Judging from the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the transformation of the Chinese Air Force J-20 fighter must no longer hit rockets
In the midst of the war in Ukraine, the Russian Aerospace Forces have demonstrated their strong air supremacy and successfully established their domination of the sky. However, this advantage has not translated into effective support for military operations on the ground, exposing the rupture between air supremacy and ground combat support in modern warfare. While Russian pilots cruise the skies in advanced Su-34 and Su-35 fighter jets, their presence does not seem to have had the desired effect on the situation on the ground. This phenomenon has provoked a deep reflection on the effective integration of modern military strategy and tactics.
The acquisition of air supremacy is undoubtedly a key goal in every modern conflict, but the reality on the battlefield in Ukraine reveals an important truth of war: air supremacy, while it can prevent the interference of enemy air power, cannot be directly translated into a decisive advantage in ground operations. The Russian Aerospace Forces, while dominating the skies, are incapable of providing the necessary air support to the army, especially in precision strikes against key enemy targets.
The root cause of this situation lies in the miscalculation of the needs of modern warfare by the Russian military. They rely on the traditional concept of air supremacy and ignore the importance of precision guidance in modern warfare. In Ukraine's volatile battlefield, the Aerospace Forces, which are unable to effectively support the army, have greatly weakened their strategic value of air supremacy. This strategic flaw not only weakens the overall effectiveness of Russia's military operations, but also imposes unnecessary economic and political costs on it.
In this conflict, the actions of the Russian Aerospace Forces have become a lesson worth pondering for all modern military forces: air supremacy must be combined with precision strike capabilities in order to fully play its role in modern warfare. Without this, even the most advanced air forces can suffer setbacks in achieving battlefield goals.
On the battlefield in Ukraine, the ground attack operations of the Russian Aerospace Forces have exposed obvious tactical shortcomings, especially when using unguided** ground strikes. These tactical choices not only reduce the precision of the attack, but also increase the cost of military operations, while also causing a large number of unnecessary civilian** and property damage. Unguided iron bombs and rockets, frequently used by Russian warplanes, are capable of causing widespread regional damage in some cases, but this destruction is often not selective and cannot effectively distinguish between military targets and civilian facilities, resulting in a huge threat to civilian lives and infrastructure.
In addition, another significant flaw that the Russian Aerospace Forces showed in the conflict was the lack of effective "airborne tactical guided munitions". This lack directly leads to the inadequacy of its ground attack capabilities, especially when precision strikes against specific targets are required. In modern warfare, the use of precision-guided munitions has become an important criterion for judging the degree of modernization and combat capability of an air force. The shortcomings of the Russian Aerospace Forces in this regard not only affect the efficiency of their tactical execution in the Ukrainian conflict, but also highlight their backwardness in modern air combat tactics.
The evolution of modern warfare requires air power to be able to execute precision strikes to minimize damage to non-military targets while ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of military operations. The performance of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the conflict in Ukraine has clearly failed to adapt to this tactical change. The widespread use of unguided** has not only failed to effectively destroy the enemy's military capabilities, but has instead raised widespread questions in the international community about the legitimacy and morality of its military operations.
This tactical deficiency of the Russian Aerospace Forces is not only a problem at the technical level, but also a reflection of strategic thinking and military culture. The lack of proper understanding and adaptation to the needs of modern warfare has made it appear inadequate in terms of ground attack capabilities, which has been amply demonstrated in the conflict in Ukraine.
The Chinese Air Force is in the midst of a critical transition aimed at comprehensively upgrading its combat capabilities, particularly in precision strikes and tactical ground attacks. As can be seen from the performance of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the conflict in Ukraine, the lack of precision-guided munitions and adaptation to modern air combat tactics can seriously affect the combat efficiency and strategic execution of the Air Force. Recognizing this, the Chinese Air Force is actively developing and applying "airborne tactical guided munitions" to ensure effective support of ground forces in any future conflict, while minimizing damage to civilians and non-military installations.
An important lesson that the Chinese Air Force has learned from the experience of the Russian military is that the high reliance on non-precision guidance** is not only inefficient, but can also be subject to moral and legal reproaches in the international arena. As a result, the Chinese Air Force is adjusting its tactical thinking and operational tactics and will rely more on precision-guided munitions such as JDAM, which marks a major shift in its combat capabilities to modernization and precision. With this transformation, the Chinese Air Force aims to create a modern air force capable of operating effectively in the conditions of high-tech warfare.
This process of transformation and learning of the Chinese Air Force not only demonstrates its commitment to improving combat efficiency and precision strike capabilities, but also shows its determination to maintain its leading position in international military competition. By learning from the lessons of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the conflict in Ukraine, the Chinese Air Force is actively adapting to the requirements of modern warfare and is committed to becoming a more effective, precise and ethical fighting force.