China, India and Japan are investing in their respective air forces with an eye on their neighboring
North Korea is the one filling the headlines about space-faring weaponry, but it is the great powers of Asia - China, India and Japan - that are striving for full air potential.
▲Chinese stealth fighter J-20
article / Sebastián Bruzzone
North Korea is not the most powerful military air power in Asia. The exuberant parades and frequent ballistic missile launches by this nation are certainly far from their real arms power, although they invest approximately 15% of their GDP in it. Military air hegemony is mainly in three center-states:
Japan. The Japanese air force, established in 1954, combines its level of technique and sophistication with U.S. aircraft. Both countries, together with South Korea, practice in the airspace of the Pacific Ocean. Its aviation fleet varies from generation to generation. It has modern F-15 and F-2 aircraft manufactured by Mitsubishi Industries (Japanese company, national) and Lockheed Martin (U.S. company), and older aircraft such as the Phantom F-4. Likewise, it has an early warning and immediate attendance team, and another team of air tankers to keep the rest of the aircraft in the air for as long as possible.
India. The Indian Air Force possesses Soviet and national technology, as well as a training and management system from the British Royal Air Force. Its fleet has 300 state-of-the-art fighters complemented by older MiG-21s. In addition, 200 offensive ground attack aircraft and C-17 Globemaster in the field of logistics to ensure cargo transport and immediate refueling and warning.
China. Since the end of World War II, the Chinese government has invested in its air armament to become the main military power on the continent. Today, it has 600 Generation 4 and 4.5 fighters, as well as aircraft from the aforementioned countries. Unlike Japan and India, the main manufacturer of its equipment is the country itself and it has not been imported from any other nation. What stands out most about the Chinese Air Force is the evolution in recent years. It has gone from having a very large and poorly trained fleet to being made up of pilots who can spend more than 24 hours in an aircraft. However, the Chinese aviation industry still has engine quality problems. Still, we may be talking about the most important air power in Asia.
