Defense & Aerospace Report Defense & Aerospace Air Power Podcast [Mar 26, 26] Season 4 E11: Building Storm
Mar 26, 2026
Mike "JDAM" Dahm, retired U.S. Navy intel officer and Senior Fellow for Aerospace and China Studies, explains China’s rapid air force buildup and visible industrial expansion. He discusses public signaling through selective reveals, new bases and runways, and how lessons from Iran and Ukraine shape PLA training. The conversation covers factory scale-up, island reclamation, and whether current U.S. programs match China’s pace.
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China Uses Public Exposure As Strategic Messaging
- China deliberately displays new aircraft and flights as part of strategic messaging rather than accidental exposure.
- Commercial satellite imagery and internet leaks are used to shape narratives about capability even when technical details remain withheld.
Infrastructure Reveals China's True Scale
- Infrastructure expansion reveals intentions and capacity that China cannot hide.
- New runways, factories, and base construction across eastern and western China indicate deliberate scaling of production and expeditionary capability.
Red Sword Exercise Revealed Sustained Large Scale Training
- Dahm discovered a large exercise in China's western deserts involving 200–250 aircraft over five weeks.
- Commercial imagery showed mass arrivals, concentration at Dingshin Air Base, and likely sustained sortie rates stressing maintenance and logistics.