Odd Lots What China's Military Parade and Newest Jets Tell Us About the Battle For Air Supremacy
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Sep 11, 2025 
Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center specializing in military strategy, discusses the recent military parade in Beijing and China's advancing air force capabilities. She delves into the significance of new 6th generation fighter jets and the ongoing competition with the U.S. for air supremacy. The conversation also touches on how conflicts like India-Pakistan provide insights into military hardware performance, the challenges of military procurement, and the dynamics of global defense contracts. It's a fascinating look at the complexities of modern aerial warfare.
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Edge In Tech, China In Scale
- The U.S. likely retains an edge on exquisite, high-end systems and collaborative combat aircraft.
- The real Chinese threat may be scale: faster production and larger quantities of capable systems.
Why Quantity Still Matters
- Quality can offset quantity up to a point, but mass matters in prolonged or large-range conflicts.
- Indo-Pacific distances and refueling limits make larger aircraft numbers necessary for sustained presence.
Air Control Is A Spectrum
- Air control exists on a spectrum from contested airspace to air supremacy; supremacy is rare historically.
- The U.S. has enjoyed air supremacy recently, but that condition is an anomaly, not the norm.
