China unveils nuke submarine fleet
| Global Times | 2013-10-29 1:33:01 By Yang Jingjie |
Photo: CCTV, news.cn/mil
The world has been given a rare glimpse into China's nuclear-powered submarine fleet, with State-owned media carrying extensive coverage of the previously mysterious strategic deterrence force.
The unprecedented revealing of the underwater fleet is a demonstration of China's confidence in its sea-based nuclear strike capability and serves as a deterrent to any attempted provocation amid the changing geopolitical situation, said military observers.
Starting on Sunday, China Central Television carried serial coverage two days in a row on the submarine force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's Beihai fleet in its flagship news program Xinwen Lianbo.
The People's Daily, the PLA Daily and the China Youth Daily on Monday all carried front-page stories, features and commentaries on the submarine force, applauding its achievements since the launch of China's first nuclear-powered submarine in December 1970.
According to the reports, the idea of building a nuclear submarine was initiated by Chairman Mao Zedong in the late 1950s to break the global military powers' "nuclear blackmailing and monopoly."
In September 1988, China launched a carrier rocket from a nuclear submarine, becoming the fifth country in the world to have the capability of sea-based nuclear strike.
While striving to improve its strike capability, the submarine force has also maintained a good safety record, with no single nuclear accident reported during the past four decades, said the reports.
The People's Daily on Monday hailed the submarine force as "a shield preserving world peace and stability" and "a cornerstone to safeguard state sovereignty, security and development interests."
Du Wenlong, a military expert, told the Global Times on Monday that the latest publicity shows the maturity in the submarine force's sea-based nuclear strike capability, and implies progress in the development of China's new generation of submarines.
According to military observers, the submarines shown in the CCTV report and newspaper photos are the old models, which were put into service in the 1980s. It is reported that the navy is replacing them with Jin-class submarines, and a newer model, the Tang-class, is reportedly in development.
Du said in comparison to foreign submarines, China occupies a seat within the leading group but lags behind the US and Russia in terms of the submarine's noise output and the number of missiles it can carry.
Li Jie, another military expert, shared similar views, noting Chinese submarines still fall behind US and Russian ones, but have better prospects than French and British ones.
The growing capability of the Chinese submarine force is in line with the global emphasis on sea-based nuclear strike capability.
Sea-based nuclear deterrence is more covert, so it gives the countries the capability to launch a counterstrike after their main nuclear bases are destroyed, Li explained, noting its development requires strong comprehensive scientific and technological capabilities.
In addition to the demonstration of more transparency in the military, Li said the revealing of the force is also a deterrent to foreign provocation.
According to reports, during the submarine force's drills, it has repeatedly been tailed and interrupted by foreign ships and aircraft, including one time in international waters in the West Pacific.
"The changing international situation has caused containment to China's growth. The US-Japan alliance and US pivot to the Asia-Pacific both apparently target China. The publicity of the submarine force is a warning to any country that attempts to provoke China, telling them whoever makes the first strike should think about the consequences," Li said.
CCTV commentary said the submarine force has equipped China with a more covert and reliable nuclear counterstrike capability in addition to its intercontinental ballistic missile and strategic bomber, which would make China's rivals abandon their war attempts for fears of the unbearable price they might have to pay.
26 comments:
fear not fear not......
they will not fight.....
politicians are good actors, plenty of talks but no action....
so, love yourself and be kind to others....,
cheers.....
Hi, Red Bean
The current banner of your website is scary. Is that an omen of things to come?
Ha, not really. Perhaps can be seen as throwing smoke: )
The original is more squarish and the composition is much better. The blackish smoke gives it a powerful statement.
Hiroshima.
Nagasaki.
Tokyo?
Kyoto?
Awesome.
oh, man.
Make Love NOT WAR ! What we need is not Nuclear but NudeClear LOL.... more babies to enrich the lee dynasty.
China military power is world number one. Other countries better stay away from offending her.
Chinese nuclear subs nice !
China might actually fight, taking the example of the brits against the argentine, and in their back of their minds will the the 20 over million people that died during the 2ndww.
The nukes if used will also show Taiwan what they can do, then the dragons can climb up, nuke Tokyo will be enough to end the war before it starts, then after fake ignorance and say sorry, as the buttons has malfuction. Sui sui.
Kaki
aiyah .... when China reveal a weapon system to the intl audience,
they will have something newer and more sophiscated
enuff to bring the japenis back to the dinosaur age
Chairman Mao may be disappointed with these younger leaders if he is still around.
No need to reveal such weapon that can destroy its aggressor within minutes when they can actually simply show some simple ware that can destroy its aggressor within an hour.
No need to use a big knife mean for killing oxen to warn the small ikan bilis.Take a made in PRC hammer and any how hantam oso can flatten it.
But again,ROC is still the best.Small chilli,never reveal their real secret weapon but dun try your luck.
why waste time on this...
they will not fight.....
they knew the answer if both go to war.....
they will just show show talk talk only.....
no war no war....
fear not fear not ....
When Vietnam was trying to be funny with China after defeating the Americans, Deng Xiaoping told them that China only needed to commit two provinces to deal with Vietnam and the whole of China can go on as if nothing happened.
Today China is a complete nation and well organised and fully equipped. Dealing with Japan may need more than two provinces, but not more than 4 provinces. It is of a different scale and dimension.
The Japanese are still thinking that China is a weak, impoverish and divided country that they could walk all over like in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The world has changed.
Aiyoh, don't know if these subs are actually nuclear and if they actually can do serious damage.
China likes to "show" too many things -- I get suspicious. This is a favourite gambit of con-artists -- to show you stuff to gain your trust/ attention. If you really have killer shit, you would tend to keep it a secret :-) I mean, why give your enemy a "free kick"?
In terms of overall superiority China has already won the war without having to fight the Japs. This is Sun Tzu ping fa, winning without having to go to war.
The Japs are still in dreamland.
the rise or rather the resurgence of China has displaced Japan from the number one spot in Asia yet again
due to China 'ren ci' towards its foreign friends it was 'repáid' again and again with war after war from the 1800s to 1900s
the japs have taken for granted that the China would always be down and out given that Japan had received hugh amounts of money from Qing dynasty to pay for their meiji restoration (modernisation) as a result of sino japan war
giving japan a competitive advantage that extended to the development of modern Japan
However feng shui wheels turn round and round!!
Japan will continue to be around to haunt China till time immemorial
China and Japan despite their disparity in population and areas they are ranked number 2 and 3 in the world economies
Japan will find way to market its products in the event Chinese market is shut off to Japanese enterprises
markets like India, Myanmar, Pinoyland etc are on the cards to be alternative maybe the TPP is to counter the China economic power what
Jpaan already building carrier for VTOL jets but called them destroyers, a sign of thing to come ?
Japan is surrounded by arch enemies in Russia, the two Koreas, China and Taiwan. They think they could play the Koreans against each other, or the Taiwanese against China. Wait till the first salvo is fired and who will be on whose side.
The two Koreas are good enough to run the Japs down this time. No joke, the North Koreans will be very generous with their nuclear bombs on their medium range missiles that would land at Tokyo and Kyoto quite comfortably.
The Japs are bracing up for a real disaster should hostility breaks out. The two Koreans have been sharpening their knives for many years and will skin the Japanese alive.
When Japan trampled all over China with the Europeans, China was like a big chunk of rotten meat, smelly and shitty, or more like a dying and helpless elephant.
Today China has recovered and standing up like a dragon with all its shiny claws ready to claw back at who ever dares.
The little Japanese is still the little Japanese, maybe grown a big bigger. China only needs to sit on her and the weight will force all the shit to ooze out from the little Japanese. Just you watch.
@October 30, 2013 12:34 pm
stink?
you refering to india???
or
u had shoved your middle finger up?
knnccb
@October 30, 2013 1:02 pm
great .... you thinking like your papig masters
/// Matilah_Singapura said...
Aiyoh, don't know if these subs are actually nuclear and if they actually can do serious damage.
China likes to "show" too many things -- I get suspicious. This is a favourite gambit of con-artists -- to show you stuff to gain your trust/ attention. If you really have killer shit, you would tend to keep it a secret :-) I mean, why give your enemy a "free kick"? ///
Mati lah - sudah lah.
Learn to read. They are only disclosing those subs built more than 40 years ago. The newer types are still under wrap.
@The:
>> The newer types are still under wrap. <<
Meaning what? That perhaps...they don't exist?
China is very good at a lot of things. However, one rule one should observe: caveat emptor. Evidence required. Postive, verifiable evidence.
@3.43
that is why China must not rest and constantly be alert to the threat coming from its eastern neighbour -
think viceroy LiHongzhang also caution that
Japs keep China on the toe and
hence it must ALWAYS maintain a strong military discipline to counter just about anything that Japs would throw at them
Those that appeared on the video are the old ones which are being decommissioned.
According to the Pentagon's 2013 Report on Chinese Military Power (from pages 6 and 7), China's submarine force consists of the following:
Three Type 094 Jin-class SSBNs currently operational with two more expected
Two Type 093 Shang-class SSN in service with four more improved-Shang variants being built.
19 Type 039 Song-class SSKs
12 Kilo-class SSKs
8 Yuan-class SSKs with AIP (ie. air independent propulsion) and 12 more expected
---------------------------------
Total = 44 modern submarines with 18 more being built
Also, the Pentagon report refers to the new Tang-class Type 096 SSBN (which most analysts expect to become operational in 2015).
In conclusion, China has built the most powerful and modern submarine force in Asia.
@219:
>> China has built the most powerful and modern submarine force in Asia. <
WOW. If that's true, that would keep a few Asian defense ministers awake at night. ;-) Serves them right!
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