China launches new stealth fighter project

[Caligastia]

[David Floyd]

Oh come on. Someone argue with me - please try to refute my points, it's fun!

[Kramerman]

Originally posted by David Floyd
Oh come on. Someone argue with me - please try to refute my points, it's fun!

Why would someone try and refute the truth? (dont get big headed, just cause your right once, doesn't mean your always right!)

[Kramerman]

Originally posted by Sandman
I suspect the faith that some American posters have in airpower is misplaced.

Why do you say this, out of curiosity?

[DanS]

I suspect that the economic and industrial gap would only widen in favor of the US.

You suspect incorrectly. At the end of WW2, the US had 1/2 the world's economy and was spending ~20% of it on the military. Now, we have something like 1/4 and dropping.

Don't get me wrong. This is a good trend, since it indicates that the overall global pie is growing briskly. But it does mean our relative power is dropping and has been dropping for over 50 years.

[David Floyd]

You suspect incorrectly. At the end of WW2, the US had 1/2 the world's economy and was spending ~20% of it on the military. Now, we have something like 1/4 and dropping.

Currently we have something like 23% or so. The 50% number was rather artificial, due to the fact of a major war raging in or around 4 of the 5 major industrial centers of the world - Germany, Britain, USSR, and Japan.

Don't get me wrong. This is a good trend, since it indicates that the overall global pie is growing briskly. But it does mean our relative power is dropping and has been dropping for over 50 years.

I totally agree. But my point was that in a war with China, which would necessarily be fought over or near China, not the US, China's economic and industrial power would contract, while the US would expand. Relative to the rest of the world, the US might still be dropping (due to Third World industrialization primarily), but relative to China, I suspect that the US would increase in economic/industrial power for the duration of the war, and after the war until China could rebuild/re-establish lost overseas trade. Remember, too, where China's ports are - on the East Coast, easily interdicted by the USN.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Lancer
The Serbs only got our F117 because they locked a SAM onto its heat sig, not its radar image.

If it works, it really doesn't matter how you bring it down.

[David Floyd]

The F-117 also isn't that great of an aircraft anymore - it's only 1st generation stealth technology.

[Lancer]

US military power vs anyone else in the world is greater than it was 50 years ago. We didn't have a tech edge back then. Now we are far ahead in tech and WAY ahead in applied tech. We have the force and the ability to project it anywhere, augmenting the forces deployed around the globe. No enemy could stand for long vs the US today. That couldn't be said back then.

The power of the United States is at its highest point ever.

Regarding applied tech, we have stealth aircraft, everyone else has either abandoned or scaled down their programs...which are years down the line. We have super night vision...hundreds of thousands of units, in US troops hands now. I believe we have advanced densitometers that can see enemy troops through walls. This may come out after the Iraq war is over. We have satalites that can tell the brand you smoke from the butt in your mouth, bombs that are smart...and getting brilliant...the world's best aircraft carriers all over the world, carrying the best aircraft ever made...it goes on and on.

Nothing short of divine intervention can stop the US military.

I couldn't have said that 50 years back.

[Felch]

So to sum up, the Serbs can shoot down "advanced" airplanes that are older than me, the Chinese are trying to get similar jets, and David Floyd has discovered the joy in bragging about how much America kicks ass, instead of always whining about the Constitution.

Did I miss anything?

[Lancer]

Yeah, my post on HOW the Serbs shot the 117 down. They got lucky when a missile locked on to its heat sig...not its radar sig.

[Alinestra Covelia]

That's like saying that Ming "got lucky" and deleted your posts by following the trail of your post signature instead of you. Either way, the objective is terminated successfully.

[Kramerman]

Originally posted by Felch X
So to sum up, the Serbs can shoot down "advanced" airplanes that are older than me, the Chinese are trying to get similar jets, and David Floyd has discovered the joy in bragging about how much America kicks ass, instead of always whining about the Constitution.

Did I miss anything?

nope, that about covers it

[Lancer]

Actually the 'how' is all important. The plane was built to not show up on radar, but all planes show heat. If you fill the sky with heat seeking missiles 24 hours a day you might shoot down lots of 117's. Or, if you launch one heat seeker at engine noises there's always the chance you'll get lucky...as happened w/ the Serbs.

Even our mere 1st gen stealth is still a great weapons system, better than any other aircraft for getting in, hitting and getting out. The "objective was terminated successfully" is quite true from the US pov. The US hammered the Serbs until they went belly up, period. Their mass murdering leader then is today rotting in some prison somewhere.

The 117 played a part in that, doing a great job dessimating the military of the enemy with the loss of only a single plane.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Lancer
The US hammered the Serbs until they went belly up, period.

Well, at least we hammered them until we agreed to their demands.