China's military is improving but US still has more combat experience - Business Insider

[Brainsucker]

This is exactly what I was about to say but you said it even better. Most Chinese members here seem to miss the point you just made. Experience is a big advantage since it helps find flaws that you will never find without actual real life scenarios. The Russians learned ALOT from their short war with Georgia and this helped them reformed many layers of their militar, doctrine and equipment . Same with the war in Eastern Ukraine they did learn from this and adjusted their military accordingly. Same with the war in Syria it has been well documented how Russian military publicly claimed how they have learned a lot from this war and have taken measures to streamline their military and equipments accordingly. These are flaws they would have never found had they not engaged in this conflicts. War in Libya is another conflict where Russian soldiers (in guise of private military contractors Wagner group) are still learning alot from this conflict. Russian military has changed and improved alot due to their experiences gained from this conflicts. Comparatively, we can agree that China learned ALOT from the Korean war and Vietnam invasion which they still use as lessons to this day. I'm sure they won't deny that. So this shows the importance of experience and practical lessons . Theory is only that i.e just theories. Many members here forget these facts . China today is way behind in this aspect.

The problem is, that experience has become an idea. And that idea evolve into science. That experience is not something that kept by individual soldiers who involve in the war. So because of that China can still learn from that experience even if they're not involve in any war. Because that experience has become science, and science can be learnt by anyone.

 

[truthseeker2010]

China state media have been brainwashing fools.


Nah...You just made poor copies of Soviet/Russian weapons.


And what have your China contributed to naval warfare for the last 300 yrs? How about nothing?

Naval combat experience does not have to be confined to fleet vs fleet, kid. In fact, the last time naval fleets fought within sight of each other was in WW II, and it could be the last time as well, thanks to the aircraft carrier. And speaking of aircraft carrier, how much naval aviation does the PLAN have? How about nothing? The laugh is on you, child.

As per latest news it was USN ship that was burned beyond repair, two destroyers were also left damaged and put out of service for repairs due to navigational errors in recent times, not to forget Vincennes error.

 

[gambit]

The problem is, that experience has become an idea. And that idea evolve into science. That experience is not something that kept by individual soldiers who involve in the war. So because of that China can still learn from that experience even if they're not involve in any war. Because that experience has become science, and science can be learnt by anyone.

Everything you said is non-disputable. In other words, what you mean is 'institutional memory' where organizational experience is recorded and passed onto the next generation. However, there are limits and those limits are personal experience or 'tribal knowledge' and those are difficult to quantify and record.

For example...

When I was active duty, we went thru a lot of exercises, from squadron level up to theater level. One component of these exercises are simulated or virtual 'kills'. A referee or inspector would 'card' a person or a group and that would remove people from the exercise. So now, if you are a transportation commander, you just lost X number of people and you need to move critical supplies. How? The same idea applied to anyone. I have been 'carded' whilst walking out to the jet. If a jet is readied to taxi but developed a problem, that is called a 'Red Ball' in USAF parlance. Maintenance would try to fix a Red Ball so the squadron would not lose a sortie. We have seen an entire truck got 'carded'. Now the squadron just lost a sortie and X number of people who can fix jets. Now what?

Just in case you think I made up the 'Red Ball' thing...

https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/603382/

A red ball is any maintenance issue that comes up prior to an aircraft launch or during flight. If the issue that caused the jet to red ball is not resolved quickly and accurately, the mission could suffer since the pilot would not have an operational aircraft to carry out his tasks.
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Does the PLAAF and the PLAN have anything similar? Probably. In idea, the Chinese military have learned much from the US from public knowledge, but it is the details of those 'tribal knowledge' that cannot be transmitted efficiently. They have to be learned in-house.

The only situation where institutional memory of all types and levels are stressed to the breaking points is -- war.

 

[beijingwalker]

US having more experience in invading other nations is more like it.

 

[KAL-EL]

It's western media, we always take them with a pound of salt.

Unless it’s pro China western articles, then you take them seriously with a lot more than a pound of salt.

P.S. interesting that you bumped up a thread that’s more than five months old.