This in contrast to fielding a larger, and cheaper, number of platforms which was typical in the past such as World War II. Therefore, the Pentagon prefers to develop comprehensive intelligence and communication capabilities to direct a few weapons systems with a high degree of precision. planes theoretically enjoy a massive edge in long-range aerial combat and in penetrating enemy airspace.Īmerica's massive military spending reflects its technology-oriented approach to warfare, a paradigm which seeks to send a drone or guided missile in place of a man (or woman) whenever possible-especially as every friendly casualty may result in a political firestorm. military operates over two-thousand fourth-generation combat jets, increasingly being supplemented by fifth-generation stealth designs. F-15s and F-16s and even a few fifth-generation stealth fighters.īy contrast, the U.S.
For instance, of its 1,700 aircraft, roughly a third are dated J-7 fighters, while another fourth include modern fourth-generation J-10s and J-11s comparable to U.S. The PLA Air Force also has a similar issue. At the same time, the PLA also fields 500 Type 99 tanks which are in a similar ballpark to the very capable U.S. For example, the PLA musters 8,000 tanks-but 3,0s-era Type 59 and Type 63 tanks. PLA ground and air forces still exhibit a wide range of quality, fielding both early Cold War systems and cutting-edge variants. Starting in 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping-who seems set to remain in power indefinitely-announced a major reform initiative to radically downsize PLA ground forces to improve their quality. Yet, the Chinese government is aware that the large size of its forces in part reflects an antiquated mid-twentieth century force structure emphasizing massive, low-quality ground armies.
0 kommentar(er)
