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Central Asia, 5th generation and geopolitics

Central Asia, 5th gen and geopolitics
I might be crazy, but it seems like from the moment the 1st Indian T-50 aircraft lands in India a new arms race will start.

Pakistan:
Pakistan is quickly burning its bridges with the west over the war on terror.
I cannot see them getting 5th generation, unless they team with the Chinese or
Get back in the good graces of the west.
1. Will Pak choose nuclear deterrence in the face of a 1 sided arms race with India? will they cut there force levels and rely on nuclear weapons?

2. Will they attempt to buy or build a 5th generation fighter with Chinese help?

China:
The Chinese have lost some face seemingly by not being invited, ( or fronting like they dont want to) to the 5th generation party. Now the pressure will be On to produce there own designs or be stuck with out dated and borrowed ideas. China faces a world where most if not all of its neighbors will have advanced 5th generation fighters. India,Russia,Japan, possibly Korea, and AUST.
1. Will this render Chinese air power more impotent than smiling bob, in a real world conflict?

2. The clock is ticking, one of the majors attributes of a superpower is the ability to impose your will on your enemies. How can China ever reach full super power status, if both there air space and there sloc cannot be defended?

India:
India Looks really Impressive on paper. They have a more advanced navy that Pakistan or China. they now will dominant if they are left alone on the sub continent with the only 5 gen fighter. they only way thay can be stronger is to court the west.

1. Should India court the west for the F-35.
2. is the T-50 a show stopper if China doesn’t have an answer?

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By: jbritchford - 11th October 2010 at 11:58

What with the Pakistan AF purchasing new batches of F-16s, I would hardly say they are burning all their bridges to the west.

That said, with the Su-30MKI and the T-50, the Indian AF would have some excellent kit. It would certainly cause their neighbors to re-assess their own equipment.

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By: Multirole - 9th October 2010 at 11:17

You are misinformed. China was invited to invest in the Russian 5th gen project but chose not to participate.

US DoD expect the next gen Chinese fighter to enter service by 2018.

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