Posted on 05/28/2010 2:40:03 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
A senior U.S. military intelligence official confirmed that China will be capable of deploying an advanced fifth generation fighter comparable to the U.S. F-22 within eight years, years ahead of previous Pentagon assessments.
“We're anticipating China to have a fifth-generation fighter ... operational right around 2018," said Wayne Ulman of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center. He made the comments before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on May 20.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, in defending his decision to end production of the F-22, stated last year that China "is projected to have no fifth-generation aircraft by 2020."
Such advanced fighter bombers are cutting edge weapons that provide asymmetric warfare capabilities such as advanced propulsion, radar invisibility and high-speed maneuverability.
The comments by Ulman contradicted an assessment by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates who stated last year that China "is projected to have no fifth-generation aircraft by 2020" and only a "handful" by 2025. Gates made the comments in defending his decision to end production of the F-22 at 187 aircraft as part of his budget-cutting initiative.
Chinese Gen. He Weirong, the deputy commander of the Chinese Air Force, told Chinese state-run media in November that the new advanced jet would fly soon despite U.S. intelligence projections that it will not be ready for combat for at least 10 years.
“The capabilities of China’s air forces, particularly those of the PLAAF have improved dramatically over the course of the past decade,” said Ulman, a senior China analyst at NASIC. “From an overly-large, technologically inferior force, the PLAAF is emerging as a well-equipped and increasingly well-trained force with some identifiable shortcomings and weaknesses.”
China’s Air Force has grown in size and sophistication with advanced surface-to-air missiles and radar and new offensive-oriented missions.
(Excerpt) Read more at east-asia-intel.com ...
Better to remember the superior Russian T-34's and T-44's the Russians were able to crank out in great numbers, because the U.S. had their backs on truck and car production. We shipped them any number of 6x6's and "peeps" (Jeeps) ......
The Russians were able to produce a tank in very great numbers, in thousands, that was better than anything the Germans had engineered up through the Mark IV.
In fact, the German Mark V Panther was based on the T-34.
We need to produce the F-22 in numbers sufficient to decide anything anyone can think up in the way of a challenge.
Airframe was too small to accept upgraded avionics. Same problem the F-104 had, which became a one-trick pony.
The most frightening thing I have heard is that the Obama Administration feels that America holds an “unfair advantage” over Russia and China with the F-22.
2012 or 2014
I wholeheartedly agree with your last sentence.
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