Part 4/9:
The capability to launch missiles is paramount in modern naval conflict. The United States can compensate for the numerical superiority of China's smaller vessels with long-range missile strikes. A US think tank estimates that in a conflict over Taiwan, the US could fire thousands of anti-ship missiles in a short time frame, assuming a relatively uncontained escalation of hostilities. These strikes could lead to considerable losses for the Chinese navy, especially when targeting their naval bases.