CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VII (1, 2) Contemporary-Eurasia-3new | Page 8

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA
China’s new capabilities result in most serious consequences for the
US Air Forces as some Chinese fi ghters’ operational range without refu-
eling is 950-1400 km, which, as suggested by a number of experts, makes
US tanker planes and fi ghters vulnerable. According to many experts, the
main threat to US Air Forces and airborne weapons (AW), is a land- and
sea-based unifi ed Air Defense (AD) system. Integration of AD system be-
comes more prevailing and reliable. Prevalence of a modern unifi ed Air
defense system makes traditional American Air Force design problemat-
ic, since the vast majority of aircraft have little fl ying range and are not
stealthy. The number of aircraft with low visibility (B-2, F-22 and RQ-
170 Sentinel) comprises less than 10% of the US Air Forces inventory. 17
Air Supremacy issues
Combat and logistic support of high tempo air operations is also prob-
lematic. 18 Detection of surface ships in the seas and oceans, their track-
ing and attacking requires not only a wide network of radars but also a
creation of command, control and communication (C3) system that col-
lects, processes, unifi es and distributes the data to strike systems by ex-
pediency. Thus, it is not about ordinary reconnaissance-strike systems but
networks, the emergence of which in China and Russia, in particular, has
been a serious challenge for the United States throughout the past two de-
cades. They were displayed during the Syrian war. For example, accord-
ing to some estimates, China’s reconnaissance-strike network now has the
capability to detect and guide American surface warships not only in the
South China Sea but also in the western part of the Pacifi c Ocean. Ac-
cording to naval expert Norman Friedman: “Probably by around the year
of 2030 we will have to admit that it might be possible to detect, identify
and guide them a few hundred or a few thousand miles away from the
shore, given appropriate eff orts are exerted to resolve this problem.” 19
In the western sector of the Pacifi c Ocean and the South China Sea,
the launching distance of missiles without entering the engagement zone
of the air defence system can exceed 1,500 miles. This, as considered by
some experts is 500 miles in excess of the range of Tomahawk missiles’
strikes on ground targets and almost three times exceeds “F / A-18E / F
Super Hornet” multipurpose fi ghter’s operational radius without refuel-
17
18
19
8
Carlo Kopp, “Evolving Technological Strategy in Advanced Air Defense Systems,” Joint
Forces Quarterly, Issue 57, (2010): 93.
Martinage, “Toward a New Off set Strategy,” 26–27.
Norman Friedman, “The U.S. Navy of 2030,” Defense Media Network, June 21 2012,
https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/the-u-s-navy-of-2030/ (accessed November
5, 2018).