As tensions rise in the South China Sea and Taiwan, China’s most recent calculations reveal a US cunning jet risk because its scanners may find F-22s and F-35s at close range.
According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), Chinese military researchers from the People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ) National Defense University’s College of Joint Operations and Beijing’s State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Game have recently conducted computer simulations to evaluate the effectiveness of stealth fighter jets against China’s air defense systems.
SCMP says that the models, presented at the 36th China Simulation Conference in October, revealed that cunning soldiers like the F-22 and F-35 may be detected from 180 meters away by China’s land-based scanners, compromising their ability to conduct accuracy ground problems.
According to the SCMP statement, the modeling was of a US attack coming from Japan on Shanghai. The statement notes that the F-35’s “beast style” allows for longer-range weapon assaults but sacrifices secrecy, making it visible from 450 km away.
The study, led by project expert Cao Wei, used an algorithm to convert sensor data into monitoring runs and warning days, which suggests the results may be conservative given the number of transponders used. It notes that the results are brought on by the increased US implementation of F-22s in Japan, which shows how China is more interested in preventing cunning challenges.
China has invested considerably in F-22 and F-35 recognition skills. For example, SCMP reported last month that Chinese scientists have created a cost-effective detector to use signals from the BeiDou transportation satellite system to monitor and detect stealth aircraft like the F-22.
This cutting-edge radar, which was described in a recent peer-reviewed article in the Journal of the National University of Defense Technology, uses a single receiving antenna and a unique algorithm to identify stealth targets without generating detectable signals.
The radar’s design, led by Wen Yuanyuan from the National Key Laboratory of Space Microwave Communication, simplifies deployment and reduces costs, making anti-stealth technology more accessible globally. If BeiDou is jammed to ensure continuous operation, the radars are said to be able to switch to other satellite signals like GPS, Galileo, or GLONASS.
In any US and allied response to a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, stealth aircraft like the F-22 and F-35 are expected to play a crucial role.
In a December 2022 Warrior Maven article, Kris Osborn says that the US plans to counter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan with an array of F-22 and F-35 fighters, leveraging their air superiority and precision strike capabilities. By securing airspace control over the Taiwan Strait, Osborn notes that these jets, which are designed for quick response, would neutralize Chinese forces.
He notes that this air dominance, combined with forward-deployed US Navy assets and allied forces, would aim to destroy approaching Chinese amphibious forces. He adds that the F-35s, operating from US Marine Corps ( USMC) America-class assault ships, would offer versatility with both vertical-takeoff capabilities and forward-deployed presence.
Osborne assesses that despite China’s recent advancements, including Type 075 amphibious ships and quasi-stealth J-20 and J-31 fighters, it lacks sufficient fifth-generation aircraft numbers to match US and allied firepower.
Air &, Space Forces Magazine reported in October 2023 that while China has built around 180-220 J-20 stealth fighters, surpassing the 187 F-22s the US maintains, Asia Times reported last month that the US currently has 680 operational F-35s, with plans to acquire 1, 800 more.
However, US F-35 production struggles with spiraling costs in upgrading increasingly difficult-to-maintain F-22s and ramping up F-35 production.
At the operational level, US stealth aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35 would be instrumental in defeating China’s anti-access/area denial ( A2/AD ) strategy.
In a 2021 Air &, Space Forces Power journal article, Tom Lawrence mentions that China has established a robust A2/AD environment, mainly through advanced air defense systems, stealth-capable destroyers and missile capabilities.
Lawrence points out that the US leverages stealth aircraft, notably the F-22 and F-35, for their low observability, allowing them to penetrate heavily defended zones and execute precision strikes.
He claims that when enemy cyber or anti-satellite attacks disrupt traditional C2 systems, emphasis is placed on distributed command and control ( C2 ), which enables decentralized units to operate autonomously.
Lawrence notes that this approach aligns with new operational doctrines, such as Joint All-Domain Command and Control ( JADC2 ), which aims to integrate US and allied land, sea, air and space assets for multi-domain responses.
He argues that the integration of autonomous unmanned combat aircraft (UCAV ) with manned fighters indicates a shift toward collaborative, network-enabled warfare, while stealth fighters play a crucial role in achieving tactical surprise and establishing air superiority.
At the strategic level, F-22s and F-35s are vital for the US’s conventional deterrence posture in the Pacific. Stars and Stripes reported in June 2022 that Admiral John Aquilino, the former head of the US Indo-Pacific Command ( INDOPACOM), emphasized the need for these cutting-edge aircraft to remain permanently stationed west of the International Date Line.
This deployment is seen as crucial for countering China’s extensive military buildup, including advancements in naval, missile, cyber and space capabilities.
Stars and Stripes says that the US has already stationed F-35Bs at USMC Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, and deployed F-35Cs on aircraft carriers, but the US Air Force’s F-22s and F-35s have only been deployed temporarily.
Aquilino advocates for a permanent deployment, according to the report, to improve deterrence and maintain regional stability.
However, while China may not be able to match US airpower, it can attempt to destroy US aircraft on the ground in a pre-emptive strike for a Taiwan invasion.
China’s pervasive intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance ( ISR ) and all-domain long-range offensive capabilities, such as the DF-26″ Guam Killer” missile, put dispersed US facilities, air assets and naval forces at risk.
Numerous US Congress representatives pointed out the vulnerability of US bases and aircraft in the Pacific in a letter from May 2024 to the US Navy and US Air Force, which highlights what they perceive to be a crucial defense gap.
According to the letter, China’s extensive strike capabilities threaten all US installations in the Indo-Pacific, including those in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, which are crucial. It notes that US air and missile defenses may be overwhelmed, exposing critical assets.
The letter also criticizes the US Department of Defense’s ( DOD ) delay in implementing “passive defenses”, such as hardened shelters and force dispersal. It points out that while China has added only 22 fortified shelters in the last ten years, the US has already built over 400.
It points out that due to this disparity, US aircraft and bases are vulnerable, with 90 % of US aircraft losses occurring on-the-ground during war games.