What budget infighting means for America's F-47 and a conflict over Taiwan
series on how US budget tensions will affect efforts to deter China, we look at the race for air superiority.
The high-stakes race for air superiority between
China and the United States will have profound implications should a conflict break out – including how a war over
Taiwan would be fought.
Both militaries are developing sixth-generation fighter jets. Footage of China's new prototype aircraft in test flights emerged on the symbolic date of December 26, the birthday of late Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
Months later,
Donald Trump revealed that the American equivalent had been named
the F-47 – a clear reference to him as the 47th US president.
But in the US, opinion is divided over how to balance defence budget priorities given the substantial funding needed for the air force's next-generation air dominance, or NGAD, programme – decisions that could have an impact on a potential conflict in the Pacific.
Taiwan war scenario
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