In a recent intercontinental strategic projection mission, the US Air Force dispatched 58 transport planes to deliver urgently needed air defense systems and other materials from the US mainland to the Middle East. The large transport aircraft C17 and C5 used in this mission required high airport facilities and high cost, so the medium-sized C130J became an indispensable part. The range of these transport aircraft is huge, and some also require refueling in the air, which allows them to complete the entire mission in 24 hours. The purpose of the mission was to strengthen the anti-aircraft and anti-missile forces of US military bases in Israel and the Middle East to counter the missile and drone threat from the Houthis.
The success of this operation once again demonstrated the rapid deployment capability of the US military, which is unique in the world, and also demonstrated the strength and uniqueness of Chinese and American technology. So, what thoughts does the US military's intercontinental strategic projection mission bring to us? What do you think of the significance of this operation? Please leave your thoughts. China's military strength is constantly improving, but there is still a big gap compared to the United States. In particular, in terms of strategic air projection, China's scale and equipment are far from sufficient. There are only more than 100 large transport aircraft in service in China, and the take-off weight and load are not comparable to the American C17. At the moment, China does not have a strategic transport aircraft capable of carrying more than 300 tons like the C5.
Although China's Y-20 can meet the transportation needs of the army's large equipment, it still lacks a strategic transport aircraft capable of carrying extra-large equipment. Therefore, China still has a long way to go in improving its strategic air projection capabilities. The Y-20 transport aircraft of the Chinese Air Force recently successfully carried out a long-range delivery mission, delivering Hongqi-22 anti-aircraft missiles to Serbia. This mission demonstrated some of the advantages and limitations of the Y-20 model. Although the Y-20 has a maximum range of 7,800 kilometers, it is still a certain distance from Serbia, and in order to be able to reach Serbia directly, the Y-20 needs to be refueled in the air.
Therefore, we can see that the range of the Y-20 needs to be further extended, such as the development of an extended version of the Y-20 to meet the needs of longer-distance strategic delivery. In addition, for shorter-range transport models such as the Y-8 and Y-9, we also need to rely on the development of the Y-30 to compensate for the narrow cabin. The Y-20 long-range delivery mission to Serbia is an important milestone that demonstrates the progress of the Chinese Air Force in long-range delivery capabilities. In addition, the U.S. military's recent long-range projection operations also reflect the scale of U.S. projections to allies in the Asia-Pacific region in the event of a future war in the Taiwan Strait.
However, due to the width of the Pacific Ocean and the strong long-range interception capabilities of the Chinese Air Force, the US military will face difficulties in delivering to bases in the Asia-Pacific region and to Taiwan. The width of the Pacific Ocean is more than 19,000 kilometers, and even American C5 transport planes cannot directly cross it, but can only transit through Hawaii or Guam. Hawaii and Guam will be the PLA's key targets. Overall, the Chinese Air Force has made some important progress in long-range delivery capabilities, but it still needs to be further developed and improved. In addition to extending the range of the Y-20, the development of more advanced transport models can also be considered to cope with different distances and load needs.
In addition, it is essential to strengthen control and strike capabilities in the Pacific. Long range delivery will continue to play an important role in future military operations, so we need to continue to invest in and improve the Air Force's long range delivery capabilities. Finally, we can ponder a question: what is the importance of the Air Force's long-range delivery capability for strategic operations in future wars? Please leave your comments. Do you understand the contrast between China's and the U.S.'s global air delivery capabilities? Recently, the United States flew 49 C17s and China flew 12 Y-20s to Serbia. These two operations basically reflect the balance of power between the two superpowers.
Despite the increasing number of transport aircraft in China, it is still only a third of that of the United States. So how should China accelerate the projection of strength in its development strategy? The answer is simple: increase the production of the Y-20B, reaching at least 220 aircraft, in order to meet basic needs. Let's dive into the problem. For the past few decades, the United States has been the world's largest air delivery nation and demonstrated its formidable power in the Gulf War. This time, the United States sent 49 C17s to Serbia, demonstrating its strong global delivery capabilities. And China's air delivery capabilities, while growing, are still only one-third of those of the United States.
To keep up with the U.S., China must ramp up production of the Y-20B and expand its strategic projection capabilities. As a large transport aircraft independently developed by China, the Y-20 has become the main force of China's strategic delivery. The performance and loading capacity of the Y-20 have been greatly improved compared to its predecessor, the Y-8, but the number is not enough. Only 12 Y-20s flew to Serbia, which is still not as good as the 49 C17s from the United States. Therefore, China must increase the production of the Y-20B and expand its number to meet its strategic delivery needs. At the moment, China's strategic projection power still does not reach the maximum of its potential, especially in terms of quantity.
With the continuous improvement of China's economic and military strength, it is very necessary for China to speed up the production of the Y-20B and expand its strategic projection strength. Only in this way will China be able to demonstrate its strength on a global scale and play its role in international affairs. In short, China must accelerate production of the Y-20B and expand its strategic delivery capabilities to close the gap between its air delivery capabilities and the United States. As China's role in global affairs grows, so must its strategic projection capabilities. So, where do you think China needs to strengthen its strategic projection capabilities? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.