China Is Counting On Island Outposts To Project Power, But U.S. Troops Could Capture Them

China Is Counting On Island Outposts To Project Power, But U.S. Troops Could Capture Them

David Axe Contributor Forbes Aug. 9

The U.S. military probably has enough warplanes to win a war with China in the western Pacific. What it doesn’t have is enough bases.

But maybe American troops could “borrow” those bases ... from China. By dropping paratroopers or landing Marines on some of Beijing’s new island outposts.


Distance is the great destroyer of tactical air power, especially in the vast Asia-Pacific region. Most modern fighters can fly and fight no farther than 500 miles from their bases. Refueling tankers realistically can add a few hundred miles to a fighter’s combat radius.

More:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2020/08/09/china-is-counting-on-island-outposts-to-project-power-but-us-troops-could-capture-them/#470e0ed55acb

This was an editor's pick at Forbes. It's the island hopping strategy from WWII. How promising is that?