Posted on 04/24/2007 9:40:32 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
China could have military edge by 2010
2007/4/25 LONDON, AFP
China's rapid beefing up of its military might should give it the edge over Taiwan for the first time by 2010, Jane's Defense Weekly said Tuesday.
China announced last month a 17.8-percent rise in military spending to US$45 billion for this year -- a boost aimed at making its forces capable of a quick, decisive invasion of Taiwan while deterring US intervention, the authoritative magazine said.
"China is working hard to transform its Vietnam War-era defense establishment into a credible regional military power with a new generation of indigenous equipment, designed to thwart more advanced adversaries," said Jane's.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is now shifting into a high gear, through continuing to import Russian weapons, improving training and increasing its professionalism, it added.
"The centerpiece of this offensive capability is the PLA's potent missile force with the modernization drive likely to allow the PLA to gain the upper hand in the military balance against Taiwan for the first time by the end of this decade," the magazine said.
Tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated in recent years. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has repeatedly threatened to invade the island should it declare formal independence.
China's air force, navy and strategic missile forces head the queue in equipment funding priorities, while the once-dominant ground forces lag well behind, Jane's said.
While Chinese defense chiefs worry about the United States deepening its security ties with regional allies, the PLA is strengthening its links with Russia through arms sales and military exercises, said Jane's.
"Chinese acquisitions of Russian arms have also continued, with the next significant deal in the pipeline the Chinese acquisition of Sukhoi Su-33 multi-role fighter aircraft: a carrier version of the Su-27 fighter," it said.
"The two sides are reportedly in advanced negotiations over the deal and there is speculation that the PLA Naval Air Force is considering establishing a combat air wing to be deployed on a future aircraft carrier.
"The two countries are holding a second bilateral military exercise in Russia in July, in which China will reportedly send its F-10 fighter aircraft to participate for the first time."
Jane's added that the PLA Air Force was modernizing its "aging" frontline arsenal as new generations of combat, surveillance and airborne early warning and command aircraft roll off the production lines from China's revitalized aviation industry.
I wonder, if Taiwan were to obtain a credible flotilla of modern diesel/electric subs, would the Chinese still feel confident in attacking?
The Chinese are confident because they know that there is little,if any chance Taiwan get hold of new D/E subs(under current circumstances).
The last thing China is seriously looking at is building a carrier. (Much less a supercarrier.) What they’re more realistically looking at is a smaller carrier (or carriers) primarily for fleet protection. There is no way the Chinese are remotely interested building a U.S.-style carrier and carrier group. The Soviets couldn’t even get that right with their resources and experience, and developing such a thing is too much of a risk for a tremendous loss of face. The Chinese are not completely foolish, and it would be beyond completely foolish to try to pit such a vessel against U.S. forces in particular.
“The Chinese are confident because they know that there is little,if any chance Taiwan get hold of new D/E subs(under current circumstances).”
If there’s a single military item the Taiwanese should manufacture indigenously, it’s diesel-electric subs. There’s not a more strategic weapon for them than submarines, their coastal waters should be swarming with them.
Look at the hay the Iranians are making with an indigenous arms capability.
Just out of curiosity, why do you say there’s ‘little, if any’ chance of them getting such subs?
There are very few nations which design diesel-electric submarines-most are in Europe(France,Germany,Sweden,the Netherlands) along with Russia,Japan & China.Even if the US offered to build subs for Taiwan,it would have to buy a design from one of these countries & build it.The problem is no one is willing to sell to Taiwan.Unless Shinzo Abe decides to get adventurous-but that is asking for too much.
Sure,Taiwan could have worked to reverse-engineer it’s Dutch built subs,but that would have been difficult(pity they didn’t attempt to though).
taiwan is a part of china .
“Sure,Taiwan could have worked to reverse-engineer it’s Dutch built subs,but that would have been difficult(pity they didn’t attempt to though).”
Given that diesel-electric is basically 70 year old tech, one would think they could do a clean-slate design. The critical tech (quiet electric engines, linkage, and prop) might have to be bought or stolen.
ZOT time? Registered today and the only post.
...well...it shouldn't be suprising. China is, afterall, nearly 60 times larger than Taiwan in population. So, it is just a matter of time.
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