Originally Posted by
Heathrow Harry
The weak link in any F-35 deployment is likely to be the tankers and bases TBH - how close to the front line can you operate the former and how do you stop the enemy disrupting the latter.........
Depends who you are fighting or embedded with?
The highest risk to escorted tankers would be Chinese long-range stealth aviation developed for this scenario. This capability is close to China unless they secure airbases in the Pacific. This is what's fascinating now. Elements of War Plan Orange are as relevant today as they were in the early 1900's. It's a race ( China replacing Japan ) to secure influence in different areas of Asia and the Pacific to gain or deny military installations. The RAND studies place major tanking limitations for operations centred out of Guam in say a scenario whereby the PLA blockades the South China Sea.
The loss of the Luzon bases pivotal to any South China Sea campaign. And only on reflection does it look like this was the first major stakes play at political interference by China whereby local Filipino politics was driven toward long term strategic goals for China. So thirty years ago this was playing out and the West has been napping.
For the RAAF, they seem well placed for even the most capable threats projected or operating in our immediate region. If the Chinese navy is more frequent a visitor to our region than the USN in upcoming years, our whole defence policy is on its ear.