world, shouldnt we take a billion or two off that project and help the homeless?

Can I offer a dream, one that will cost more than I said and take a generation or more to produce! It will be the best "trust me" . Your safety has nothing to do with making a profit! It's great but I can't show you, you will love it "trust me"

China and Russia first need to develop the ability to reach Washington DC....

China and Russia do not need to travel physically to Washington DC. They have already reached, exposed and exploited Washington DC Cyber nightmare from their comfort at office.

US first lady bank statement has been exposed in the Web without her knowledge. Even White House can not protect their their private banking information now a days, how on earth they can protect the national interest? Although that nations may not admit, they are more likely source of Cyber diplomacy.

In the reality, both Russia and China saved a lot of time and money for copying and perfecting US old model Stealth Jets and Air crafts. Both of them are milking and enjoying the leap frog advancement from US aerospace and aeronautical science research.

However they are not to be blamed entirely. When someone poke the Bee Nest, he or she will be prepared for the consequence for his or her action!

It’s not like China has great stealth fighters. What matters in military capability is where you are in relation to your opponent

Does this guy know something the rest of the world doesn't, this is solely his own opinion and should be noted.

China has no operational stealth fighters. Neither does Russia.

Before the J20 or J31 stealth fighter became operation, there is a period of about 10 years that an interm fighter is necessary to fight US and her allies hostilities at China, America has been selling FA18E?F super hornets to Australia that brought the air in west pacific tense and dangerous.! And here the Russian steps in. Putin willing to sell their latest SU35 fighter for China to answer! Now China has been brought to the same level of Russian airforce of equipment's quality! Australia is playing fire by provoking China if they believes their super hornets has a chance in the skies of western pacific! Sure China needs further military buildup to bring the war the west inflicted in their own skies! The Su35 has long range operational capbility to do this!

...the advantage in technology, particularly in air power, that Washington and some of its regional allies have had over the PLA since the 1950s.

Not quite true. The Mig-15 during the Korean War outmatched the US air force and navy fighters of the day. And in the Vietnam War, the US mainstay F-4s couldn't match the Mig-19s and 21s (which China also had at the time) in dogfights, because they had an awful turn radius and weren't equipped with guns for close encounters. I'm not even going to mention the disaster called the F-105, which was easy pickings for the far superior Soviet aircraft and missiles.

The US aircraft looked better on the drawing board, but their inferior performance came to the fore during actual combat.

Washington to scale back its own purchases

So what? It was because Bush's wars has wrecked America and China should doing 'self control' to appease Obama? China should never slow down her steps to acquire the necessary weapons to fight for her 'right's! America has been kicking up war war games in east sea, south China sea, yellow sea since Obama first day sworn in white house! Remember back in October 1994, the US navy attempted to attack a Chinese nuclear submarine in yellow sea from Kitty Hawk! Thank Lord, America's fiasco in Iraq and afghanistan has shortened the years to match! America just understood the langguage spoken by her 'fists' instead a respectful way!

The US plays war games with it's allies in the South China Sea but it is China that brings real war. Don't forget that they have already invaded Philippine and Vietnamese territory in the South China Sea. Murdering dozens of Vietnamese marines in the process.

South China Sea is calm and beautiful. It does not hot and humid like desert of middle east and Afghanistan. It also has a Malacca strait which is strategically important for logistic and global trades route.

There are many friendly or hostile nations of US are welcoming US fighters and carriers with flowers, chocolates and sweet smiles. As John Kerry campaigned during 2004 president nations "Bring them on.

They should just design X-wings and be done with it

Tiger_In_The_HermitageMar. 25, 2013 - 02:23PM JST I think we're forgetting something, there are homeless people in America, Japan, China and just about everywhere >else in the world, shouldnt we take a billion or two off that project and help the homeless?

I think you are forgetting that China of all the countries you mentioned has the largest number of poor who could benefit from their government not spending money on military equipment. Yet China leads those countries in military growth.

China didn't change a bit at all when it to comes war. They are always in to the quantity and NOt by the quality mentality. A thousand of various gen J's is not just gonna make it with the state of the art F3's, customized and power tuned F-series fighter, stealth subs, powered up Aegis destroyers. If the US would only allow Japan to mass produce it's own arsenals with its pinpoint precision technologies. If the US would only agree on disspelling Art9 and give Japan freedom to make it's own original arsenals again,..this whole story would be so much different. Everyone might just get astonished to see a real war spec GUNDAM fly out in Japan's airspaces as a watch dog.

China and Russia first need to develop the ability to reach Washington DC....

i thought that's what ICBMs are for?

@axle14 to think of what a joint effort between the US and Japanese could bring and bear fruit to both nations. I agree with the repeal of art9 too.

Yada yada yada.... Same non-experts posting like they know something. I have been in a lot of war zones and it's not just the aircraft, it's the expertise of the pilots and the overall battle-zone coverage of the AWCS.

Sure, compare to U.S., the level of China’s science and technology, especially its military technology remains low. However, China has the money, and they can import more major advanced equipment in the future, such as PAK-FA Stealth Fighter from Russia that are comparable to F-22. They aleady are importing Kilo-class submarines, and Sovremenny class destroyers, from Russia.

OssanAmerica,

While China continues it's military buildup?

And why do you imagine it's doing that?

There's a lunatic loose cannon starting wars right left and centre, legal and illegal. It's managed to make a dog's breakfast out of the Middle East and now it's turning its attention to Asia.

Are you surprised that China is building up its military?

If the U.S.A. invested its taxpayers' dollars in peaceful activities that made it more possible for people to live together rather than solving the future overpopulation problem by shooting up several hundred thousand here and there, China probably wouldn't think it so necessary.