bobdina
08-17-2010, 09:52 PM
Pentagon: China can strike greater distances
By John T. Bennett - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Aug 17, 2010 14:35:30 EDT
China’s military build-up is increasingly giving Beijing the ability to strike targets at greater ranges and keep potential foes from entering its sphere of influence, a new Pentagon report says.
“China’s long-term, comprehensive transformation of its military forces is improving its capacity for force projection and anti-access/area-denial,” states the Pentagon’s annual report on Chinese military power. Its ability to sustain such a move, however, remains limited, DoD notes.
“Consistent with a near term focus on preparing for Taiwan Strait contingencies, China continues to deploy many of its most advanced systems to the military regions … opposite Taiwan,” according to the report, released Monday.
Beijing’s relationship with Taiwan is improving — but so is China’s rapid military build-up.
“Cross-strait economic and cultural ties continued to make important progress in 2009. Despite these positive trends, China’s military build-up opposite the island continued unabated,” states the DoD report.
“The PLA is developing the capability to deter Taiwan independence or influence Taiwan to settle the dispute on Beijing’s terms while simultaneously attempting to deter, delay, or deny any possible U.S. support for the island in case of conflict,” according to the report. “The balance of cross-Strait military forces continues to shift in the mainland’s favor.”
As far as Washington and Beijing, the report stresses the importance of military-to-military relations. It also includes a quote from President Obama stating his belief that it is not “predestined” that America and China ever become adversaries.
The People’s Liberation Army possesses the “most active land-based ballistic and cruise missile program in the world,” according to the Pentagon.
The PLA is working on new classes of missiles, setting up new missile units and upgrading existing weapons. That includes highly accurate land- and sea-based cruise missiles. Several of these designs were acquired from Russia, the Defense Department report says.
The Pentagon was several months late releasing the report, which typically hits the streets in early spring. Lawmakers in recent weeks have questioned the delay. DoD released the study in the middle of Congress’ annual August recess; lawmakers will not return to Washington for several more weeks.
Some in Congress, especially defense-minded Republicans, have for years pointed to the Chinese build-up as the main reason to keep defense spending high enough to build the kind of robust force needed for a conflict with the Asian powerhouse.
In a statement released Monday, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., did not go that far. But he did raise concerns about several aspects of the build-up, including the proliferation of Chinese missile systems so close to Taiwan.
“Conflict between our nations remains a possibility, and we must remain prepared for whatever the future holds in the U.S.-China security relationship,” Skelton said. “At the same time, we must each be mindful that our actions can produce unintended consequences, and although cooperation is a difficult path, it is ultimately the path that is in both nations’ best interest.”
Meantime, the Pentagon said China also is working on new ways to counter enemy ballistic missile launches.
The PLA currently has more than 1,100 CCS-6 and CCS-7 short-range ballistic missiles positioned to counter Taiwan, some with “improved ranges, accuracies, and payloads,” according to DoD.
The Pentagon also said China is working on an anti-ship ballistic missile, based on the CSS-5, with a range of more than 1,500 kilometers that is intended to counter enemy ships in the western Pacific Ocean.
Its DF-31 and DF-31A nuclear-armed ICBMs are live, and the latter “can reach most locations within the continental United States.”
Beijing also is continuing its aircraft carrier program.
“China is interested in building multiple operational aircraft carriers with support ships in the next decade,” the report states.
The PLA has “reportedly” launched an aircraft carrier pilot training program. DoD presumes it would begin with land-based instruction and “be followed in about four years by ship-borne training involving the ex-VARYAG — a former Soviet Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier — which was purchased by China from Ukraine in 1998 and is being renovated at a shipyard in Dalian, China.”
China’s naval forces include some 75 principal combatants, more than 60 submarines, 55 medium and large amphibious ships, and roughly 85 missile-equipped patrol craft.
It also is developing systems, like advanced radars, to allow it to detect and track enemy platforms beyond the horizon, according to DoD.
The report says Beijing may eventually put to sea five of its “newest IN-class (Type 094)” nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.
The PLA Navy also has 13 Song-class diesel-powered attack submarines, and may field up to 19 Yuan-class attack submarines, the follow-on to the Songs.
China’s surface combatant fleet, including the systems fitted on its ships, “reflect[s] the leadership’s priority on an advanced anti-air warfare capability for China’s naval forces, which has historically been a weakness of the fleet.”
The PLA’s air fleet is composed of nearly 500 combat aircraft, all of which are positioned to strike Taiwan without refueling, with “airfield capacity to expand that number by hundreds,” states the report.
Beijing also is upgrading its B-6 bomber fleet, eyeing a new model that “will be armed with a new long-range cruise missile,” DoD concludes.
The PLA Air Force also “has continued to expand its inventory of long-range, advanced SAM systems and now possesses one of the largest such forces in the world,” according to DoD.
On the ground, China has nearly 400,000 troops stationed near Taiwan. The PLA is upgrading its land forces, too, adding more advanced tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery systems, DoD concludes.
“Among the new capabilities acquired by, or under development for, PLA ground forces are Type 99 third-generation main battle tanks, a new-generation amphibious assault vehicle (AAV), and 200-mm, 300-mm, and 400-mm multiple rocket launch systems,” the report states.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/08/defense-pentagon-report-china-buildup-081710/
By John T. Bennett - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Aug 17, 2010 14:35:30 EDT
China’s military build-up is increasingly giving Beijing the ability to strike targets at greater ranges and keep potential foes from entering its sphere of influence, a new Pentagon report says.
“China’s long-term, comprehensive transformation of its military forces is improving its capacity for force projection and anti-access/area-denial,” states the Pentagon’s annual report on Chinese military power. Its ability to sustain such a move, however, remains limited, DoD notes.
“Consistent with a near term focus on preparing for Taiwan Strait contingencies, China continues to deploy many of its most advanced systems to the military regions … opposite Taiwan,” according to the report, released Monday.
Beijing’s relationship with Taiwan is improving — but so is China’s rapid military build-up.
“Cross-strait economic and cultural ties continued to make important progress in 2009. Despite these positive trends, China’s military build-up opposite the island continued unabated,” states the DoD report.
“The PLA is developing the capability to deter Taiwan independence or influence Taiwan to settle the dispute on Beijing’s terms while simultaneously attempting to deter, delay, or deny any possible U.S. support for the island in case of conflict,” according to the report. “The balance of cross-Strait military forces continues to shift in the mainland’s favor.”
As far as Washington and Beijing, the report stresses the importance of military-to-military relations. It also includes a quote from President Obama stating his belief that it is not “predestined” that America and China ever become adversaries.
The People’s Liberation Army possesses the “most active land-based ballistic and cruise missile program in the world,” according to the Pentagon.
The PLA is working on new classes of missiles, setting up new missile units and upgrading existing weapons. That includes highly accurate land- and sea-based cruise missiles. Several of these designs were acquired from Russia, the Defense Department report says.
The Pentagon was several months late releasing the report, which typically hits the streets in early spring. Lawmakers in recent weeks have questioned the delay. DoD released the study in the middle of Congress’ annual August recess; lawmakers will not return to Washington for several more weeks.
Some in Congress, especially defense-minded Republicans, have for years pointed to the Chinese build-up as the main reason to keep defense spending high enough to build the kind of robust force needed for a conflict with the Asian powerhouse.
In a statement released Monday, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., did not go that far. But he did raise concerns about several aspects of the build-up, including the proliferation of Chinese missile systems so close to Taiwan.
“Conflict between our nations remains a possibility, and we must remain prepared for whatever the future holds in the U.S.-China security relationship,” Skelton said. “At the same time, we must each be mindful that our actions can produce unintended consequences, and although cooperation is a difficult path, it is ultimately the path that is in both nations’ best interest.”
Meantime, the Pentagon said China also is working on new ways to counter enemy ballistic missile launches.
The PLA currently has more than 1,100 CCS-6 and CCS-7 short-range ballistic missiles positioned to counter Taiwan, some with “improved ranges, accuracies, and payloads,” according to DoD.
The Pentagon also said China is working on an anti-ship ballistic missile, based on the CSS-5, with a range of more than 1,500 kilometers that is intended to counter enemy ships in the western Pacific Ocean.
Its DF-31 and DF-31A nuclear-armed ICBMs are live, and the latter “can reach most locations within the continental United States.”
Beijing also is continuing its aircraft carrier program.
“China is interested in building multiple operational aircraft carriers with support ships in the next decade,” the report states.
The PLA has “reportedly” launched an aircraft carrier pilot training program. DoD presumes it would begin with land-based instruction and “be followed in about four years by ship-borne training involving the ex-VARYAG — a former Soviet Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier — which was purchased by China from Ukraine in 1998 and is being renovated at a shipyard in Dalian, China.”
China’s naval forces include some 75 principal combatants, more than 60 submarines, 55 medium and large amphibious ships, and roughly 85 missile-equipped patrol craft.
It also is developing systems, like advanced radars, to allow it to detect and track enemy platforms beyond the horizon, according to DoD.
The report says Beijing may eventually put to sea five of its “newest IN-class (Type 094)” nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.
The PLA Navy also has 13 Song-class diesel-powered attack submarines, and may field up to 19 Yuan-class attack submarines, the follow-on to the Songs.
China’s surface combatant fleet, including the systems fitted on its ships, “reflect[s] the leadership’s priority on an advanced anti-air warfare capability for China’s naval forces, which has historically been a weakness of the fleet.”
The PLA’s air fleet is composed of nearly 500 combat aircraft, all of which are positioned to strike Taiwan without refueling, with “airfield capacity to expand that number by hundreds,” states the report.
Beijing also is upgrading its B-6 bomber fleet, eyeing a new model that “will be armed with a new long-range cruise missile,” DoD concludes.
The PLA Air Force also “has continued to expand its inventory of long-range, advanced SAM systems and now possesses one of the largest such forces in the world,” according to DoD.
On the ground, China has nearly 400,000 troops stationed near Taiwan. The PLA is upgrading its land forces, too, adding more advanced tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery systems, DoD concludes.
“Among the new capabilities acquired by, or under development for, PLA ground forces are Type 99 third-generation main battle tanks, a new-generation amphibious assault vehicle (AAV), and 200-mm, 300-mm, and 400-mm multiple rocket launch systems,” the report states.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/08/defense-pentagon-report-china-buildup-081710/