The Chinese cannot match us yet but have instead put emphasis on how to effectively prevent intervention by superior US forces. One such means of prevention is the sinking of our aircraft carriers.
If the United States and Taiwan were not cognizant of the fact that China can sink American aircraft carriers at will the United States would not been mulling over reopening a production line to build subs for Taiwan. #msg-3434791 #msg-3471674
-Am
Wuhan is a deep water port about two hundred kilometers upriver from the mouth of the Yangze River. Wuhan Shipyard was started there seventy five years ago. But under Communist control, it has become the primary builder of China’s non-nuclear submarines. In May, on the occasion of its anniversary, it displayed a new variant of the Song class guided missile submarine, longer than the parent, which, it was said, has an Air Independent auxiliary propulsion unit. Also in May two photographs were taken of a different, rather larger submarine, also at Wuhan shipyard. It appears the new submarine is as large or slightly larger than the 244 foot long (2350 ton displacement) Kilo Project 636. The DOD disclosed that this new class of conventional submarine has the code name “Yaun.”
It had been reported in the Chinese press that China had built its own version of the Russian “Kilo” class. It was stated that the submarine had been modified, and that the Chinese variant was “better” than its Russian counterpart. Analysts discounted this report as mere propaganda. Even the publication of a model of the submarine by an aviation magazine caused no change in this view: building a model is a lot easier than building a full sized submarine. But the photographs of the submarine, launched and undergoing the usual floating fitting out process at Wuhan, has caused a reinterpretation of this report. It is clear that this submarine is nearly ready for sea and that she is, indeed, a variant of the Russian Kilo class. However, it is not an exact copy. The diving planes are on the sail, and there are other detail changes. Given the Chinese have already fitted AIP in both Ming and Song type hulls, the possibility this is an AIP variant of the Kilo should not be discounted. It also may be able to launch cruise missiles from torpedo tubes, as the Song class do. Evaluation of the model indicates it is large enough. If so, it might indeed be said to be a “better” version of the Kilo than the Russian version.
There is another implication of this development. China has barely completed taking delivery of half a dozen of the third group of Ming class, It is now building the third variant of the Song class. There are two sub groups of Kilo with eight more building for delivery in 2006 and 2007. The first 093 class SSN is expected to commission in a few weeks. The first 094 SSBN is well under construction. Now we have another sub type of Kilo nearing completion. Clearly China has decided to acquire many types of submarines, more types than any other nation. The Chinese perception that its submarines are its first line warships is reinforced by the appointment of a submarine officer as the new commander of the navy (PLAN, or People's Liberation Army Navy). And it appears that the size of the Chinese submarine force is not declining, as was widely reported. Instead it appears that in excess of eighty submarines will be available (in one state or another) for the medium term. It also appears that this force is modernizing fast, and that in waters of interest to China, it probably has a significant, and growing, operational capability.
There's been some claim that the new Chinese sub is a radical "surprise" for the U.S. Navy. Despite the charges that the Navy "didn't know" they were building it, in fact the Navy did. The "surprise" was that the boat was ready sooner than expected, but it's really hard to tell when a boat will be finished, given that they're always built under a shed. As for its capabilities, well, a lot is being said, but while the new boat seems to be different from the previous class, it's not clear that she's a major leap forward.-- Sid Trevethan
US Pacific Command chief in China for defence talks
Because China fears a Russian attack from behind through Mongolia the Chinese have been aggressively wooing Mongolia. #msg-3565469
Russia has both ambitions and worries, thinking that once China grows strong, it may demand the return of the land included in those treaties. Furthermore, a few million Chinese people have already moved into these sparsely populated areas, and could in the future demand self determination. Maybe this is how the Washington Times, in a recent report, came to the conclusion that Russia and the US are cooperating to build the submarines to be sold to Taiwan. Some observers also think that Russia may use a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan as an opportunity to attack China from behind.
The old slogan of the Chinese Communist Party that "the Russian revisionists are still trying to destroy us" anticipated the fact that the Soviet Union's tanks could roll directly into the Chinese capital through Mongolia. This was also the reason that Mao Zedong changed his policy of "overthrowing US imperialism" into a policy of friendship with the US. #msg-3565438
Perhaps one of the reasons Admiral Thomas Fargo, commander of the US Pacific Command, who is in Beijing for talks with senior defense officials on a visit coinciding with Chinese war games in the Taiwan Straits will also be stopping in Mongolia.
-Am
US Pacific Command chief in China for defence talks
Time is GMT + 8 hours Posted: 22 July 2004 1318 hrs
BEIJING: Admiral Thomas Fargo, commander of the US Pacific Command, is in Beijing for talks with senior defence officials on a visit coinciding with Chinese war games in the Taiwan Straits.
"This trip is an opportunity for Admiral Fargo to personally meet with defense leaders of the People's Republic of China," the US Pacific Command said in a statement, which described the visit as "routine".
"These trips allow Admiral Fargo to meet with senior defense officials in the region and to discuss security issues of mutual interest," it said.
His visit coincides with China's largest war games of the year, which pro-Beijing newspapers in Hong Kong say are underway in the Taiwan Straits.
Nuclear-powered submarines, warships, the latest model missile destroyers and a guided missile brigade are reportedly involved, along with Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets purchased from Russia.
Focusing on air superiority, the drills are designed to send a message to Taiwan independence forces, state-run media has said.
Meanwhile, Taiwanese air force jets this week staged rare landings on closed off freeways as part of a major exercise to demonstrate the island's readiness in the event of an attack by China.
The US navy is also planning its own exercises, announcing in June that three aircraft carrier battle groups were already in the Pacific and four others were being deployed for war games called "Summer Pulse 2004."
According to US naval websites, the deployment is a part of the Fleet Response Plan, which is aimed at increasing force preparedness and establishing the ability to immediately provide significant combat power in a crisis anywhere in the world.
China is getting increasingly edgy over the US military strategy, which prompted a visit this month by National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice in an attempt to calm Beijing down, analysts say.
Fargo, who is in charge of all US military air, ground and naval forces in the Pacific and Indian ocean areas, is in China until Sunday.
His swing through the region also includes stops in Mongolia, Guam and Japan.
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