Didn’t at one time, around the middle of 1941, most in USA thought the Japanese were small, wore thick glasses with buck teeth that could not fight, only to be kicked in the balls on December 7, 1941.
I agree with you, we have to assume the Chinese have technology to wage a war that won’t be like Iraq and Afghanistan.
I have no idea if this story is true, but it would be better to assume it is and plan for it versus dismissing only to be slapped with reality one day.
“I have no idea if this story is true, but it would be better to assume it is and plan for it versus dismissing only to be slapped with reality one day.”
The arms race is no longer bulky aircraft carriers, tanks, and fighter jets. An army of stealthy AI drones could devastate the current US military. The Russians learned what cheap, dumb drones could do to their tank battalions.
For the cost of one F35 you can produce 7,000 drones at 5,000 each. This is not unreasonable once your technology is designed and nailed down. So, for the cost of a hundred F35s you could have 700,000 drones. And drone swarm technology already exists, one person controlling hundreds of drones is possible. Add AI.
If the Chinese have managed to perfect an autonomous drone fighter jet, the US airforce is sunk.