China develops a "family" of amphibious armored vehicles via China Defense Blog

All pics via China Defense Blog (more here).

Tracked Amphibious Breaching Vehicle with Chinese version of MCLIC

Tracked Amphibious Vehicle with 122mm Howitzer.

Tracked Amphibious Logistics Vehicle.

The nightmare scenario is being realized.  The Chinese Marine Corps is by my estimation more heavily armored than its US counterpart.  US Marines might arrive by the speed of MV-22 but the instance they touch down they will immediately be at a severe disadvantage when it comes to maneuver, armored protection and firepower.

In a future conflict the Chinese don't need to win air superiority...they only need to deny us of it and based on the power of their ground forces they will win.  Too many eggs in the air power basket and too much HOPE in leap ahead technologies.

Everyone and their mother has e-mailed me likes to Author C. Clarke's "Superiority" Short Story.  This portion is extremely relevant...

The ultimate cause of our failure was a simple one: despite all statements to the contrary, it was not due to lack of bravery on the part of our men, or to any fault of the Fleet's. We were defeated by one thing only - by the inferior science of our enemies. I repeat - by the inferior science of our enemies.
When the war opened we had no doubt of our ultimate victory. The combined fleets of our allies greatly exceeded in number and armament those which the enemy could muster against us, and in almost all branches of military science we were their superiors. We were sure that we could maintain this superiority. Our belief proved, alas, to be only too well founded.

We've been seeking leap ahead tech in the form of the F-35, MV-22, the EFV, LCS, GCV and other systems.  Meanwhile the possible threat nations have been making incremental improvements in their basic kit.

The Third Offset Strategy has failed before it even began.  We're in an arms race and we're losing.