Posted on 08/21/2020 6:46:27 AM PDT by texas booster
A rare #satellite image of what appears to be a #Chinese Type 093 sub at the entrance of a not-so-secret, subterranean base at China's southern #Hainan island. Yulin Naval Base is home to subs of #Chinas South Sea Fleet and provides convenient access to the South China Sea.
Google Maps:
18°12'09.5"N 109°41'40.3"E
The submarine base is located at the point in Chinese territory that is closest to the continental shelf. It is roughly 50 nautical miles (93 km) from the base to the 200 meter isobath. It is 150 nautical miles (280 km) to the closest of the disputed Paracel Islands or the city of Da Nang, Vietnam. Speculation has been raised that the base is intended to be expanded to include future capability for aircraft carrier groups.
The submarine base is only a few miles from the city of Sanya, a popular tourist destination and the site of a major planned cruise hub. The base is immediately next to the Yalong Bay National Resort District featuring many resort hotels.
The pic from Radio Free Asia.
They are rapidly becoming "must read" Internet. It wasn't that way a few years ago ...
The caverns are capable of hiding up to 20 nuclear submarines based on reconnaissance satellites data collected. The harbor houses nuclear ballistic missile submarines and is large enough to accommodate aircraft carriers. The US Department of Defense has estimated that China will have five Type 094 nuclear submarines operational by 2010 with each capable of carrying 12 JL-2 intercontinental ballistic missiles. Two 950 metre piers and three smaller ones would be enough to accommodate two carrier strike groups or amphibious assault ships.
I had heard of the base (here on FR) but haven't paid much attention to it. Another link mentioned that the underground caverns can hold 20 subs when full.
Looks like a good military target for an underwater drone ...
Secret Lairs! They exist
Surfs up at those surrounding resorts, eh?
Nice cruise missile target.
I’ve been to Hainan several times and Sanya once. As the crow flies, the sub base is about 10 or 11 miles form Sanya.
“a good military target”
All it would take is one device to close the entrance once the subs are in there!
A MOAB dropped at the entry might slow them down a little. Wait until the cave is full...Boom!
mark
Paid for by our trade deficit.
I'll bet we have undersea bases. I know we were experimenting in the 1960s using a deep lake in Utah as a test bed.
Bkmk
“Tip of the Spear”!
It’s clear the Chinese wanted us to see this. The question is “Why”?
All it would take is one device to close the entrance once the subs are in there!
= = =
Like any competent gopher, they have multiple exits. Some which have never been seen, and some never open before, just waiting for a prepared explosive charge to open.
At least, that is what I would do.
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