China tests new ballistic missile submarine

[Kapitan]

China tests new ballistic missile submarine


By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES


China's military has launched the first of a new class of ballistic missile submarines in what defense officials view as a major step forward in Beijing's strategic weapons program.
The new 094-class submarine was launched in late July and when fully operational in the next year or two will be the first submarine to carry the underwater-launched version of China's new DF-31 missile, according to defense officials.
"When fully operational, it will represent a more modern, more capable missile platform," said one official familiar with reports of the new submarine.







A second intelligence official said building submarines is a top priority of the Chinese, and the Type 094 will be "China's first truly intercontinental strategic nuclear delivery system."
The new Type 094 was spotted by U.S. intelligence agencies at the Huludao shipyard, located on the coast of Bohai Bay, some 250 miles northwest of Beijing.
The submarine is in the early stages of being outfitted and is not yet equipped with new JL-2 submarine-launched nuclear missiles.
The submarine is believed to be based largely on Russian nuclear submarine technology, the officials said.
A CIA report made public last week stated that Russia was a major supplier of technology to China's naval nuclear propulsion programs.
The launching of the new missile submarine appears ahead of schedule. A Pentagon report on Chinese military power made public in May stated that the new Chinese missile submarine would not be deployed until around 2010.
A Defense Intelligence Agency report produced in 1999 and labeled "secret" stated that the new submarine is part of a program by China of "modernizing and expanding its missile force."
"Mobile, solid-fuel missiles and a new ballistic missile submarine will improve the force's ability to survive a first strike," the report said, "while more launchers, on-board penetration aids, and possibly multiple warheads will improve its ability to penetrate missile defenses."
The DIA report stated that China is expected to field one new ballistic missile submarine by 2020.
A Chinese Embassy spokesman had no immediate comment.
In a related development, U.S. intelligence officials said the Chinese suffered a setback in their JL-2 missile program when a test flight of the JL-2 missile failed over the summer.
The JL-2 missile program was delayed by the test failure but is continuing to be developed, the officials said. China conducted tests of the JL-2 in 2002 and last year.
Richard Fisher, vice president of the Washington-based International Assessment and Strategy Center, said the launch of the new missile submarine is "an astounding development."
"The 094 has followed 093 development far more rapidly than the assessments in the annual Pentagon reports on the PLA," Mr. Fisher said, referring to the China's People's Liberation Army.
China also recently launched a new attack submarine known as the Type 093. Additionally, U.S. intelligence agencies were surprised by China's disclosure in July of a third new type of submarine known as the Yuan-class, a diesel-electric attack submarine.
"In the very near future, China will have a secure, second-strike nuclear attack capability that it will use to bolster its nuclear strategy of seeking to deter the United States from aiding Taiwan after a PLA attack," Mr. Fisher said.
Mr. Fisher said the JL-2 likely will have multiple warheads.
The new submarine will make it more difficult for the U.S. military to take part in a defense of Taiwan because of the threat of nuclear retaliation, he said.
The Pentagon has deployed a new missile defense system, but a spokesman for the Missile Defense Agency has said the current interceptor system is designed to stop a long-range North Korean missile, but not an attack from Chinese or Russian missiles.
A 1999 report by the House Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China stated that the new missile submarine will likely benefit from stolen U.S. nuclear warhead designs.
The report stated that the JL-2 is expected to have a longer range than the DF-31 and that 16 JL-2s will be deployed on the new submarine.
The range of the JL-2 is estimated to be about 7,500 miles, enough "to strike targets throughout the United States," the report said.
"Instead of venturing into the open ocean to attack the United States, the Type 094-class submarines could remain near [Chinese] waters, protected by the [People's Liberation Army,] Navy and Air Force," the report said.
The new submarine will be a major improvement over China's current ballistic missile submarine known as the Xia, which is equipped with medium-range missiles.
The current Xia submarine is considered so noisy to underwater detection gear that its chances of surviving attack submarine strikes in ocean waters are limited.

oot oh looks like the USN is in for a shock again

[Type941]

What the heck are the Russians thinking, keep arming the Chinese so much, year after year...

[Kapitan]

it increases thier income and plus in about 10 years when china is a 100% threat to america the kilos will be obsolete infact there getting that way very quickly now and they dont realy pose that much of a threat to any ship any more

[Type941]

China is a threat to RUSSIA! That's what I'm saying. This government seems to have gone into romance with them because the US is critizing Russia for everything. Indeed with China Russia can have more fun in foreing diplomacy, but in future? Where do you think 1+ billion chenese will demand to live? .... Right across the border. :hmm:

[Kapitan]

china doesnt stand a chance against russia right now if you notice the weapons and ships they sold the chinease can easily be destroyed shot down or wiped out they are coming up to being obsolete plus it will give russia the better hand because they know what the enamy has got and how to counter it.

they helped build the new SSBN the russians know everything about that SSBN it capibilitys ect so work it out they aint that stupid after all

[PeriscopeDepth]

Originally Posted by Kapitain

china doesnt stand a chance against russia right now if you notice the weapons and ships they sold the chinease can easily be destroyed shot down or wiped out they are coming up to being obsolete plus it will give russia the better hand because they know what the enamy has got and how to counter it.

they helped build the new SSBN the russians know everything about that SSBN it capibilitys ect so work it out they aint that stupid after all

Eh? The Russians use the same stuff. And in the case of the Su-30MKKs less advanced stuff. And I'd bet the PLAAF has far higher FMC rates and gets more flight time than the RuAF.

[Type941]

I guess he implied that they only get 'customer' weapon technology, while Russia keeps the more advanced things to themselves. Which makes sense of course... I don't really want to find out though.

[Kapitan]

the thing is russia mainly supplys the bodys and china fills them same sub on the outside but toaly diffrent on the inside

dou you realy think russia will hand over front line technology to the chinease er no in any case the kilos russia has are more advanced than the ones china has take a look at the stern of a russian kilo and you will find a shrouded water jet yet on the chinease ones just a simple propellor.

russias aircraft have been updated they use MIG31 and 29 also SU42 now (not up on airforce so dont quote)

the kilos russia has supplied to china are about 5 maybe more years behind russia in terms of tech and yes there is a big diffrence between them just on the outside there isnt

[Kapitan]

thanks type941 thats exactly what i was trying to say cheers

[PeriscopeDepth]

I don't doubt there is a big difference in the export Kilos. But that doesn't really concern me as if China and Russia did have a war, any naval combat that occured would be a sideshow at best. Securing the sea lanes isn't really neccessary for China to invade Russia.


But the export stuff the PLAAF gets is a different story I believe. Everything post J-11 is simply of higher quality than anything the RuAF is likely to offer up in resistance. As silly as us selling Block 60s to the UAE.

Originally Posted by Kapitain

russias aircraft have been updated they use MIG31 and 29 also SU42 now (not up on airforce so dont quote)

Can you find me a source for the Su-42 being in OPERATIONAL service? I don't believe it is, and probably won't be for a while to come.

And those MiG-29s are simply not up to the task of dealing with the newer Flankers. They may or may not be wired to carry the AA-12 depending on the status of upgrades. And while the MiG-31 is a fine interceptor I don't believe they are available in sufficient numbers to matter. And that's assuming all these aircraft are operational...

[Kapitan]

the mig 31's i know are oparational most mig 29's have been upgraded and there is a huge diffrnce between a russian and chinease kilo.

china is said to be about 15 years behind russia and russia 5 years behind america china uses its own tech to equip its submarines and ships rather than rely on complicated and difficault to use and maintain forign equipment (something india has stressed in its kilo's batterys)

china has few kilos compaired to india and russia in fact china has only 8 at the moment while russia can still call up at least 15 (most in reserve) india has about 12 so i think not sure.

india also hs changed the interior of thier kilos and so has iran no one in there right mind would ever sell front like tech to a potential future enamy or even sell front line tech to any country friendly or not

the F35 JSF programme do you realy think britian is going to get the exact copy as the USAF is i dont think so

[Type941]

I believe that Russia intruduces the most advanced weapons to cerain key points in it's defence locations. Like the Pskov division is probably very well equipped as it's right on the border with EU. I reckon the same with Su42s and other things - they only deploy them in key places, and not all over. All meanwhile they keep using up the old equipment in occasional mountain area bombings on Georgia border with Chechnya - I heard it's much cheaper to use it up than to actually dismatle it in controlled environment.

Either way, after the 90s, Russia started a whole set of slow reforms and doctrine change in the military, and wants a professional army in 10 years. I suppose the navy is not the priority in this. They seem to be more concerned with mobile land units, and I feel that they neglect aviation just as well.

[Kapitan]

navy is down sizing as of 2015 it should look some thing like this:

SSBN: 12 borey class
SSGN: 8 oscar II class
SSN: 25 sevdvinsk class(also double as SSGN) + 5 akula class (last few boats)
SSK: 10 lada amur class
SSG: 12 lada amur conversions

today its like this:

SSBN: 3 typhoons, 6 Delta IV, 7 DeltaIII, 1 borey (delta III to pay off each year)
SSGN: 13 oscar, 4 Charlie (charlies to pay off end of 2005 begingin 2006
SSN: 17 Akula , 18 victor III , 4 sierra
SSK: 12 kilo , 1 lada amur (there are 12 kilos in reserve also)

fleet totals in 2005- 86 submarine
fleet totals in 2015- 72 (also note the older akula and oscars will pay off year by year down sizing more till it hits 59 boats

thats the projected consider in 1991 there was:

SSBN: 91 in total
SSGN: some 85 predicted (have to re calculate later)
SSN: 140 predicted (again re calculate later) also includes conversions
SSK 97 (recalculate later)

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Kapitain

the F35 JSF programme do you realy think britian is going to get the exact copy as the USAF is i dont think so

Well umm the Brits don't want a copy of the USAF's FA-35s, they have their own needs which are different that the USAF’s and their own electronics to interface with.

[Kapitan]

exactly china has diffrent needs to russia