Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Second test flight for Black Silk takes place.

The Chinese showed off their new stealth fighter to SECDEF Gates during his visit to China in January. It was first public account of a flight of the new aircraft, the J-20 dubbed "Black Silk". Flying the prototype during Gates' visit didn't strike me as a very peaceful welcome. Had China’s realistic approach to joint defense relations with the U.S. turned into a hard line? Was Beijing’s growing self confidence in its military and economical power going to facilitate the narrowing of its military gap with the Western superpower? Well those questions won't get answered until the J-20 is deployed somewhere outside the People's Republic airspace sometime.

Yesterday a Chinese newspaper reported a second test-flight on Sunday of the J-20, showing a photograph of "an alleged J-20 prototype" preparing to take off from an airfield in Chengdu in Sichuan province on Sunday. There was no confirmation from the PLA Air Force or Defence Ministry.

Analysts have suggested from studying information that China may be making faster-than-expected progress in developing an aircraft to rival the F-22 Raptor, designed to evade radar detection. Coupled with the possible deployment of their first aircraft carrier this year and a new anti-ship ballistic missile, the Chinese have caused some concern.

UNETIDA Air Operations Commander Senior Colonel “BesraHu is an officer of the PLA Air Force and he was confident that the J-20 trials were a positive step toward world peace as well as China's increased willingness to support the global effort to destroy aliens. He did however make it clear that this was conjecture on his part as he claimed to know nothing about the J-20 or would even confirm it's existence.

Sources: FOX News / Wired /Time

5 comments:

Civilian Overseer said...

We definitely seem to be shaping up to a new global conflict to determine who is going to be the dominate power for the next century.

1704, Battle of Blenheim
Britain & allies vs. France

1815, Battle of Waterloo.
Britain vs. France

1914, WWI
Britain & allies vs. Germany

Yeah I know 1939, but WWII was a continuation of unfisnished business from WWI, it did set the US on course to be the dominate world power.

2014/15? US. vs. China?

If the US and China throw down and both are exhausted by a protracted gloal war then could India or a resugent Russia emerge as the new dominant power?

It's not inconceivable, it's suprising to remember that Spain and Porturgal used to the world's dominant powers, before that it was what is today known as Turkey.

Basically if the US wants to hold onto the top spot the old fashioned way it's going to have to flex it's military muscle in a major conflict, not the side shows of Iraq and Afganistan, no disrepect to the service men and women involved in these conflicts but they are side shows designed almost to say stand back to the likes of Iran and China.

Lets hope a new equitable way of deciding whos in charge comes along.

Major General Creedon said...

A friendly game of Risk?

Civilian Overseer said...

Don't be absurd, Colonel, everybody knows that there is no such thing as a "friendly" game of Risk.

I was thinking more along the lines of Starcraft. Failing that there is always the ultimate in dispute resolution Thunderdome...

Major General Creedon said...

Fair enough, but what about that strategy game you played with Master Lo and President Khan? I can't remember what it was called. That might work?

Civilian Overseer said...

Do you mean when we rigged the student union elections?, good times. ;)