Russia and China are both developing “fifth generation” fighters that will be widely exported at prices that will undercut the F-35 price tag. Both nations will thus acquire “near F-22 performance… while attempting to proliferate the [aircraft] to perhaps near F-35 like quantities,” he said. “We may be facing a fighter threat capability in quantities we’ve never experienced before.”

That and a lot more via John Noonan at the Standard.

The Russians and Chinese are probably further away from actual “fifth-generation” platforms in the sky than we think, but they’re definitely at fourth-generation-plus. But it’s just a matter of time. And if we lose the skies in a conflict (even with a Russian or Chinese client state like Iran or Venezuela)—or even allow them to be seriously contested—we’re going to get a lot of soldiers, sailors, and Marines killed because of our penny-pinching.

We need more F-22s, or to get another air-superiority plane in the pipeline ASAP. The F-35 could be a great strike plane with some good air-to-air capabilities, but on its own, it’s not going to out-fight an Su-35 or J-11B. It‘s got to rely almost entirely on stealth to get it in and out of contested airspace. As we’ve mentioned, that appears problematic.

Confucius* says: I know that’s a experimental Berkut. It’s just too cool-looking not to use.

*For those who came in late: Confucius is the Gormogons’ Œcumenical Volgi.

Confucius, Œc. Vol.

Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu.