By Last week I posted about how the Chinese are claiming sovereignty over the South China Sea and here is how I guess they plan to exert control over the sea:
U.S. naval planners are scrambling to deal with what analysts say is a game-changing weapon being developed by China — an unprecedented carrier-killing missile called the Dong Feng 21D that could be launched from land with enough accuracy to penetrate the defenses of even the most advanced moving aircraft carrier at a distance of more than 1,500 kilometers (900 miles).
Analysts say final testing of the missile could come as soon as the end of this year, though questions remain about how fast China will be able to perfect its accuracy to the level needed to threaten a moving carrier at sea.
The weapon, a version of which was displayed last year in a Chinese military parade, could revolutionize China’s role in the Pacific balance of power, seriously weakening Washington’s ability to intervene in any potential conflict over Taiwan or North Korea. It could also deny U.S. ships safe access to international waters near China’s 11,200-mile (18,000-kilometer) -long coastline.
While a nuclear bomb could theoretically sink a carrier, assuming its user was willing to raise the stakes to atomic levels, the conventionally-armed Dong Feng 21D’s uniqueness is in its ability to hit a powerfully defended moving target with pin-point precision. [Associated Press via The Marmot's Hole]
I have to wonder how well these missiles work, but if they are operationally effective this does cause some serious issues for military planners in regards to the defense of Taiwan and even Korea scenarios. This also re-emphasizes the importance of the US airbases in South Korea. From Osan or Kunsan the US Air Force could hit these missile sites to allow our US Navy carriers to move in closer to the Chinese main land.
9:59 am on August 6th, 2010 1
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/moscow-paraded-…
11:03 am on August 6th, 2010 2
Or you wipe them out with a massive TLAM-C strike from an Ohio-class SSGN or two.
11:28 am on August 6th, 2010 3
Considering the SM2 and SM3 missles along with RAM systems used for defense of the fleet, I have to wonder about who wrote the article and how much military savy do they have.
12:09 pm on August 6th, 2010 4
I thought you guys are leaving South Korea?
What's taking so long?
1:36 pm on August 6th, 2010 5
America shouldn't leave Republic of Korea. Only untrue Koreans who care jackshit about the country's military security think otherwise.
4:58 pm on August 6th, 2010 6
GI, great point about US bases in Korea used to knock out the missile sites. I hadn't thought of that angle.
6:55 pm on August 6th, 2010 7
Tom is really KJI…or looks like him cuz he can't get any since he has time to make all kinds of noise in between his Internet porn fixes.
9:29 am on August 7th, 2010 8
In the 1940s aircraft carriers made battleships vulnerable. Now land-based missiles make aircraft carriers vulnerable. This is not a surprise.
According to Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_R._Ford_class…
we're planning a whole new class of carrier, the Ford, to replace the Nimitz class. We should cancel it. Needless to say, we should have our own US-based missiles capable of destroying enemy carriers anywhere in the world.
10:31 am on August 7th, 2010 9
What we net is a ship based anti-land based anti-missile missile.
10:33 am on August 7th, 2010 10
@3 That is why I made the caveat of how effective these Chinese missiles are to be able to penetrate the defenses the Navy currently employs. If they can penetrate our established defenses I think that makes the Korean peninsula of even greater strategic significance to the US.
12:03 pm on August 7th, 2010 11
By any chance, does the US plan on relinquishing its restriction on South Korean SSM research? I have got no information on hand. Afaik Korea with its own hundreds of medium-range ballistic missiles will be very helpful to Korea gathering up its own defense against an emerging superpower enemy, preparing to fight through asymmetric means. As of now Korea has little affordable means of striking the Chinese mainland without risking the obliteration of its entire air force. There's the newly developed Hyunmoo-III cruise missiles, but layers upon layers of S-300/HQ-9 provide a fearsome challenge for them to penetrate Chinese airspace. Ballistic missiles that could be delivered through space and break through any building on surface are the best weapons for making sure China is not ignorant of what kind of crap it would be getting into if it provoked region-wide belligerence that might discomfort one its closest neighbors.
2:05 pm on August 7th, 2010 12
Leon,
As the Chinese have developed a land-based, anti-ship missile…
…and we have a ship-based, anti-land-based anti-ship missile, missile…
…the Chinese will quickly develop a land-based, anti-ship-based anti-land-based anti-ship missile, missile, missile.
So… we had better get to work on the next generation of ship-based, anti-land-based anti-ship-based anti-land-based anti-ship missile, missile, missile, missiles.
When is the next congressional budget hearing?
Is there a provision for nested or recursive budget calculations?
2:07 pm on August 7th, 2010 13
There will be increasing, bi-partisan calls to reduce our defense budget. As that happens, we will get more and more warnings about "imminent" threats like this.
In 2009, we spent $712 billion. The Chinese spent $100 billion. http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-mili…
Guess who we are borrowing from to pay for most of it?
2:09 pm on August 7th, 2010 14
The big problem with Chinese missles is that after an hour, you want to launch another one.
2:14 pm on August 7th, 2010 15
Q: Why did the Chinese missile have a shorter range than the American one the design was stolen from?
A: It was contaminated with lead.
2:49 pm on August 7th, 2010 16
Maybe we can sell them our carriers and kill two birds with one stone. Eliminate the threat of their missles and paying some debt interest. Then we can build bigger carriers!
6:24 pm on August 7th, 2010 17
Q: How do the Chinese name their missiles?
A: The same way they name their children… throw pots and pans down the stairs.
"ching clang pong ding dong feng"
"Ahhh… Dong Feng… sound so goooood. Beware, round eye devil. Dong Feng is coming for you with head of dragon and power of thousand deaths. Next time, Clang Pong, Pong Ding, and Ding Dong will cast you into Hell of Ten Thousand Fires where skin will be peeled by seven head Monkey King."
2:33 am on August 8th, 2010 18
Dear China, here's something you likely don't want to others to know about.
http://subicbaynews.blogspot.com/2010/07/nuclear-…
Maybe you should concentrate on your factory job making our stuff instead on trying to spread false stories that you can defend yourself.
6:20 pm on June 3rd, 2011 19
Is the Chinese aircraft carrier a Potemkin village or a piece of junk? Today, Kevin Drum sends us to James Fallows and David Axe, who say that we should watch China, but that the Shi Lang is nothing to worry about.
Click here.
9:20 pm on June 3rd, 2011 20
Glans,
I’m inclined to agree…
…but in 20 years, Hyundai went from making ridiculed junk to making quality products. Japan made Japcrap in the 60s but made products in high demand by the 80s. China is desperately trying to follow this model.
The Chinese built a cheap test platform and, five years from now, will build a MUCH better second version… with a very refined product being produced in 20 years if the world continues on its present course.
2:33 am on June 4th, 2011 21
‘U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Saturday warned that clashes could occur in the South China Sea if nations in the area do not agree on ways to deal with disputes.’
But don’t worry:
‘Gates – who met with China’s Defense Minister Gen. Lian Guanglie on Friday — said the U.S was working with China “to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship.” ‘
And besides:
‘ “One of the most striking — and surprising — changes I’ve observed during my travels to Asia is the widespread desire across the region for stronger military-to-military relationships with the United States — much more so than during my last time in government 20 years ago,” Gates said.’
Liz Neisloss reports from Singapore for CNN.