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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| China tests ballistic missile submarine |
| 2004-12-03 |
| Long article, EFL: 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 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. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #4 Let's just say that when the word "Army" appears in your Navy's title, war at sea is not exactly your country's forte. |
| Posted by: Dreadnought 2004-12-03 3:41:01 PM |
| #3 Western alarmists and China-lobbyists won't say so, but the PLA/N's submarine program has been a major disappointment. It has been over 30 years since the first Chinese nuclear sub was launched, and they still don't have a workable design in large-scale service. The situation in conventional submarines is little better. Besides purchases of the Russian Kilo class, China is still building the "Ming" class. The latter, believe it or not, is an updated version of the 1950s Soviet "Romeo" class, of which 84 were built in China. "Romeo", in turn, was an enlarged "Whiskey" class boat, itself based on the German Type XXI U-boat of WW2. A lot depends on the exact nature of the upgrades, but the Ming would clearly be a suicide machine against western nuke boats or modern Japanese diesel-electrics. |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2004-12-03 2:41:55 PM |
| #2 7,500 mi range is nothing. But who needs range when it makes all that racket, keeping sonar operators awake from their beauty sleep. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-12-03 1:38:24 PM |
| #1 let's hope they continue their excellent transient noise production design© on this tube of death |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-12-03 9:33:14 AM |