Hyping the J-10
The International Herald Tribune has a lengthy report today on China's newest fighter jet, the J-10. The article hypes the plane, or at least the headline does--"China adds jet fighter that rivals world best." Still, comparisons with the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale don't really warrant such bold claims. Those planes are not stealth, which means they simply aren't survivable on the modern battlefield--one expert said of the Eurofighter, it's "the perfect design for returning a radar signature." Still, the J-10 might match up fairly well against the F-16s of the Taiwanese air force:
Lin Chong-pin, president of a research institute based in Taipei, the Foundation on International and Cross- Strait Studies, said Taiwan's advantage "is getting narrower and narrower."
"At the moment it is just in balance," added Lin, a former deputy defense minister in the governing Democratic Progressive Party. "If Taiwan doesn't do anything, it will tip in favor of the PLA air force."
To counter the threat, Taiwan wants to buy more F-16 fighters from the United States, but most analysts believe it is unlikely that the Bush administration will agree to this request while the island's legislature continues to block funding for an earlier arms order.
The Weekly Standard Feb.8, 2007
WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK!!!
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