On the stage of arms competition, we witnessed a high-profile "Indus Shield-2023" combat confrontation exercise. In this exercise, the Chinese Thunder Dragon 3 fighter actually defeated the Turkish F-16 in an over-the-horizon attack with an unexpected performance, which is really shocking. However, this turbulent exercise also aroused Turkey's enthusiasm, as if the more **, the more excited they became. This has sparked widespread speculation about whether Turkey will bring in some of the Thunders in an attempt to gain access to advanced Chinese technology. Let's take a closer look at this military contest and uncover its mysteries.
During the exercise, the performance of the Thunder 3 fighter was amazing, and it was indeed unexpected that it was able to defeat the F-16 in an over-the-horizon attack. However, compared with the overall performance, the Thunder 3 is relatively inferior to the F-16 in terms of maneuverability, which makes people wonder why the Thunder 3 will "bully" the F-16? While treating the problem of hospitality, we should deeply analyze the deep connotation of this showdown.
The Turkish F-16 is mainly the F-16 CD model, and the most advanced is probably the F-16 CD Block 40, which has relatively poor fire control. The Thunder 3 is equipped with a powerful active phased array radar, avionics and fire control system, and has excellent guidance capabilities. In particular, the Thunder 3 can carry the Thunderbolt-15 medium-range bomb and the Thunderbolt-10 combat missile, which is not inferior in performance compared with the American AIM-120D missile. Considering that Turkey's current F-16 is best equipped with AIM-120C5 or C7, this makes the Thunder 3 obviously have an advantage in firepower in the over-the-horizon attack phase.
Rumors about Turkey's purchase of the Thunder 3 have also intensified. Pakistan, as the main assembler and seller of the Thunder 3, has a close military cooperation relationship with Turkey, so the possibility of Turkey buying the Thunder 3 is quite high. However, it is doubtful whether it is really Turkey that "replaced" part of the F-16. Perhaps Turkey is more inclined to acquire China's advanced radar, fire control and avionics technology through the purchase of the Thunder 3, which is far more valuable than the Thunder 3 model itself. Of course, things are not so simple, and buying is not the same as mastering the core technology.
From Pakistan's point of view, although it is responsible for the Thunder 3, it has not mastered the core technology of radar and avionics, and lacks the corresponding R&D and industrial production capacity. Even if Turkey acquires the Thunder 3 from Pakistan, it will be difficult for Turkey to master this advanced technology on its own. Turkey's own technological level is relatively backward, especially in terms of electronic technology, and there is still a gap compared to China. Therefore, even if the Thunder 3 is obtained, it still needs to work hard to achieve independent research and development.
This leads to a more profound problem, namely the balance between technology diffusion and independent innovation. The strength of a country is not only reflected in the advanced nature of existing products, but also in its strong R&D and industrial production capacity. Technology diffusion is inevitable, but the key lies in whether it can continue to innovate. Just like a chef teaching a dish, his value lies not only in the delicious dishes he makes, but also in his ability to create new culinary arts.
So we don't have to worry too much about the technology exodus. If a country wants to be truly strong, it not only needs to have advanced technology, but also needs to have the core competitiveness of independent innovation. This is also the only way for China to become a world power in the military field. At the same time of export, we should treat technical cooperation with an open mind, and at the same time adhere to independent innovation to ensure our leading position in technology.
To sum up, this "Indus Shield-2023" exercise triggered a showdown between the Thunder 3 and the F-16, and also inspired speculation that Turkey would buy the Thunder 3. However, the story behind the military is not simple, and there are both technical contests and considerations of international relations. In the arms race, we must not only see the contest of technology, but also be clear about the fundamentals of national strength. Let's pay attention to this military situation together, lead users into this military world full of challenges and opportunities with deep insight, and provide new thinking angles for the attention of the military field.