Quote:
Originally Posted by Ithekro
Who said they won't have them. They just will want them sooner than later if the sabers keep rattling. They've not said what service their 40 or so F-35s will be in. Just that they will replace their old F-4 Phantom IIs. But they supposedly are buying F-35As, which are the conventional version, not the carrier model or the VSTOL model.
|
Now, their Hyuga class helicopter destroyers
carries 11 helicopters, the new ones are
said to carry 14. So, how many F35s can they carry? Why are they better than the land based aircraft considering the disputed area is well within the range of both sides? F35s are not Gundams, you know.
A few shiny hardware in the Japanese hands are not game changer. On the other hand, the 7th fleet matter much much more. However, all of the talk of weapons on either side are just chest-thumping. I don't see any reason for a serious conflict in the next decades or more. The Chinese are no match against the joint forces of Japan and the US (indeed, nobody is). On the other hand, it will most likely result in the destruction of Chinese and Japanese cities, and a huge hit to the Asia economy. So other than prolong and strengthen the American dominance on Asia and on themselves further, how does it help the Japanese anyway?
In conclusion, we are very far from the serious usage of weapons yet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ithekro
Singapore also wants some (100 or so).
|
Oh, well, say a ground force suddenly strikes and enters Singapore, what will you have the 100 F35s to do? Bomb their own city to root out the invasion? You probably can have them to carry out a counter strike, but where do you have them refuel after that?
The number sounds ridiculous to me and I don't see the difference between 50 and 100. It doesn't matter. The security of Singapore relies on its alliance with a superpower (aka US). The number only matters to the defense industry in the US.