While China’s J-20 and J-31 stealth fighter programs represent a leap forward for the Chinese, observers differ as to whether these programs pose a serious threat to the United States. “Both programs and their successors . . . represent an attempt by China to match and exceed the United States,” Rick Fisher, senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center in Washington, D.C., told the Daily Report in mid-August. “China is not going to settle for parity. Like any great power, China wants its military to be superior,” he said. Other analysts seem more uncertain about the fighter programs. Mark Stokes, executive director of the Project 2049 Institute in Washington, D.C., said in a written statement to the Daily Report “it’s not clear exactly what the [People’s Liberation Army] is doing, and what effect a new fighter would have on air defense systems in the region.” He also noted that China’s aviation industry has tended to be problematic. Click here to continue to the full report.
Depot-level maintenance took longer than expected for nearly three-quarters of Air Force aircraft from fiscal 2019-2024, according to a new report, as unplanned repairs rise across the aging fleet. The report, from the Government Accountability Office, also found that the extent of the delays has been masked because officials often revise their target timelines after unplanned work occurs.