A new Pearl Harbor awaits America; They will grind them?

Namely, the research center of the Hudson Institute has published a report stating that American airports in the Western Pacific face vulnerability because the Armed Forces of the People's Republic of China have greatly exceeded the efforts of the United States to strengthen the infrastructure of its airports, reported the Russian portal Russia Today Balkan.

According to the document, the Chinese military has doubled the number of its "reinforced aircraft shelters (caponires)" to more than 3,000 and built extended runways, while the US military has built just two since the early 2010s.

The report notes that this disparity leaves US air bases exposed to precision missile strikes, with the majority of aircraft losses in a potential conflict expected to be on the ground.

It is also added that China's efforts in the field of fortification enable constant air operations under attack, which represents a strategic advantage.

In contrast, the US's reliance on Cold War-era approaches and minimal investment in airbase resilience are noted to increase operational risks and encourage Chinese aggression.

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As a solution, researchers from the Hudson Institute propose a multi-year campaign aimed at strengthening US bases in the Pacific, deploying active and passive defense, and redesigning the structure of deployed forces, so that they are capable of operating from remote and scattered locations.

On the other hand, if these measures are not implemented, the institute warns that the US risks losing air superiority in the Indo-Pacific, then facing a "destabilizing strategic imbalance" that could cause preemptive actions by the Chinese military.

However, based on the writing of the "War Zone" portal, which specializes in military topics, it seems that Washington will not take measures in the near future to try to turn the situation in its favor.

Namely, the mentioned portal reported in December that in the new Action Plan for the installation of the infrastructure of the US Air Force, plans for the construction of new shelters for aircraft were largely omitted, despite the recognition that the existing bases can no longer be considered (safe) havens and that they have to work under attack.

It's not just the bases that are the problem, it's the planes and ships as well

However, in early January, another problem that the US could face in the Pacific was revealed.

During his address at Edwards Air Force Base, US Army Brigadier General Doug Wickert said that China will soon outnumber the US 12 to 1 in terms of modern fighter jets.

In order to better understand the weight of this American officer's statement, it is necessary to point out that he is the commander of the 412th Aviation Test Regiment stationed at the aforementioned base.

This unit is considered one of the most important in the composition of the US Air Force, in charge of testing and evaluation, managing everything - from aircraft and weapons systems to cutting-edge software and simulations.

"With a team of over 5,000 professionals, the unit has a fleet of 90, with around 30 different designs, ready-to-fly aircraft.

They fly more than 7,400 missions a year, including nearly 2,000 dedicated to testing, ensuring that the (US) Air Force stays ahead, according to the description of the 412th Airborne Regiment on the "Aviationist" portal.

During his address, Wickert also emphasized the speed with which the Chinese military is progressing, stressing that its pace of modernization is "unprecedented", and that it far exceeds the pace of the US.

There is no doubt that the American general had in mind the new Chinese aircraft, which are assumed to be sixth generation fighter jets or stealth bombers.

According to him, by 2027, in the Pacific region, the Chinese military will have 12 times more modern combat aircraft compared to the US, while the ratio of fifth-generation aircraft will be five to three, and in the number of maritime patrol aircraft three to one.

When it comes to bombers, the Chinese military's fleet of 225 manned bombers is unmatched in the region. In the seas of the Pacific region, the Armed Forces of the People's Republic of China have a three-to-one advantage in aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, a more than six-to-one advantage in modern submarines, and a staggering nine-to-one advantage in modern multipurpose warships.

"We've never been smaller, and we've never had older equipment," Wickert said, adding: "Meanwhile, the Chinese military has become the largest and most modern than it's ever been. That's a risk, that's an uncertainty."