Bombers









​

AEW Aircraft





​

Final



China and US Navy Major surface and sub-surface Build Comparison over the last 15 years





​

The Chinese continue to produce new build H-6K bombers. These are modernized...very much modernized...Tu-16 Badger bombers that the Chinese originally purchased from the Soviets and then license built their own.These new aircraft should not be underestimated. They have made good use of more powerful engines, an all glass cockpit, and composite material to increase range and carrying capability, and new flight controls to produce what is a very decent stand-off capability with four or more standoff cruise missiles on each. And they are building entire regimnets of themThese aircraft fit into the PRC's desire and intent to continue to push their area of operational capability and threat further and further out beyond the second island chain. And they are doing so. Again, these aircraft and what they represent should not be underestimated...any more than other nations underestimate the B-52s and their capabilities to carry even more air launched cruise missiles of all types from hundreds and hundreds of miles away from their targets.The Chinese are developing a KJ-500 and KJ-600 AEW aircraft for their carriers. The aircraft is not in production yet, but it seems clear that they are timing production for the time in the early 2020s when they produce their first CATOBAR carriers.These aircraft are similiar in appearance to the US E-2C Hawkeye and will probably have similar capabilities. The PLAN's ability to develop, and particularly to figure out and then desing technology similar to US technology should not be underestimated. They will become only the second nation, behind the US to develop them...and only the 3rd nation (behind France who use the US E-2C themselvess) to use them. Such an aircraft is a significant power projector and enhancement to any aircraft carrier's capabilities.An AEW aircraft on a Chinese CATOBAR carrier with a large number of J-15 aircraft would be a potentially very capable and dangerous foe.Other nations in the western pacific recognize this and are taking measures to try and help counter it. As stated, the Koreans have already expressed interest in the F-35B for thie Dokdo LHA vessels, and the Japanese have similar interest for their Izumo and later flat top vessels. Although the F-35Bs have some AEW capability, the Koreans and Japanese and others would need a stronger AEW capability as well...and for VTOL carriers, while helicopter AEW capabilities (like what the UK is using for their QE class carriers with the Merlin AEW helo) are far better than no AEW capability, what is really needed is something like and AEW version of the V-22 Ospey.Suffice it to say that the Chinese intend to have a capability similar to the US Hawkeye capability which is the strongest capability on the planet, and they are well on their way to having it.As the following table summarizes, for the first time, over the last two years, the PLAN has surpassed the US Navy in terms of total numbers of active major surface combatants in several areas and in overall numbers.This is a significant achievement but should not be taken wrong.Most of this has been due to the large disparity in terms of total numbers built in the last few years. The numbers under the 170 number of vessels built in the last fifteen years are much older and less capable vessels. The Chinese really have 170 such vessels t compare to the US number. At the same time, it is clear thet the Chinese have built up their naval shipbuilding industry to continue this trend and will, in the next five to ten years, replace all of the older technology vessels with these new, modern, and very capable vessels. There can be little doubt that this is their intent.