A senior US military official has warned that by 2027, China’s advanced fighter jet fleet will outnumber the US military by about 12 to 1 in key areas of the Western Pacific.
Brigadier General Doug Wickert, commander of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base, shared information about the anticipated superiority of Chinese air power during a Back in the Saddle Day event on January 6. Shared.
The US Air Force commander said the speed of China’s military modernization is “unprecedented” and further noted that it “far exceeds” comparable modernization efforts by the United States.
The warning comes after the People’s Liberation Army introduced two new sixth-generation fighter jets on December 26 to celebrate the birthday of Mao Zedong, the founder of the Chinese Communist Party.
Since their announcement, these advanced platforms have stimulated ongoing debate about how the United States may be falling behind in the race to develop next-generation fighter jets on schedule.
Outgoing Air Force acquisition executive Andrew Hunter recently said: Conceded a point China claimed that by developing a sixth-generation fighter jet, it could “defeat us (the United States) thoroughly.” Still, he remained confident that the United States would eventually field an aircraft that outperforms China’s.
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“So if the IOC (initial operational capability) date is about something, there’s a good chance they’ll beat us on that. We have better capabilities,” he said. I’m sure there are, but we can’t afford to lose any time.”
Nevertheless, it’s not just fighter jets that General Doug Wickert has highlighted as an immediate threat.
Along with a 12-fold increase in modern fighter jets, Wickert said China has a 5-to-3 advantage in fifth-generation aircraft and a 3-to-1 advantage in maritime patrol aircraft. He pointed out that there is a gender.
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“The PLA’s 225 manned bombers are uncontested in the region. At sea, the PLA is outnumbered 3 to 1 in aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and 6 to 1 in modern submarines (including two modern submarines). 1, and enjoys a 9-to-1 advantage over modern multi-battle combat ships.”
The numerical superiority of these assets also translates into considerable capacity to conduct large-scale operations and project power in the region.
For example, in mid-December, the People’s Liberation Army Navy besieged Taiwan in a surprise drill, the world’s largest naval demonstration since the end of World War II. The exercise tripled the number of ships compared to last June’s vaunted Rim of the Pacific exercise, which involved 40 U.S. and allied surface ships.
The People’s Liberation Army also demonstrated its operational capabilities to maneuver around Taiwan’s territorial waters, simulate air attacks on maritime targets, and to restrict both sea and air access from approaches from the West. A two-tier naval blockade was established.
“We are the smallest and oldest thing ever. The People’s Liberation Army is the largest and most modern thing ever. That’s risk. That’s uncertainty,” Wickert said.
He said the work at Edwards Air Force Base was critical to changing President Xi’s calculations and any setbacks, such as an accident, could have serious consequences.
He cited the B-21 Raider as a key example of ongoing work, noting that the aircraft, with an initial order of 100, will form the backbone of the U.S. bomber fleet.
The B-21 Raider is scheduled to replace the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit over time. He added: “With this (B-21), today is not the day to start World War III.”
Chinese cyber espionage
Mr. Wickert further noted that years of persistent cyber espionage by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including intrusions into critical U.S. infrastructure such as power grids, water systems, and transportation networks, have left the United States and its allies increasingly vulnerable. He emphasized that it is.
He said at least a dozen telecommunications companies had confirmed their systems were infected, putting U.S. government officials and networks at risk of surveillance.
General Wickert added that these vulnerabilities create uncertainty, increase global risks and make the current global situation more dangerous.
“The Chinese Communist Party now knows who my government phone has called for at least the last four years, and they’re still there and we can’t get them out,” he said. Ta. “It’s uncertainty. It’s risk. And it’s creating a very, very dangerous world right now.”
The warning comes amid a series of high-profile hacking incidents attributed to China, which the United States views as part of a broader strategy to steal technology and government data and target critical infrastructure.
In November 2024, U.S. authorities revealed a large-scale cyber espionage operation by China-linked hackers aimed at stealing information from the U.S. government and politicians.
In September 2024, the FBI discovered a large-scale Chinese hacking operation dubbed “Flax Typhoon” that included malware that affected more than 200,000 consumer devices, including cameras, video recorders, and routers. These infected devices formed a network that enabled cybercriminal activities.
In October 2024, the FBI launched an investigation into China’s alleged hacking of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance’s cell phones, and the same group reportedly hacked individuals associated with Kamala Harris. He is said to have been targeted. Hackers are believed to have infiltrated the network of US mobile phone provider Verizon.
A 2023 report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) found that Chinese espionage is increasingly aligned with China’s strategic goals. This represents a change from the commercial motivations seen in the past.
While commercial espionage remains a key feature, the report noted that China’s espionage activity far exceeds that of any other country, and even Russia.
The long-term economic and national security costs are difficult to measure, but are estimated to run into the billions of dollars.
Chinese espionage also damages national security, including the theft of weapons technology and nuclear test data, and in recent years has added identity theft and political coercion to its arsenal.
