Beyond advanced military capabilities, a vibrant US economy ultimately may be the best weapon in deterring China, according to a RAND paper. “It is often said that a strong economy is the basis of a strong defense. In the case of China, a strong US economy is not just the basis for a strong defense, it is itself perhaps the best defense against an adventurous China,” states Conflict with China: Prospects, Consequences, and Strategies for Deterrence. The two nations’ economies are linked in a manner “unparalleled in history,” state the authors. “This mutual dependency can be an immensely powerful deterrent, in effect a form of mutually assured economic destruction,” they write. They add, “At the moment, the balance of advantage rests with the United States, but even the winner in such a contest will wish it had been avoided.” It’s important that “the balance of dependency does not shift too heavily against the United States” in coming decades, they warn.
The Air Force's new Aircraft Readiness Unit will maintain and provide Collaborative Combat Aircraft for operations, but won’t serve as a “schoolhouse” teaching fighter pilots how to manage these escort drones.