DigitalGlobe
A satellite image of China's secret underground nuclear submarine base on Hainan Island in the South China Sea.
Posted on 05/03/2008 7:46:40 PM PDT by neverdem
China has secretly built an underground nuclear submarine base in the South China Sea, posing a new threat to powers in the region — a development the Pentagon says it has known about for at least two years.
Satellite photos of the base obtained by FOX News show a large harbor and massive tunnels that defense experts say could shelter many nuclear subs.
The Defense Department has estimated that by 2010 China will have five operational 094-class nuclear submarines capable of carrying 12 nuclear missiles each, according to the Daily Telegraph.
According to the Defense Department, China has 57 attack submarines, but these satellite pictures suggest their 094-class nuclear submarine may already be available.
“It’s very significant to have further visual evidence of the kinds of military build-up that they’ve been engaged in for some time,” said Stephen Yates, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council.
Photos of the base were taken on November 28 by DigitalGlobe’s QuickBird satellite, and first appeared in the military journal Jane’s Intelligence Review.
The secret base, known as Sanya, is located on the southern tip of Hainan Island in the South China Sea. Defense experts say the harbor feeds into waters so deep that the submarines could launch without having to surface, making it difficult to detect them from the sky.
That may pose a threat to U.S. naval dominance in the region, and to the nations just hundreds of miles from Hainan’s shores.
“It really is a point of force projection out into the South China Sea, and the South China Sea is a very, very important waterway critical to energy security,” said Yates.
The Pentagon has known about the secret submarine base for more than two years. It first showed up in press reports in 2007 and was mentioned in...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Not all THAT secret, apparently.
Really, how do you build a secret base in the age of satellites and such?
The article itself contradicts the headline.
Doesn’t sound like a secret to me.
nah, I think that was Dr. No’s place in ‘62.
did the Clintons help them get the technology?
shhh
its a secret
L
If it is secret, how come it is posted here on FR. Shhhhhhh! Don’t tell anyone.
My first thought. But you got to it first.
More like Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies.
Dr. Evil: Gentlemen, I have a plan. It's called blackmail. The Royal Family of Britain are the wealthiest landowners in the world. Either the Royal Family pays us an exorbitant amount of money, or we make it seen that Prince Charles has had an affair outside of marriage and therefore would have to divorce!
Number Two: Prince Charles *did* have an affair. He admitted it, and they are now divorced.
Dr. Evil: Right, people you have to tell me these things, okay? I've been frozen for thirty years, okay? Throw me a frickin' bone here! I'm the boss! Need the info.
[pause]
Dr. Evil: Okay no problem. Here's my second plan. Back in the 60's, I had a weather changing machine that was, in essence, a sophisticated heat beam which we called a "laser." Using these "lasers," we punch a hole in the protective layer around the Earth, which we scientists call the "Ozone Layer." Slowly but surely, ultraviolet rays would pour in, increasing the risk of skin cancer. That is unless the world pays us a hefty ransom.
Number Two: [pause] That also already has happened.
Dr. Evil: Sh*t. Oh h*ll, let's just do what we always do. Hijack some nuclear weapons and hold the world hostage. Yeah? Good! Gentlemen, it has come to my attention that a breakaway Russian Republic called Kreplachistan will be transferring a nuclear warhead to the United Nations in a few days. Here's the plan. We get the warhead and we hold the world ransom for... ONE MILLION DOLLARS!
Number Two: Don't you think we should ask for *more* than a million dollars? A million dollars isn't exactly a lot of money these days. Virtucon alone makes over 9 billion dollars a year!
Dr. Evil: Really? That's a lot of money.
[pause]
Dr. Evil: Okay then, we hold the world ransom for...
Dr. Evil: One... Hundred... BILLION DOLLARS!
This evil submarine base brought to you by Bill and Hill, masters of treason , lying, and just about any other rotten thing you can think of.
Makes an excellent target.
Better yet, we’ll just pick them off one at a time, just like we did the russians.
It’s the way we do business. The right way.
The secret isn’t the base, the secret is how many ballistic missile submarines they have in dock or how many they have managed to get into deep water between satellite passes.
If we can’t see the slips, we can’t tell if they have everything in the underground base or if they have all steamed out on a first strike mission.
When the time comes, the chinese aren’t going to telegraph it. They will attempt a decapitation strike before sending out their surface navy.
One thought might be to quietly emplace captor mines a dozen or so miles off the coast waiting for activation orders. Then put listening devices on the floor under the egress route.
Yeah, like as if the space is not heavily monitored by the Chinese, in the first place.
Face it, the Chinese are not rag-head cavemen.
Is it because Communist China is our friend? Walmart? Olympics?
Nice little bunker buster right up the pooper will take care of this place.
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