When US sells the Apache to Taiwan, will this pose a serious threat to China?

Using Apache to attack armoured regiments of China would be complete sucide. Chinese fighters would shoot you down before you even reach China's coastline, and if you were somehow get to the coastline and attack their armoured regiments how many armoured vehicles could you possibly take out with that little of attack heli force.

Wouldnt make much a difference loosing a few MBT and APC, but you wouldnt be able to fire your ATGM before their ground defence takes your Apache out with SAMS, point air defence, etc... escorting them

Um, i wouldn't say that the Chinese fighters would shoot you down. Remember there are islands called Kinmen and Matsu. They are right next to china, if you launch a covert attack from there = China can say goodbye to most of their armoured regiments. But then its a waste to use Apaches on those islands, its more strategically viable to use them on Taiwan mainland. As they are more protected under urban landscape and the mountain landscape. Also Taiwan is second priority, as Kinmen and Matsu are the gateway to Taiwan.

"say goodbye to most of their armoured regiments"? I find this assessment highly optimistic.

If its well coordinated, the attack should go well. In that sort of attack, Apaches would just use Hellfire missiles and leave. Artillery from Kinmen and Matsu would cover the retreat. Of course you have a point that my plan is highly optimistic. But then again, there are many factors.

kliu0 said:

If its well coordinated, the attack should go well. In that sort of attack, Apaches would just use Hellfire missiles and leave. Artillery from Kinmen and Matsu would cover the retreat. Of course you have a point that my plan is highly optimistic. But then again, there are many factors.

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No doubt artillery from kinmen and Matsu would be good assets to cover for the retreat of the Apaches when they do wanted to attack china from there. However we must not forget that China had also amassed quite a bit of artillery in coastal areas near Matsu and kinmen. Also there are a large number of manpads in the ranks of the Chinese.

China do not need highly sophisticated SAM to knock down Apache, they only need manpads. Many of their tanks and armoured regiments also have anti-air capability to provide certain level of protection against the apache attacks. And like what I have mentioned before, if the Apache cannot be sufficiently supplied (fuel and ammunition) they are dead meat in China mainland.

Doing raids on the coastal lines could do very little damage to China mainland thus Apache in Taiwanese scenarios are better suited to deter a attack from China, rather than launching attacks against China mainland.

kliu0 said:

If its well coordinated, the attack should go well. In that sort of attack, Apaches would just use Hellfire missiles and leave. Artillery from Kinmen and Matsu would cover the retreat. Of course you have a point that my plan is highly optimistic. But then again, there are many factors.

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Yeah I don't think that is a realistic plan. Any aircraft of any sort based on Kinmen or Matsu will be destroyed literally within seconds in the event of a war. When I say seconds I mean the amount of time it takes for dozens of artillery shells fired from the mainland to reach their targets. The only things on those islands that will survive the barrage will be things that are hardened and buried.

However Apaches would be highly, highly useful as part of a counterattack against a Chinese beachead. The Taiwanese could use them in conjunction with tanks and infantry in a big combined arms assault against the landed Chinese troops. The Hellfires would target landed AFVs and possibly ships as well.

But I'd say most of the things on the island are hardened and buried. Most of the military there are underground. You do have a point, anyway I guess it is better to place Apaches on Taiwan instead of Kinmen and Matsu as they will most likely be attacked with full force.

Hardened may not be enough, since you do have to take out the helicopters and put them in the field. Not to mention the islands will be the first thing to be attacked by special forces.

If the helos are caught out in the open sea by an AD vessel (for example, one of the 054As) they will be annihilated.

Their purpose is totally defensive and only within the island's terrain can they maintain a measure of survivability.

Apaches can probably get to the beach quicker than armored columns can, so they can wreck some serious havoc on the first wave. It's too dangerous to put a warship like a 054A by the beach, so the first wave must have a few air defense vehicles like Tor.

Yea yea.....all i know is that it will pose a threat to Chinese troops. Thats wats making me happy XD