America and China Race to Dominate Pacific Skies Through Advanced Airpower

The United States and China are engaged in a technological competition for air superiority that carries echoes of the Cold War rivalry, though the stakes and the theater have shifted decidedly toward the Pacific.

The Pentagon has committed to a comprehensive modernization of American airpower, centered on three pillars: next-generation manned fighters, advanced stealth bombers, and artificial intelligence-enabled drone systems. Each component represents a substantial investment in maintaining the technological edge that has defined American military aviation for decades.

In March, the Air Force awarded Boeing the contract for the F-47, a sixth-generation fighter aircraft designed to serve as the backbone of America’s air superiority fleet. The program, which experienced a brief pause in 2024, is now proceeding toward an expected first flight in 2028. This manned fighter represents the latest evolution in a lineage that has kept American pilots at the forefront of aerial combat capability.

Simultaneously, the B-21 Raider continues testing at Edwards Air Force Base. This stealth bomber, designed as the successor to the B-2, is being built specifically to penetrate heavily defended airspace. The Air Force has committed to purchasing at least one hundred of these aircraft, a substantial investment that underscores the importance of maintaining a credible long-range strike capability.

Perhaps most intriguing is the Pentagon’s development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft. These drones, designed to operate as “loyal wingmen” alongside manned fighters, would allow a single pilot to control multiple aircraft simultaneously. Prototypes from defense contractors are already conducting flight tests, suggesting this technology may reach operational status sooner than many anticipated.

Eric Heginbotham, a research scientist at MIT’s Center for International Studies, offered perspective on China’s commercial drone dominance. “I’m not sure that’s really true,” he said, referring to suggestions that China’s commercial success translates to military advantage. “In terms of high-end military drones that are really important to this fight, the U.S. still has a pretty significant edge.”

Heginbotham pointed to American stealth reconnaissance platforms and the integration of advanced drone technology as evidence that the United States maintains its lead in the areas that matter most for military operations.

China, however, is not standing still. Beijing has focused its modernization efforts on three critical areas: stealth technology, engine development, and aircraft carrier capabilities. These represent the traditional weak points in Chinese military aviation.

The Chengdu J-20, China’s primary stealth fighter, is now being equipped with the WS-15 engine, a domestically produced powerplant designed to match American engine performance. While Heginbotham noted that the J-20 still lacks many performance features of the F-22, a fighter the United States has operated for years, the trajectory of Chinese development is clear.

China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, was commissioned this fall. Notably, it features electromagnetic catapults similar to those on American Ford-class carriers. This capability would allow Beijing to launch stealth aircraft from sea, dramatically extending China’s power projection capabilities beyond its coastal waters.

The competition between these two nations extends beyond mere hardware. It represents fundamentally different approaches to the future of warfare in the Pacific, where control of the air will likely determine control of the sea lanes and, by extension, the economic arteries of the region.

For America and its allies, maintaining technological superiority is not simply a matter of national pride. It is the cornerstone of a strategy designed to deter conflict through strength. Whether that strategy succeeds may well depend on whether American innovation can continue to outpace Chinese determination and investment.