China’s navy is expected to begin the first sea patrols next year of a new class of strategic missile submarines, highlighting a new and growing missile threat to the U.S. homeland, according to U.S. defense officials.
“We are anticipating that combat patrols of submarines carrying the new JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missile will begin next year,” said one official familiar with recent intelligence assessments of the Chinese strategic submarine force.
China’s strategic missile submarine force currently includes three new Type 094 missile submarines each built with 12 missile launch tubes.
The submarine patrols will include scores of new JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) on the Type 094s. The submarines are also called Jin-class missile boats by the Pentagon.
“We are anticipating that combat patrols of submarines carrying the new JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missile will begin next year,” said one official familiar with recent intelligence assessments of the Chinese strategic submarine force.
China’s strategic missile submarine force currently includes three new Type 094 missile submarines each built with 12 missile launch tubes.
The submarine patrols will include scores of new JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) on the Type 094s. The submarines are also called Jin-class missile boats by the Pentagon.
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| Type 094 Missile Submarine (SSBN) |
The missile submarine patrols, if carried out in 2014, would be the first time China conducts submarine operations involving nuclear-tipped missiles far from Chinese shores despite having a small missile submarine force since the late 1980s.
The Washington Free Beacon first reported in August that China carried out a rare flight test that month of the JL-2, a missile analysts say will likely be equipped with multiple warheads.
That test was carried out in the Bohai Sea near the northeastern coast of China, according to officials familiar with reports of the test.
Defense officials said the JL-2 poses a “potential first strike” nuclear missile threat to the United States and is one of four new types of long-range missiles in China’s growing strategic nuclear arsenal.
The Air Force National Air and Space Intelligence Center earlier this month published a report on missile threats that identified the JL-2 a weapon that “will, for the first time, allow Chinese SSBNs to target portions of the United States from operating areas located near the Chinese coast.” SSBN is a military acronym for nuclear missile submarine.
The Pentagon’s most recent annual report on China’s military stated that Beijing’s Navy has placed a high priority on building up submarine forces.
In addition to the three Type 094s currently deployed, China will add at least two more of the submarines before deploying a new generation missile submarine dubbed the Type 096, the report stated. It was the first time the Pentagon has revealed the existence of the follow-on strategic missile submarine.
“The JIN-class and the JL-2 will give the PLA Navy its first credible sea-based nuclear deterrent,” the Pentagon report said.
The US has 20000 twenty thousand nw. At least 10% ie 2000 are on 15 min alert status to wreak destruction
ReplyDeleteto any country,including China,that dares to go against the US.It was like that in Mao's time until the early 21st
century.Even that it will be a mismatch when you pit the PLA against US forces.
However in spite of the mammoth gap,I believ e the US aint that dumb to launch a nuclear strike on China.The reason being
the PLA can cause significant damage to US assets.This was unlike Mao's time or 1945 when the US could drop an atomic bomb and still
be immune from Jap retaliation or Mao's Red army.
All good things must come to an end. The PLA is building up the force not to be a threat to US security. Rather it's a sort of trip wire so
that Pentagon will know though it can bring China to the stone age or wooden age,the US will have its homeland devastated.
According to some lawmakers and defence analysts,China is chipping away at the technogical lead enjoyed by the US.These iprovements in PLA weaponry will interfere with US power projection,which in their opinion shd be given unfettered access.How niave and arrogant are these guys.
ReplyDeleteChina is building up its military so that the US will know it 's going to tangle with someone who can hit back unlike any wars the US has fought.
The US dropped atomic bombs on Japan without fear of retaliation.The problem is like the old SU,China can respond to any US attack not only on the battlefield but on US homeland.The CONUS is sacrosanct and must be immune if the US were to launch an attack on China.The Pentagon better note the PLA has an armoury of lethal weapons and though not a peer of the USmilitary can cause devastating destruction.
Don't give the bull shit the PLA will shoot first. But you never know.The pentagon may goad the PLA into war.The following scenario will suffice.
During a Taiwan crisis,US carriers in the Taiwan Straits are sunk for launching missiles on Chinese soil.This will be the excuse to go to war.
Some readers have likened the sinking of US carriers to justification for a nuclear strike on China.
Though the US can destroy the PLA ,it will get maimed in the process.As time passes,the PLA will devise more lethal weapons to wreak more incalculable and inescapable destruction.This will unfortunately be the price the US will have to pay for prevailing.Btw,the US may have a magic weapon that can neutralise any PLA nuclear response.
The reason the PLA is going all out to modernise is because the Chinese don't trust the US.Though the two are linked economically
ReplyDeletethe US has superior military power.The PLA iant going all out to reach parity with US forces.The PLA is building up the
capability to respond to any US attack. The US bomber crew dropped the a bomb and could flyaway safe and sound.
Any US attack on China with nw will trigger a response from China.
The US may be able to destroy China with a thousand nw but it would have to reckon with the PLA responding with at least
twenty nw or more which could be enough to deter any sane President.But you never know.In a crisis the Pentagon will manufacture excuses on why the US need to attack .The following scenario will suffice.
US ships in international waters off China are attacked by PLA missiles.Two carriers with ten thousand crew are sunk.Btw these carriers
shd be defending the US in waters nearer home. Why the hell are they in the vicinity off China?What would the US do if PLA ships are loitering off NY or California with intent?
The current crisis in SEA is a golden opportunity for the US to show the flag,The problem is this China 2014 not China of Mao's time or 2011
when the PLA was much weaker.
The days when the US can trample over China and be unscathed is history.
So China with its submarine force with a handful of nw poses a potential first strike. Please don't make me laugh.Its use would be the excuse for the Pentagon to send China to the spoon age. The US has 3 triads of its nw. So can't China do like wise instead of putting all eggs in one basket?We all know the US is all powerful but so far it hasn't tangled with any country which can respond to attacks on US soil.The US is acting like a big bully.A bully can attack its victim who must not be able/allowed to retaliate.This is wishful thinking.
ReplyDeleteAlthough China is not a peer to US power,the destruction it can cause is leading some policy makers aiming to neutralize the PLA.Taiwan is the biggest flashpoint and at some point in time will have to go back to China.It can become independent if the US is willing to pay the price.
The price will be a China that is destroyed and a US homeland like a wasteland .This is the stark reality .
As the PLA embarks on a more ambitious military upgrade,its destructive power will be enhanced.Though the gap is still in favour of the Pentagon,the US won't emerge unscathed unlike all previous wars.
The current problems betwwen China and the Phillpines is a golden opportunity for the US to ram home its advantage by castrating the PLA.Like all good scouts,the PLA is ever ready.