Well, for one I thought I was pretty clear in saying I wasn't talking about the US fighting a peer war. That's what I was specifically curious about how it would play out. Are smaller drone tactics like we're seeing in Ukraine able to counter air superiorities ability to make a safe operating environment for troops and armor?

Conjecture about a war between the US and China is entirely out of scope. If the current war has shown anything, it's that Russia isn't actually in the class everyone assumed.

[–] zephyreks@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

How far off is Ukraine from a peer, though? What are they missing that the US would have in the same conflict (other than sheer numbers)?

Stealth aircraft? Russia has been deploying those.

Naval power? Not really relevant in the Black Sea, particularly with Russian naval defences and antiship missiles.

This is what modern warfare looks like. The only reason this is a shock is because the US has spent the past few decades bullying terrorists in the Middle East.

Thing is, air superiority doesn't do jack shit because drones aren't really operating in "airspace," they're operating barely above the treeline.