Chinese fighter 'has changed power balance'

Chinese fighter 'has changed power balance'

www.theage.com.au

THE shock unveiling of a new Chinese stealth fighter aircraft has changed Asia's power balance and means Australia must dramatically rethink its regional strategy, according to an Australian analyst.

Peter Goon, a vehement critic of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Australia has committed to buying from the United States, says the Chinese J-20 is far superior to the American fighter and Australia must immediately adapt to the new status quo.

(visit the link for the full news article)

So, China is now stepping up their air game it would appear.

There is definitely a power play, and a lot of posturing (albeit somewhat indirectly) going on in between the 2 superpowers, the U.S. and China.

China is being considered and proposed to be the new economic super power of the world by many, with recent stories of their currency perhaps taking over as the new reserve currency.

But now they are posturing, and perhaps in a race for becoming the new military superpower of the world? Are they designing superior jet fighters to the states now? Somehow, I must reserve some skepicism to this, as I feel with companies like Lockheed, the U.S. has been developing things we have not even seen yet, and I feel they are likely hiding technology that will blow us all away.

Will the emergence of China's new superfighter perhaps bring some of our own new tech to the frontlines as the posturing continues? Things should get quite interesting in all of this.

www.theage.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

I tink it would be a poor strategy to trot out our best and deadliest just to gain a few kudos and intimidate the world further.
If we have better underwraps, then they are likely to stay hidden for a while yet.
It apears to me that the F35 may be compromised through chinese cyber penetration of subsidiary contractors to lockheed.
The J20 has some very raptor like looks to it dont you think
Its is possible, and even probable that china has infiltrated the computer web that connects the design teams and contractors who have built these craft.
If that is indeed the case, it would seem that cancelling the F35 for a further research and design choice, may be a better option.
The J20 has yet to perform as advertised, or apear in any quantity as there is only one so far as we know.
Also it may be that the electronics and or the other tech may be inferior to our stuff.
Even the weapons (ie missiles etc) may not be as good.
Id sau its a bit early to get freaked out

Let them and Russia do what they want. Both are great, upcoming countries and neither would risk a war with the US. The Chinese have already felt the effects of engaging in war with the US and its NATO allies and highly doubt they would risk it again, especially since they are dependent on the US' capitalism to make huge financial leaps in the world economy. The US navy is still way superior and the Chinese couldnt launch an insurgency war like we can in their borders. If a war was fought between the two superpowers it would almost certainly be brought to China.

I don't think it has changed the balance of power. I agree with your statement that we probably have tech that would blow our minds, also thought along the same lines as your last statement, wonder if we will unveil something as an answer. Both the F-22 and 35 are products of 90's tech, so I have to believe we have some pretty amazing machines somewhere in the works. It always amazes me to think that the sr-71 was a product of the late 50's early 60's...at any rate it will be interesting to watch how this unfolds.

reply to post by BigFrigginAl


Yea I agree , I do not think they would have unveiled those aircraft if they did not
have anything better. The tech they are keeping secret these days would probably blow our minds!
this is all speculation of course.

The power balance has shifted? Really?

The J-20 sure is already at the prototype phase, but won't be deployed until minimum 2015 and at the latest 2017, depending on the various delays with several features of the plane.

Of course it's 3-5 years BEFORE the US expected a Chinese fighter being able to compete with the F-22... but still.

But the balance will readjust itself... since India-Russia are deploying the T-50 PAKFA that will compete with the J-20 around the same time.

And yes, the F-35 should be scrapped, and F-22s should be built instead... but eh, corruption in the Pentagon reigns, so this won't be done.

Fact is, the F-35 will be shot down if it tries to go over China or Russia. The F-22 will not.

China is rising, and short of creating another Mao that will turn the country into civil war, the rise of China and the lost of the Pacific rim by the US is almost inevitable.

I am very surprised that no one knows how governments actually operate when releasing information about their "supposed newest" weapon. It is unintelligent to release information about your newest weapon. What Gov.'s actually do is wait until they have something better, and then release information about their prior weapon. Knowing that everyone knows its a first gen. weapon. And the imagination/paranoia are a far better deterrent than parameter facts.

Originally posted by stirling
Also it may be that the electronics and or the other tech may be inferior to our stuff.
Even the weapons (ie missiles etc) may not be as good.

Don't forget the pilots... lol!


IRM

I hardly think this is true competition to the f-22 and f-35. Supposedly its nothing but last generation avionics and engineering wrapped in a newer skin. People tend to forget That its more then just the plane its also the infrastructure, tactics, and experience.

Chances are, China manufactures parts for everybody's weapons - and wants to create a new arms race to expand their market.

I suppose a very powerful China that competes directly with the US would be a good thing for world peace. Smaller countries would play off one power against another and be left alone.

The US has proven itself to be a danger to the planet and even to its own citizens. Hopefully an aggressive and powerful China will moderate the US government and Israel. China needs to establish a power block like NATO and use the North Koreans like the US uses Israel to kill and terrorise parts of the world.

So far it looks like the Pakistanis are considering linking up with China. The Russian must realise the US and Nato will never accept them so they might as well hook up with China. The Turkick nations should also be encouraged to join the China block. The Chinese themselves need to grow up and realise that China means diddly until they make alliances otherwise they will be outplayed by the US block.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


I've been following this story since the leaked photo came out. The leaked photo as well as the test flight were done to coincide with SecDef Gates visit to China. All of the info I have seen is the Chinese fighters is a ripoff of our F-22 (canceled). We opted for the F-35 but I think that decision is being revaluated.

The other thing analysts pointed out was the deisgn itself. Its not as streamlined as our Stealth fighters, which means the radar return on the Chinese aircraft will still be larger than a true stealth plane. They also have not perfected the construction techniques, not have they mastered the special polymers / paint material we use to absorb / defelct the radar.

Analyst placed China about 20 years behind our technology in that area.

Now, with the being said, I am not optomistic about the analysts answers for the sole reason we cannot adequately stop top secret / classified information from being stolen.

Maning and Assange aside, the bulk of our investigations into spying have dealt with China. The last major security breach we had was when internet raffic was routed through china for a day and then rerouted back to normal servers. Anything that went through the chinese servers was captured and analyzed.

Who knows that that included.... The design of their aircraft screams F-22. If it was not for the obvious design flaws on their version, one would think they just bought an F-22 and jsut repainted it.

reply to post by InfaRedMan


Having seen Chinese kids play computer games, I have a feeling that any conflict in future with equally matched aircraft will be a rude awakening. It is worth noting that most American fighters since WW2 have only been used against third world airforces.

The article in the OP makes a lot of assumptions on the basis of no evidence. Its clear the J20 is a large airframe with a lower RCS than anything in the Chinese inventory. It should give anybody flying 4th gen stuff a lot of worry.

Theres no reason to expect its superior or even peer with the F-22 or F-35, yet. What it does do is demolish the idea that China will be only fielding large swathes of poor platforms in a future conflict. Thats an assumption it would be unwise to make.

As to Australia's specific circumstances (and also Japans) I have some sympathy with the argument that F-35 is the wrong answer. Both these nations need a stealthy long range strike and long range interceptor. The F-35 is not that and was never designed to be. The USA just wont sell the appropriate product (F-22) to its allies.

Its perhaps time that strategy was given a re-think. If not the platform that probably meets australian needs best, other than F-22 is probably going to be russian/indian.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


Well I agree. Lockheed/DARPA and all our other companies have stuff we cant even dream of yet. Its a known fact, well in the military that they are making things at least 50 years more advance they what we know about. So I kinda laugh at the chinese. Yes this is a threat, but it wont last long. The minute they try anything with it. We'll end up whipping out a Laser machine gun or something crazy like that. We have been the superpower for a long time. We know how the game works and we've had more time being where we are. China has blown up in the past what, 10 years or so. Its like a new kid coming to play football, hes really really good, better then the best guy already on the team (america) but he doesnt know the rules, or the plays in order to win the game. They are too young at the world power game. I mean they used to be nasty back in Acient times, but since WW2 they really havent been anything up untill now. So I just dont beileve this will be a big problem. Plus Necssity is the mother of invention. This is just The Cold War: Part Duce.

reply to post by justwokeup


I think the reason the F-35 is the choice has more to do with Politics... The F-35 is a joint program between the US, UK and several other countries. Its also designed to meet many specifications of the countries who buy them, from the VTOL, to the short ramp takeoff of the old British style carriers, up to the full SuperCarrier style catapult / electromagnetic launch.

As far as selling the aircraft, the F-35 has already had some foreign countries not involved in its porduction express intrest in buying them. Most recently the Saudis wanted to purchase some advanced F-15's, and Israel expressed concerns over that. To sooth the ruffled feathers Israel was given approval to purchase the F-35 to offset that balance.

Not sure if the deal is going to go through since Congress was not all that keen to selling advanced Fighters to Saudi, but who knows..

Locally. It impacts LOCALLY.

It doesn't mean anything to the US. Oh no, the Chinese are now within 70 years of our technology! The Horror!

Now, if you live in a closer country, it matters.

Seriously, not everything is about the USA.

reply to post by Aeons


Do what?

Originally posted by Ilovecatbinlady
I suppose a very powerful China that competes directly with the US would be a good thing for world peace. Smaller countries would play off one power against another and be left alone.

I have to disagree with this statement...history has shown us that the smaller "pawn" countries are the ones that suffer the most in your proposed scenario, while the "king/queen" countries sit back and accumulate wealth on the blood and sweat of those in the smaller block nations.

The US has proven itself to be a danger to the planet and even to its own citizens. Hopefully an aggressive and powerful China will moderate the US government and Israel. China needs to establish a power block like NATO and use the North Koreans like the US uses Israel to kill and terrorise parts of the world.

Wow...I don't even know where to begin with this one. Any non-biased individual would not dare compare human rights records of China and the U.S.

Having seen Chinese kids play computer games, I have a feeling that any conflict in future with equally matched aircraft will be a rude awakening. It is worth noting that most American fighters since WW2 have only been used against third world airforces.

I would have to pull the statistics, but I remember recently reading that U.S. consumers account for somewhere north of 50% of global video game sales, while making up only 5% of global population. A nation like China in contrast accounts for roughly 10% of global video game sales yet makes up over 20% of world population.


Not nitpicking you in particular catbinlady...just some of your points jumped out at me.