A Vice Admiral Talks About China's Military Advancements

Photo: Vice Adm. David J. Dorsett

Vice Admiral Discusses China's New Military Technology -- Information Dissemination

The following transcript is provided by Air Force Magazine. It is an interview with Vice Admiral David J. Dorsett, Deputy CNO for Information Dominance from January 5, 2011.

Q: Good morning, Admiral. About a year and a half ago Secretary Gates said that we wouldn't see a Chinese stealth fighter for about 20 years. I'm sorry, until 2020. He said it not once but several times, and very emphatically. Last week there were pictures circulating on the Internet, apparently blessed by the Chinese government, that show a Chinese stealth fighter. It looks an awful lot like our F-22 and F-35.

Can you tell us first of all, is this actually a surprise? And is this a game-changer in the view of the Navy or in just your personal opinion?

A: No. It's not a surprise. I think one of the things that is probably true, true from my observation in the last several years, is we have been pretty consistent in underestimating the delivery and IOC of Chinese technology, weapon systems. They've entered operational capability quicker. We frequently project, in terms of the stealth photos, there to be IOC of a stealth aircraft. It's not clear to me when it's still going to become operational.

So is it a surprise? No. Do we need to refine our assessments better? I think so.
And your second question, is it a threat to the U.S. Navy?

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My Comment: The full interview is here.