In the arena of high-tech military equipment, the United States has always played the role of a frontrunner. In recent years, however, this seems to be changing. Through a series of technological innovations and military strategy adjustments, China has successfully "cabbage" some originally expensive military technologies, triggering new thinking in the era of low-cost warfare.
The so-called "cabbage" refers to the transformation of military technology that was originally expensive and cheap. This trend is especially evident in areas such as drones and rockets. For example, the unit price of a certain type of tank used by the Ukrainian army in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is as high as 10 million US dollars, while the cost of rockets used by Hamas is only about 800 US dollars. This huge difference not only reflects the achievements of technological progress, but also reveals a new trend in the development of military equipment.
In the face of China's challenge, the United States began to actively seek a response strategy. On the one hand, the United States continues to seize the commanding heights of science and technology and maintain its leading position in the field of high-end military equipment. On the other hand, the United States has also begun to revise the original research and development ideas and create a new track of cheapness. For example, the "Jetham" series of satellite-guided gliding bombs recently launched by the US military is a new type of low-cost but powerful one.
Compared with the United States, China's layout in the era of low-cost warfare seems to be more far-reaching. Chinese experts pointed out that the development of high-tech equipment and low-cost equipment go hand in hand, and the key lies in how to make trade-offs in light of national conditions. Over the years, China has made a lot of investment and accumulation in its industrial base and equipment manufacturing capacity, and has made full preparations for the arrival of the era of low-cost warfare.
In the era of low-cost warfare, the importance of the industrial base has become more prominent. U.S. think tanks have long pointed out that economic development, military strength, and equipment manufacturing capabilities are highly dependent on the industrial base. As the only country in the world with the most complete industrial variety, China undoubtedly has a huge advantage in this regard. This means that China has the ability to mass-produce low-cost drones, cruise missiles and other high-quality equipment, and is fully prepared for future wars.
In the face of the advent of the era of low-cost war, both China and the United States are actively responding and planning. However, the real competition of strength does not only rely on words and strategies, but also requires a solid industrial base and equipment manufacturing capabilities. In this game, whoever can better integrate resources and give full play to their advantages is likely to win in the future. China, on the other hand, is clearly ready. Article XV.