Posted on 02/18/2016 6:38:16 AM PST by C19fan
China has deployed the powerful HQ-9 air and missile defense system to Woody Island — also known as Yongxing — in the Parcel archipelago, marking a new level of escalation in Beijing’s quest to control the South China Sea. The disputed island — which has been inhabited by about 1,000 Chinese citizens since 1956 — is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.
The addition of the HQ-9 — which was first reported by Fox News on Feb. 17 — would greatly increase the People’s Liberation Army’s air defense capabilities in the region. Like the Russian-made Almaz Antey S-300 air defense system, the HQ-9 has the ability to render vast swaths of territory into virtual no-fly zones. Only the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber can safely operate in the vicinity of an HQ-9 for any length of time.
(Excerpt) Read more at warisboring.com ...
Nothing will be done this year. After that they had best rethink the paradigm
Doubt the F-35 could get close with its limited stealth.
Is Rubio right? Is our president inept or is this result intentional? You be the judge.
Oldplayer
Or a big swarm of cheap drones.
It was really the torpedo, not the airplane, that nullified the Battleship as an effective weapons platform. Drones will soon nullify anti-aircraft defenses since the ones that actually work are all very expensive while drones are cheap and getting cheaper.
Wait until the US Government and insiders in the defense industry get a hold of them.
The present trend of US Government military purchasing seems to be increasing costs and limited production the next generation of weapon system. Just look at fighter aircraft.
These batteries are on a manmade island in the middle of nowhere.
They’ll be overflown by non-stealth aircraft. If they get frisky and pop a missile or two off thats when the B-2s will show up. Or any US platform with standoff weapons.
The ChiComs know this. It’s just posturing/saber rattling.
Ping
You’re very right it would seem they are very patient.
“limited”?
Do tell...are you privy to the actual data that supports your assertion?
These missile s were put on Woody Island, which is in the Parcel Islands, way north of their new South China Sea islands in the Spratleys.
Sometimes these “journalists” do not even do enough homework to understand or know the difference.
These are decent missiles, but we cannot really expect that China is going to be benign in the area. They are not offensive weapons, and the sea around that island is a large place.
They do not shut us out of the area at all.
Look, short of open warfare, we are not going to stop the Chinese from improving their holdings in the Sought China Sea, either in the Parcells or in the Spratleys.
But on the other hand, the Chinese, short of open conflict, are not going to stop the US Navy from conducting Freedom of Navigation ecxercises through there at will.
And the Chinese are far less prepared to contest the US Navy than we are to destroy all of the infrastructure they are building on those islands.
Heck, all of that stuff if fixed in place on relatively small isands. We do not have to send Air Force aircraft to destroy then if it came to that.
A few sea Wolf and Virginia submarines, or just one Ohio Class SSGN armed with Tomahawk missiles could pretty much do it...and then all the missiles, airfields, admin buildings, hangers, etc. would be destroyed.
So, I do not view this nearly as bad as some others.
we simply have to have an administration in office that can explain, and would be willing to explain these facts of life to the Chinese, and then continue our exercises at will, making out point.
Just look at any analysis of the F-35’s stealth abilities - no where even close to the F-22 and perhaps not even up to the B-2 - remember this is a composite plane designed by committee - and cannot carry long range weapons internally as they are too big - can only carry them externally thus negating its limited stealth.
As for giving you data - that’s lame - go look for yourself.
First good under sea quake in that area could be very interesting.
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