Though China’s rollout of the ostensibly stealthy J-20 fighter was a notable achievement, key gaps in China’s aviation industry hinder the country’s ability to effectively field a fifth generation aircraft, says Andrew Erickson, associate professor for strategic research at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. Metallurgical skills needed to produce modern fighter engines remain a “bottleneck” to Chinese efforts, he stated Wednesday during a Center for National Policy discussion on China’s military held in Washington, D.C. China’s progress will increasingly “be defined by these few remaining areas where China really hasn’t demonstrated a full level of capability,” Erickson underscored. “Within aerospace,” he continued, “to this day, I think there’s still a significant, although rapidly diminishing legacy where missiles were prioritized . . . but not aircraft.” He cautioned that those gaps may rapidly vanish, given the caliber of China’s younger engineers. Though development is extremely uneven, characterized by both “pockets of excellence” and “adequacy,” Erickson expressed certainty that China’s aerospace research and development represents a “broad-base and very impressive effort.”
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
