Dude, South Korea wasn’t even really a democracy in the 80s. Forget WWII and the Korean War. When it happened, it just... happened, basically. It was brought about by economic growth and incremental change.

Could be. I think it depends what you define as “warning shots”. If the Chinese intercept, and escort, a US plane, that’s... well, not really illegal. If they respond by threatening to down the US plane unless they change course, you ignore them, because they have no standing, and are just being assholes. But I’m not…

Cancelled? You mean the X-47? It wasn’t cancelled.

How do you board and steer an autonomous boat?

Okay, that’s probably fair.

I don’t see a rudder, do you? Might be for the helm.

Hat, skeleton parrot, spyglass, etc.

Heck, if the Air Force has incentive flights... maybe “antisubmarine technician 1st class of the year” gets to ride along

I legit LOL’d

You KNOW Ray Mabus is sitting there, scrolling through pictures of ships, “liking” them all.

To a certain degree, good PR pays for itself. That’s also why the role of the Blue Angels/Thunderbirds is so vital.

And he somehow loses all his supernatural powers simply from being in the presence of frozen krypton gas? WTF!?

There’s a temporary bridge for sea trials. Same with the life preserver(s).

Does indeed look fairly fast, but I’m kinda surprised it’s not a jet boat.

It wasn’t democracy in the first place, either, but this idea that “brown people can only have stable dictators” is literally what you’re pushing, only not in so many words. And it’s complete bullshit.

Yeah, the Chinese aerospace industry talks a big game, but they still have the weakness of having stolen everything they “know”. Makes it a little harder to apply.

Still kinda cool looking, though. Kinda.

That’s kinda what I’m wondering, what happens when a typhoon decides to walk by?

South Korea doesn’t have any interest in the SCS

Yeah, they could shoot down US planes with J-11s almost as easily as with HQ-9s. Just keep flying aircraft over to show you’re not intimidated.