Could China’s Air Defenses Stop a Massive U.S. Air Force Attack?

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By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

A recently released Pentagon report says Chinese air defense systems present a substantial and growing threat to the U.S. and allies in the region. The threat is extremely substantial in part because China operates both Russian-built and indigenously produced systems capable of tracking and attacking enemy aircraft. 

Chinese Air Defense Systems

The technological sophistication of these systems, and the extent to which they can be upgraded, would naturally make it quite difficult for U.S. or allied countries to establish air supremacy over China in any kind of large-scale engagement.

The Pentagon’s 2021 “Report on Military and Security Developments involving the People’s Republic of China” explains that China’s air defenses consist of Russian built S-300s and S-400 Surface to Air Missiles. These Russian systems are reported to be among the best and most effective in the world, and they are quite upgradeable. 

The most current S-400s, and emerging Russian S-500s are increasingly networked to one another, enabled by high-speed computer processing and capable of precise, long-range threat detection. These systems have much greater range and sensitivity than previous systems. However, an ability to detect that an aircraft is merely “there,” or “in the sky” above does not mean that the air defense radar system can establish a continuous “track” and actually succeed in “hitting,” “engaging” or destroying an aircraft.

Also, China’s air defense threat is by no means restricted to these Russian-built systems, as the People’s Liberation Army Air Force supplements them with Chinese-made systems. China operates its domestically produced HQ-9 Surface to Air Missiles and is also developing indigenous HQ-19 systems expected to bring a ballistic missile defense capability, the Pentagon report says.