The Air Force is an important armed force that ensures airspace security. Building a complete air force system plays a vital role in deterring the enemy. The country with the most complete air force construction system in the world is the United States. Not only does the total number of fighter jets rank first in the world, but the types of fighter jets also far exceed those of other countries. But after other countries have relied on technology to rapidly develop their air forces, the United States is also worried about whether the air force can once again dominate the sky .
For the United States, The strong rise of the Chinese Air Force has had an impact on the status and influence of the U.S. Air Force in the world. After decades of development, the Chinese Air Force has made great achievements in various fields. Once the US Air Force confronts China, can it still dominate the sky? In this regard, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Charles Brown once said: The U.S. Air Force may no longer be able to dominate the sky as it has in the past, and there is almost no solution to the dilemma faced by the U.S. military.
The glory of the past
The United States had already demonstrated its ability to flexibly use fighter aircraft in World War II . Although the United States had not yet formally established an air force at that time, it had a large number of fighter aircraft, and its combat capabilities directly surpassed other countries in the world. Take the B-24 bomber as an example. It was the most used and produced bomber in the United States during World War II. It mainly performed strategic bombing missions together with the B-17 bomber .
B-24 bomber's longest range can reach 5152 kilometers . If loaded with 5,000 pounds of bombs, 's longest range can reach 3,700 kilometers . Throughout World War II, the United States dispatched B-24 bombers frequently, inflicting heavy blows to Germany and achieving remarkable results. The B-24 bomber not only has a colorful combat history over Europe, but also created a dazzling page in Asia and Africa. It was an active figure in the Korean War and Vietnam Anti-French War . It is reported that the total production volume of B-24 bomber is as high as 19,000 , which is the well-deserved "King of the Air".
After the end of World War II, the United States established the Air Force in 1947, accelerating the pace of air force construction. Taking bombers as an example, the B-52 bomber , B-1 bomber , and B-2 bomber were born. A total of 744 B-52 bombers were produced, with more than 70 in active service. There are about 40 B-1 bombers in active service, and B- 2 bombers are in active service with 20 . The most eye-catching B-2 bomber is the world's only stealth bomber , known as the "Ghost."
B-2 bomber can sail 18,000 kilometers after refueling in the air, so it has the capabilities of "global arrival" and "global destruction". The bomb-carrying capability can be described as rugged. It can not only carry ordinary bombs, but also conventional missiles and nuclear missiles . The can carry 16 B63 nuclear bombs at one time to attack the target . After the start of the Iraq War, the U.S. Air Force used B-2 equipped with EGBU-28 guided bombs to blow up a communication tower in Baghdad.
In the research and development field of fighter that the U.S. Air Force is proud of, few countries can match it since its entry into service.
F-16 fighter jet has participated in many wars since its service due to its extremely strong ground, air and sea strike capabilities. In almost all the wars initiated by the United States in the 1980s and 1990s, F-16 Appearing on the battlefield, was also recognized for its actual combat capabilities, and more than 30 countries rushed to purchase . Let’s talk about the fighter jets F-22 and F-35, which are blessed with stealth capabilities and are the ace weapons of the US Air Force.
The Dilemma of the U.S. Air Force
It can be said that in the last century, the U.S. Air Force's fighter planes were all over the world. As long as the U.S. Air Force appeared, the skies above the battlefield were almost dominated by the U.S. Air Force. However, after entering the 21st century, the U.S. Air Force encountered difficulties. The model was old and the model was insufficient to be updated.According to various survey statistics, the total number of fighter aircraft in the U.S. Air Force is basically around 10,000, but most of them are older models.
The bombers of the U.S. Air Force basically have a long service life, and a number of them have been eliminated because their combat capabilities failed to meet the needs of the Air Force. The United States is also planning to study the new generation strategic stealth bomber B21, but its first flight mission has been repeatedly delayed. Foreigners speculate that there are problems in its supply chain, but some people also suspect that its combat capabilities do not meet the requirements of the U.S. Air Force. According to the speed at which the US Air Force's fighter aircraft have been put into service in the past, the delayed first flight of the new strategic bomber will definitely make people doubt the decline of the development direction of its air force.
In addition, the combat readiness rate of US F-16 and F-22 fighter jets is also declining rapidly and has not reached the standards of the US Air Force. The reason is either that the fighter aircraft are old and their performance has declined, or that they have frequent failures and complicated maintenance. Although the F-22 fighter is a fighter with extremely strong stealth capabilities, it also has many problems and cannot guarantee that it can achieve perfect combat effects in wartime. It is reported that only more than 70 of the 186 F-22s equipped by the US Air Force can be deployed in wartime.
When the pace of fighter aircraft updates is disrupted, the U.S. Air Force's fighter aircraft that can be dispatched intact during wartime are mainly old models, and most of them are fighters that have been in service for decades. Although the United States has expanded the F-35 production line, it cannot make up for the shortcomings of its air force in a short time. From the perspective of the US military, this predicament makes the US Air Force a little worried, and its confidence in dominating the sky has also dropped a lot. Before a solution is found, it is likely to be at a disadvantage once it fights the Chinese Air Force.
The Rise of the Chinese Air Force
When the US Air Force used bombers to bomb the volunteer army , China could send very few aircraft. Even when fighter technology was developed later, it was often blocked by the West, and was left behind by the United States in terms of aviation development and combat capabilities. As time flies in the past few decades, the Chinese Air Force has moved from imitation to independent development, and has made breakthrough achievements in both fighter jets and bombers.
Stealth fighter J-20 has been put into service in batches, and the number may continue to increase in the future. Compared with the American F35, the J-20’s data performance is not bad in all aspects, and the J-20 equipped with domestic aviation engines has improved flight performance. More protection. J-10 and J-16 fighter jets are sensitive in response and have strong strike capabilities . When paired with the J-20 to perform tasks, they are a powerful combination.
Unlike the U.S. Air Force, the Chinese Air Force's active fighters are relatively new, and most of them started mass production after entering the new century. There is no problem of old equipment, and the frequency of faults is extremely low. can enter combat readiness at any time . While military production capacity is improving, the scale of the Chinese Air Force's fighter aircraft is also rapidly expanding. In addition to these most common air forces, the Chinese Air Force has also built a combat system with strong combat capabilities in terms of early warning aircraft and electronic warfare aircraft .
In addition, China’s innovation capabilities in the field of fighter aircraft continue to increase, and the use of various advanced technologies has greatly improved the combat performance of fighter aircraft. With the Chinese Air Force showing rapid changes, if the U.S. Air Force encounters the Chinese Air Force, it may not be able to seize the air initiative in the shortest time.
