China's air force is far from ready for a crucial mission it needs to seize Taiwan

• China's military is improving its air-to-ground firepower and tactics.
• But China appears not to have the tight air-ground coordination required for crucial missions.
• Conducting airstrikes when friendly troops may only be a couple of hundred yards away is tricky.

China's air force is improving its ability to deliver close air support to the army, according to some U.S. experts, even as questions persist about whether China is capable yet of delivering the tight air-ground integration that has long been standard in US military operations.