“Part of what keeps the probability of war so small is that the U.S. and Taiwan have taken steps to make sure it would be painful for China,” David Shlapak, a senior international policy analyst at the Rand Corporation, told Popular Mechanics in 2010.
In reality, many of the weapons systems under development will never see actual combat, but the hypothetical arms race is critical as researchers on both sides seek to tip the scales in their favor and change the calculus for military strategists.
According to Admiral Patrick Walsh, the commander of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet until last year, there is no reason to fear China’s military buildup as long as U.S. capabilities keep pace.
“When we look at these sorts of developments, such as the ASBM [anti-ship ballistic missile], they are technological developments that we respect, but do not necessarily fear,” Admiral Walsh told Popular Mechanics. “The key element in any sort of deterrent strategy is to make it clear to those who would use a given piece of technology that we have the means to counter it, and to maintain a technological edge.”
who knows what DARPA has hidden in it’s skunk works....
In reality, many of the weapons systems currently deployed by America are battle tested and possess the firepower to turn most of China into a memory in a very short amount of time. That's the difference. We know what stuff doesn't work in actual combat. They don't.