May not be survivable against kinematically superior planes that can neutralize the stealth and EW pressure.
Chengdu next gen combat aircraft (?J-36) thread
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
Sure, but B-21 wouldn't just fly through thousands of kilometers of empty airspace to hit Chinese assets then return through similarly empty airspace. The whole AO would be swarming with US naval aviation and potentially land based F-22s, J-36 doesn't just get to fly in, kill the B-21 and disappear like a ghost. Killing/disabling the airbase is far more plausible than using it for B-21 hunting.
This also hinges on the numbers of J-36 vs possible NGAD deployment. If the US were to utilize NGAD to escort B-21s, even J-36s would face high risk in this mission. Betting on NGAD getting canned seems a bit presumptuous at this point.
of course, J-36 is a very special platform. I would imagine that you want J-XX to be able to do it too. Even J-20S with CCAs and other J-20 should have a good chance of intercepting B-21 if they know it's coming in that direction.
Assuming of course, they do a lot of training on this and get good at MUMT and collaborative combat. AI is going to make this a lot easier.
Well, we already discussed in other thread that F-22 is archaic when it comes to electronics and isn't competitive going forward.
Besides, just how is US naval aviation and F-22 going to have enough range to protect B-21 from Alaska or Australia to get close enough to mainland to fire off damaging missiles? where do you think the carrier group will be stationed for such a tasks?
Let's be a little realistic here.
J-36 works because it has significant range + all the other characteristics. Short ranged 5th generation aircraft can't compete on stealth, range, speed or power generation.
There is an asymmetry that most people fail to appreciate. If a war were to be fought between U.S. and China, on the Chinese side, you have a continental size country with large number of deployable air, land and naval assets. On the U.S. side, until you get to Australia or Hawaii, we have a handful of airbases and some islands. We also have a surface fleet that is both outnumbered and very vulnerable. Once a war breaks out, all the airports in Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Guam can be taken out. All the surface fleet could be neutralized. This asymmetry can only be altered if there is a generational advantage and very large numerical advantage favoring the U.S.
Going forward, if a war were to be fought, even if aerial refueling made it possible for the B-21 to bomb Chinese assets, in the Western Pacific, the B-21 will have to go without the support of other assets. Our subs could survive in such an environment, but I don't know how our subs can support the B-21.
"Supposed" doesn't means "Has to",I think we all know that the military-industrial complex is not famous for its low profits.
And the price for f-35 became a myth right now, base on ,the budgeted unit price for the F-35 in 2025 is $182 million.
Not cheap as people think,right?
Nonsense
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One idea, also via @Jason_ , was to network different airplanes together in a sweeping line. The radar that is emitted by one airplane will be detected by its neighbors. This is also using the radar angle of reflection against the enemy stealth aircraft. This could be done with J-36 along other fifth gen fighters or even drones. Once detected, the high speed and other capability of the J-36 will allow it to go for the kill.
I mean, that's obviously going to happen. There is nothing particularly special about it.
Think of it as aerial multi-static with the main emitter also doing all the processing. You'd think that China with Huawei and all these leading telecom companies will be great at this. in terms of sensor fusion, they should be the best at it.
I'm starting to think more and more that high American plane prices are because of good ol' fashioned fraud/grift/corruption.
Just look at the recent news stories about how major insurers defrauded $50 billion from Medicare over the last 2-3 years by giving people fake medical diagnoses.
Why would the MIC be any different, where there'seven more money to steal a larger budget?
Just look at the recent news stories about how major insurers defrauded $50 billion from Medicare over the last 2-3 years by giving people fake medical diagnoses.
Why would the MIC be any different, where there's
The game plan for US has to be to stay at distance and let China attack, especially make them waste resources and war weariness on the 2IC while US itself attrits China in the mid Pacific.
B-21 + F-35 combo will work well with friendly seas beneath, and China can't air defense it's advance forces anywhere near as well as the mainland and Taiwan.
(Recent) historically as a smaller economy you never attack with initiative against a bigger one, especially not when the latter is decently war prepared as well. It leads to events like the Iraq Iran war. Or on a smaller scale, Kursk offensive.
The important thing for US strategists to consider (and I think patchwork was pretty prescient on this when he was still around, so at least some of them are working on this very question IRL) is to make up their mind what kind of win objective they have.