A number of Korean media sources (in this case, the Kyunghyang Shinmun), quoting Kanwa Defense Review, are reporting that the Chinese navy will begin trials of its new Type 94 SSBN by the end of the year. The boats would be formally commissioned within two years. Not only is the sub supposedly loaded with more goodies (including sonar equipment apparently purchased from Belarus) that a late model Lexus, but it also carries up to 16 GPS-guided JL-2 ballistic missiles. The JL-2, with a range in excess of 8,000 km., allows China to threaten much of the continental United States from waters near China–from Global Security:
Each of the Type 094 SSBNs will mount 16 JL-2 ballistic missiles (DF-31s) with a range of 8000 kms. When deployed, this missile will allow Chinese SSBNs to target portions of the United States for the first time from operating areas located near the Chinese coast. Equipped with the JL-2 missiles, the Type 094 SSBNs would only have to patrol just to the northeast of the Kuril Islands to hold about three-fourths of the United States at risk.
Apparently, the missile was successfully test fired in July from the Yellow Sea to a missile range in Xinjiang Province.
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Russian sub design as was the the Russian designed Shenzhou 5 vehicle which took the Chinese astronaut (’Taikonaut’) into orbit. China’s ‘Peaceful Rise’ proclamations…..uh-huh.
Russian sub design as was the the Russian designed Shenzhou 5 vehicle which took the Chinese astronaut (’Taikonaut’) into orbit. China’s ‘Peaceful Rise’ proclamations…..uh-huh.
Thanks. When the missiles come flying down on us in Hawaii or California, I’ll be sure to turn to my fellow flat mates or relatives and tell them, “You know, it’s not actually Chinese technology that’s about to kill us.”
lol and probably more than a bit of good old Yankee know-how thrown in as well. Ah, ain’t technology transfer great?
Cual es el problema? The U.S. has had much better delivery platforms since I was a little boy dressed up in a cowboy costume. http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/.....bn-726.htm.
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/slbm/d-5.htm
MIRV anybody?
Blah, those Korean newspapers need to get with the times. This is news is old. P.S. Kanwa is lame, and so is mr. Pinkov (Chinese despite the Russian sounding name) who ritually plagiarzes others.
Blah, those Korean newspapers need to get with the times.
Journalism in Korea is fraught with problems.
Among them, as in this case apparently (if Jing is correct), is that there are few people who understand the foreign languages they are tasked with understanding. Not enough to thoroughly understand and analyze the news which they are supposed to be reporting on (usually as a summary of a truncated translation).
This leads to many, many, many problems. Even in English, many people in Yonhap, the major papers, and other news outlets simply do NOT understand what is in English-language dailies.
I have run into this on my own in many occasions. Newsmax.com was being cited as a major news outlet, the left-column “analysis” stories in major newspapers were being misinterpreted as news stories (which this case might be), and there were simple misinterpretations of key words, especially when they were slangy or idiomatic.
This all in turn leads to occasional outrage and an overall misinformed public because the press corps itself is largely uninformed.
Article: The JL-2, with a range in excess of 8,000 km., allows China to threaten much of the continental United States from waters near China
This isn’t much of a trick. The US has subs in the South China Sea that can irradiate hundreds of Chinese cities well within an hour. Note also that Uncle Sam has Aegis ships in the South China Sea that are there ostensibly to intercept North Korean missile launches, in case their trajectories are determined to be headed for Japan or the US. They can just as easily intercept Chinese missiles. Another important point is that the US has hunter killer subs in the area whose express purpose during the Cold War was to hunt down relatively quiet Russian missile subs. The Chinese make lousy subs and aren’t getting Russian missile subs, since the Russkies don’t need another way for the Chinese missile force to threaten Moscow.
“Note also that Uncle Sam has Aegis ships in the South China Sea that are there ostensibly to intercept North Korean missile launches, in case their trajectories are determined to be headed for Japan or the US. They can just as easily intercept Chinese missiles.”
Zhang Fei needs to stop drinking the Pentagon Kool-Aid before he makes himself look even dumber. The South China sea? Have you looked at a map anytime recently? North Korea launches to either the United States or Japan don’t go anywhere near it. Chinese missiles? Unless they are heading for Australia they won’t go anywhere near the South China sea either, in fact they are heading in nearly the opposite direction. As for possible intercepts, the Aegis system on the Arleigh Burke and Ticonderogas primarily use SM-2’s as an air defence SAM to protect fleet assets, they don’t have the range to intercept ICBM’s. The under-developement SM-3 meant to replace them are touted as having theatre ballistic missile defence capability against short and intermediate range missiles, but have to be mated to an off ship sensor system. Frankly I’m skeptical about the feasibility of Missile Defence platforms in general.
Furthermore ballistic missile forces don’t appear to be a priority with the PLA. There are observable trends in arms procurement and modernization (military five year plans if you will) where emphasis is placed on a particular branch. However the PLA missile forces have been receiving scant attention and developement of newer ICBM’s has been going at a snail’s pace. The DF-31 has been under developement since the 1980’s and it still isn’t (likely) deployed yet. The JL-2 is not likely to see active deployment for more years to come.
Jing: The South China sea? Have you looked at a map anytime recently?
My mistake, attributable mainly to muscular reflex. Whenever I think of the region, the South China Sea always comes to mind, primarily because China seems to think of it as an inland lake that ought to be considered, naturally, Chinese territory. That ought to read “the Sea of Japan”.
Jing’s skepticism about American missile defense is a Chinese cultural phenonmenon. In the Chinese mind, America is on the decline, unlike China, so it can’t possibly field an effective defense to China’s trump card - its ICBM’s. The same mentality holds that China has now sent a Soyuz clone into space, which means China will overtake American space technology in a matter of decades. In the alternate reality of the Chinese mind, low-tech Chinese kludges will always trump multi-billion dollar American weapons programs. My response is this - tell it to the 1 million dead Chinese troops on Korean soil.
Or you know, skepticism can be based on the fact that National Missile Defense isn’t practically viable.