Recently, the development of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the air combat field has attracted widespread attention from the global military community. In particular, the "kill web" concept based on data links has completely overturned the traditional model of individual fighter aircraft confrontation. This operational style integrates multi-domain sensors, fire platforms, and command and control systems, combining decentralized reconnaissance and fire launch platforms, as well as improved anti-jamming capabilities of missiles and data links, demonstrating an unprecedented level of operational efficiency. The high efficiency of China's "kill web" was validated in the recent India-Pakistan conflict, prompting U.S. defense officials to issue warnings about China's capabilities in a potential Taiwan conflict.
According to analysis by Michael Dahm, a senior researcher at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies of the Air Force Association, the "kill web" is a highly integrated military concept aimed at connecting ground, air, maritime, cyber, and space-based sensors, platforms, weapons, and decision-makers into a unified command and control system to achieve rapid and precise kinetic and non-kinetic strike effects. The effectiveness of the kill web may be more critical than the performance of a single fighter aircraft. This concept has achieved a revolution in traditional air combat through the following aspects:
First, multi-domain sensor fusion and data link anti-jamming capabilities. China has built a powerful "sensor-to-shooter" network by deploying over 470 intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) satellites. These satellites, along with ground radars, airborne early warning aircraft, and fighter jets, achieve real-time information sharing through high anti-jamming data links. Advances in data link technology have significantly improved the bandwidth and anti-jamming capabilities of information transmission, compressing the decision-making cycle to just a few seconds. This rapid decision-making capability creates a "dangerous edge" in modern high-intensity conflicts.
Second, decentralized reconnaissance and fire platforms. Traditional air combat relied on the individual performance of fighter aircraft, while China's "kill web" breaks the limitations of a single platform through decentralized reconnaissance and fire launch platforms. For example, during the India-Pakistan conflict, the Pakistani Air Force used ground radar to lock onto Indian targets, and the J-10C launched the PL-15 long-range missile in passive mode, with the early warning aircraft guiding it via a data link, ultimately achieving precise strikes. This "lock-on-launch-guide" collaborative model enabled enemy fighters (such as the Rafale) to be shot down without realizing they were being targeted, highlighting the advantages of system integration.
Third, the leap in China's missile capabilities combined with data links has formed a firepower network covering the Indo-Pacific region and even globally. The PL-15 missile's long-range strike capabilities and high anti-jamming performance further enhance the lethality of the air combat "kill web."
The India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025 provided a practical test for China's "kill web." U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy E. Mendenhall and Space Operations Chief Chantell Saltsman expressed deep concerns about China's "kill web" and missile capabilities during Senate hearings. Saltsman pointed out that China's ISR satellite network and data link technology allow the PLA to track U.S. joint forces at long distances, compressing the decision-action cycle. This capability poses a serious challenge to U.S. defenses in the Indo-Pacific region.
Although the United States has advanced data link technologies such as Link-16 and Link-22, China's data links are already leading in terms of bandwidth and intelligence. The U.S. "Joint All-Domain Command and Control" program aims to achieve similar multi-domain integration, but its deployment progress and anti-jamming capabilities have not yet fully caught up with China's pace. Moreover, the number and coverage of U.S. ISR satellites in the Indo-Pacific region are limited by geography and resources, making it difficult to match China's space-based network.
The scale and diversity of China's missile arsenal pose a significant threat to the U.S. defense system in the Indo-Pacific region. The existing U.S. missile defense systems (such as "Patriot" and "THAAD") struggle to counter China's medium-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles. Especially in high-intensity conflict scenarios like the Taiwan Strait, China's "kill web" can weaken the U.S. regional projection capability through rapid targeting and strikes.
The U.S. 2026 defense budget prioritizes defense in the Indo-Pacific region, including nuclear force modernization, intercontinental ballistic missiles, B-21, F-47 next-generation fighters, and space-based technology development. However, these projects face high costs and long development cycles, making it difficult to form effective responses in the short term. Additionally, resource allocation conflicts between the U.S. nuclear triad, space-air operations, and traditional force modernization make it challenging to comprehensively counter China's multi-domain threats.
In summary, China's air combat concept based on data links has completely revolutionized traditional air combat and long-range strike models through multi-domain sensor fusion, decentralized platforms, and enhanced missile capabilities, forming an impregnable "kill web." The practical case of the India-Pakistan conflict demonstrates that this operational style can defeat technologically advanced single platforms with systemic advantages. Although the United States is increasing investments in nuclear forces, next-generation fighters, and space-based technologies, it faces challenges such as technological gaps, missile defense pressure, and budget allocation issues, making it difficult to find effective responses in the short term. In the future, strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region will rely more on system integration and rapid decision-making capabilities, and the continuous evolution of China's "kill web" will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the global military landscape.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7530519498148233747/
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