The Rising Sea Dragon in Asia - 2006 Update

The Rising Sea Dragon in Asia Web Site ^ | September 1, 2006 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

The Rising Sea Dragon in Asia 2006 Update

I have been keeping a major web site up regarding the growth of the Chinese NAvy for the last four years. This is the 2006 Update.

Throughout 2005 and 2006 the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has continued its unprecedented modernization and buildup, working on and procuring twelve seperate classes of major combatants. Increasing numbers of new guided missile destroyers, guided missile frigates, fast attack craft, very modern and quiet diesel/electric attack submarines, nuclear attack submarines, nuclear ballistic missile submarines, logisitic support craft, amphibious assault craft, and the infrastructure and aircraft to support them are being built. The PLAN has now settled on several classes of vessels to be built in serial production after several years of testing and evaluation of initial production runs of two each of those vessels.

By way of comparison, since 2000, the Chinese Navy has added an additional 72 new, major combatants...a net growth of 72 major combatants. In that same time the US Navy has built 39 major new combatants, but also decommissioned 45 major combatants, most of them with ten or more years service life remaining in them according to their original construction plans, for a net of -8 major combatants.

Now, while the overall numbers, technology, and strategies are still signifcantly in favor of the US Navy, the trend is disconcerting because future construction plans call for projecting similar trends.

[Jeff Head]

for those who have been following this, hope the material is of interest.

[Jeff Head]

All, here's a ping to the latest material on the Chinese Navy.

Education is one key to avoding...

future trouble with Red China

...and then of course acting on that knowledge). I believe that Red China represents a threat and trouble in the next 5-10 years greater than the tyrants we fought in World War II.

[jeremiah]

It interests me, but only in a vague, why are we granting MFN, and sitting still while the Chinese are committing economic warfare against us kinda way. I suppose they need a deep sea Navy, to defend the coastland against the Tibetan fleet.

[hedgetrimmer]

Because many of our Congressmen, and members of the white house and cabinet, and other elected and appointed officials have deep financial interests in China.

[Jeff Head]

They are embarked on one of the most rapid and largest naval buildups in history. There can only be one object of that buildup...and it sure isn't so their admirals can play in the bathtub.

They are several years away, but IMHO we dare not underestimate them and continue our own trend of downsizing.

[Fiddlstix]

Thanks for the Ping

[ladyinred]

Thanks Jeff. I am not the only one concerned I see.

[Jeff Head]

Nope, you are not...I've been talking and writing about it since the late 90s. I believe the Red Chinese are very carefully and willfully pulling the strings behind the scenes in the WOT with Iran, and with N. Korea...while they rapidly build up their own forces in terms of quantity and quality. They have closed a 30 year gap in the last 6 or 7 years in many areas.

[Jeff Head]

You are weclome my friend. I hope the info is of interest. Please point people to that overall site if they have any interest or concern in the Red Chinese buildup.

[uncbob]

Thank you Richard Nixon

[frannie]

Our family absolutely argued with us, my husband and myself [he has been dead for 3 years] when over and over we felt as if it would be China we have to worry about.

We heard over and over that China had never been imperialistic,is only concerned with keeping people out etc, etc.

We also reminded them that they, at that time were just starting to build up their military, but we were financing it with the large trade deficit we had with them.

Now it is a huge trade deficit. Just as we are financing the war on terror, Between the price of oil, and the drug trade that is imported from some of the Muslim countries.

It is frightening to an old woman who has children, grand children and great grand children to think of between the Muslims and the Chinese, which would we fare better under? Or as many libs say, we just need to talk with them.Duh!

[jeremiah]

IMO, our "fearful leaders" figure that by the time China is able to move, the world will have tied its hands securely with the greed only capitalism brings. They don't believe that there is ever a war between trading partners, but me thinks they forget that we traded with the Japanese, Italians and Germans before WW II.

[Jeff Head]

...and Ford...and Carter...and Bush Sr...and Clinton, and a lot of others.

[Jeff Head]

When they tell you that they have no military expansionist intentions, remind them of Tibet, India, Korea, and Vietnam in the last 60 years. Then remind them of Taiwan, the Spratley Islands, Panama, the Bahamas, their rapidly growing influence in South America, Central America, Africa and elsewhere.

Folks thought they could just talk to Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, and Stalin too...we know how that turned out. History is a harsh school master...and class is in session.

[Jeff Head]

Exactly...they figure that all that money is going to tame the commuists and tyrants, when what it will do is just allow them to consolidate their power, and ultimatly expand. I believe we are seeing an arms buildup greater in magnitude and much more dangerous than what our parents and grendparents witnessed in the 1930s before World War II.

[Badray]

bump for later

[Jeff Head]

Great my friend. Let me know what you think. The site is fairly picture intensive, but it is worth it.

[Fee]

I recommend www.sinodefence.com for freepers if they want to keep abreast of Chicom Defense matters. So far the submarines, destroyers and frigates being built are replacing the older Chinese warships and subs. They still have a long way to go to build a force projection navy. Example, no huge fleet of fleet replenishment ships with Refuelling At Sea (RAS) capabilities, aircraft carriers and nuclear attack subs. They only have a handful of ships with Standard type SAM and electronic arrays that can challenge even the Japanese Navy. The only thing the PLAN can achieve in the next 20 years is a navy capable of inflicting damage on the US fleet in a war to take Taiwan which is 90 miles off their shoreline. If China wants to build a navy to challenge the US with a GDP that is 1/6 the size of the US, she needs to concentrate on a huge nuclear sub force that will disrupt US shipping since we import most of our critical materials from overseas. I would pay very close attention to China's nuclear sub program because the new Chief of Staff of the Chinese Navy is a nuclear submariner. So far China needs Russian technical assistance to develop their first truly modern nuclear attack sub.

[Jeff Head]

I post regularly there.

Several points. The chinese are not merely replacing their old units with these newer ones. What we find is that they continue to modernize many of their older units, like the Luda class. They have increased the number of major combatants by 72 vessels over the last five to six years...we have experienced a net loss.

They are putting together a blue water navy with new, modern DDGs, FFGs, and with new nuclear attack submarines. They are developing the vessels that will serve well in a CSG and I believe by 2--9 they will have one, and will probably bein building a couple of their own indigenous carries in that time frame as well.

Actually th PLAN is at sea replenishment capable, aas this picture attests.

...and they are building larger, more capable replishment ships as well. Two Qiandaohu were deliverd in the last couple of years.

I will grant that they are years away from a serious global challenge to the USN on their own...but in the Taiwan Straits they are getting closer and they are apt to bide their time as we continue to downsize and as we continue to get embroiled in many other areas (which we have to do), but which I am also convinced, considering their ties, that the PRC encourages.

[vincentjay]

Some report prepared for Rummy says that China's fleet buildup is for protecting their petroleum supplies from the U.S.!!! I dunno 'bout that. Self-defense could be used as an excuse to hide aggressive notions.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050117-115550-1929r.htm

"China is building up military forces and setting up bases along sea lanes from the Middle East to project its power overseas and protect its oil shipments, according to a previously undisclosed internal report prepared for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld...."