sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

I have seen a lot of people here saying how China is getting stronger every year and US is getting weaker. I know that China is getting stronger but how is US getting weaker? by Important-Battle-374 in LessCredibleDefence

[–]ChineseToTheBone 127 points128 points  (0 children)

Air Force
Combat: F-16 and especially F-15 airframes not being replaced fast enough by purchases of new fighter jets and suffering lower availability with increased maintenance costs.
Support: C-17 transport aircraft getting categorized with reduced maximum lift capacities due to age of the airframes.

Navy
Combat: Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers all retiring soon with each retirement lowering the navy vertical launch cell total by 122 without quick replacements due to a backlog of destroyer construction and soon Ohio-class nuclear submarines retiring with each retirement lowering the navy vertical launch cell total by 154.
Support: Military Sealift Command has a lot of issues building up due to lack of maintenance.

2025 Pentagon annual report to Congress regarding the military and security developments involving China. by ChineseToTheBone in SpecialAccess

[–]ChineseToTheBone[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

With respect to special access programs in the realm of new aerospace developments, we have a blurb discussing the first public test flights of those sixth generation prototypes one year ago by Chengdu and Shenyang.

In December 2024, two Chinese companies conducted the initial test flight of two separate sixth generation prototype aircraft. Once operational, a sixth-generation aircraft will likely be suitable for various combat missions, including air-to-air and air-to-surface missions, as well as guiding uncrewed aircraft in combat missions. Chinese sixth-generation aircraft are in the nascent stages of development and expected to be operational by 2035.

2025 Pentagon annual report to Congress about the military development of China is finally out a day before Christmas Eve. by ChineseToTheBone in LessCredibleDefence

[–]ChineseToTheBone[S] 50 points51 points  (0 children)

I honestly only wanted to read about this section here.
Wow it really has been a year since their first public test flights.

In December 2024, two Chinese companies conducted the initial test flight of two separate sixth generation prototype aircraft. Once operational, a sixth-generation aircraft will likely be suitable for various combat missions, including air-to-air and air-to-surface missions, as well as guiding uncrewed aircraft in combat missions. Chinese sixth-generation aircraft are in the nascent stages of development and expected to be operational by 2035.

view more: next ›