Could US, Japanese and South Korean F-35s save Taiwan?

Video Above: Could the U.S. Stop China from Invading Taiwan?

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

Should China launch an amphibious assault to take over Taiwan, many might wonder about what kinds of military options the US and its allies might have? Is it at all realistic to think a large-scale attack of this kind could be stopped, with Taiwan being only 100 miles or so from the Chinese coastline?

Certainly the question could inspire endless speculation, wargaming and force analysis, and it is likely a topic thoroughly entertained at the Pentagon on a regular basis. 

There are many nuances to this, such as the proximity and response time of US Navy surface and undersea weapons, an ability to discern any kind of advanced warning or observe Chinese preparations from satellites and drones and, perhaps most significantly, the question of whether China could establish air superiority to enough of a degree to succeed? If it captured Taiwan, could it hold the island without air superiority?

US and allied air dominance, should assets be positioned to respond in time to a Chinese attack, might offer the best chance to stop or destroy a Chinese aerial and ship-to-shore assault on Taiwan.

While there is a case to be made for how US Navy undersea assets could, depending upon location, succeed in destroying a Chinese maritime advance given the sophistication and potential superiority of US Navy submarines, what about air power?