F-35 tops China’s threat list, beating older F-22: military study
- Ranking could have implications for how China develops its own technologies and tactics in response, researchers said
- Authors recommend a combination of ‘soft and hard kill’ capabilities to ward off incursions into Chinese territory
The researchers found that while both the F-22 and F-35 fighter jets posed a “significant” threat to Chinese defences at all stages of the operation, the F-35A was likely to be a more versatile and capable aircraft in any potential conflict in China’s home waters.
The team – led by Bao Junchen from the National University of Defence Technology in Hefei, Anhui province in eastern China, and the PLA’s Unit 31649 based in the southern province of Guangdong – recommended a two-prong approach to counter the threat.
China should develop its “soft kill” electronic warfare capabilities as well as physical weapons to provide a “hard kill” response, said the authors, whose affiliations add credibility to the study because of their direct knowledge of Chinese military strategy and tactics.
“The F-35A poses a greater threat than the F-22A due to its more advanced avionics systems and multirole capabilities,” the researchers said.
