Report: Chinese Develop Special "Kill Weapon" to Destroy U.S. Aircraft Carriers

U. S. Naval Institute ^ | 3/31/09

[Evil Slayer]

With tensions already rising due to the Chinese navy becoming more aggressive in asserting its territorial claims in the South China Sea, the U.S. Navy seems to have yet another reason to be deeply concerned.

After years of conjecture, details have begun to emerge of a "kill weapon" developed by the Chinese to target and destroy U.S. aircraft carriers.

First posted on a Chinese blog viewed as credible by military analysts and then translated by the naval affairs blog Information Dissemination, a recent report provides a description of an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) that can strike carriers and other U.S. vessels at a range of 2000km.

The range of the modified Dong Feng 21 missile is significant in that it covers the areas that are likely hot zones for future confrontations between U.S. and Chinese surface forces.

The size of the missile enables it to carry a warhead big enough to inflict significant damage on a large vessel, providing the Chinese the capability of destroying a U.S. supercarrier in one strike.

Because the missile employs a complex guidance system, low radar signature and a maneuverability that makes its flight path unpredictable, the odds that it can evade tracking systems to reach its target are increased. It is estimated that the missile can travel at mach 10 and reach its maximum range of 2000km in less than 12 minutes.

Supporting the missile is a network of satellites, radar and unmanned aerial vehicles that can locate U.S. ships and then guide the weapon, enabling it to hit moving targets.

[JSteff]

“Our best defense is that we owe them a sh%^load of money.”

But how much do they value the money not collected yet? Would that be a cost they could bear when considering all they could gain in a win over us?

The markets and opportunities that would be open to them (if we did not control the seas as we do now) are probably worth triple that to them.

[JSteff]

” and they are not hamstrung with political correctness and a self-hating political leadership. Some of you folks will still be blinded to this reality right up until the point that you get vaporized.”

Has been my concern for years. Other military's do not plan strikes with JAG officers having the oversight right to cancel or modify missions. Our forces have been burdened with that for 20+ years.

[JSteff]

“Satellites are much easier than an incoming IRBM or ICBM that may be launching decoys, etc.”

Much of that was addressed by the Aegis system for that shoot down.

[JSteff]

“Why are you assuming these missiles are armed with nukes?”

They probably would not be. That would give them “cover” in that it would somewhat make us hesitant to us nukes.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

"Satellites have predictable, repeatable orbits you've tracked for months beforehand."

Exactly. Our Navy had plenty of time to track and project the path of the satellite. In the case of this missile, they would have only minutes. The destroyer or sub accompanying our carrier would not be able to stop this missile. Carriers can only defend themselves from missiles that have a steady flight path in the minutes before impact.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

"We are going to have our ass** handed to us one day unless we get out heads out of the sand regarding China."

I agree. The Chicoms spy on us every day ~ never mind the technology that Clinton gave them 10 or 15 years ago. And we know they are spying and we let them ~ for whatever rationalized reason. They have always taken everything they learned from other countries' weaponry and improved on it. With a world recession, they have less reason to ignore international situations with us than they have done in the past.

[RebelTex]

“I believe that the Navy has been working on a defense for this sort of thing for 30 years or more.”

I certainly pray that you are right - and that having perfected it, we can concentrate on even better offensive and defensive improvements.

[dennisw]

We are in a new military age where cheap missiles, rockets, RPGs, anti tank weapons WILL KILL armor whether it is tanks or aircraft carriers protected by formations.

Why? Because rockets and missiles move much much quicker than lumbering armor and many can be used and they are expendable (cheap)

[tc45a]

I agree. Our best defense is that we owe them a sh%^load of money

If we default they will just nationalize all US interest in China. Simple.

[Will88]

"Our China policy" will be even worse under Obama, who is more concerned with greenhouse gases than weapons.

With Obama, it's not just our China policy, but all our national defense policies. But most all our recent presidents had this peculiar blind spot where China was concerned, seemingly believing that a little capitalism would turn the commies into freedom loving democrats and great friends of America.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

But most all our recent presidents had this peculiar blind spot where China was concerned, seemingly believing that a little capitalism would turn the commies into freedom loving democrats and great friends of America.

It's not just presidents. Funny how Chinese money changes one's point of view. Gates, Clinton, Bush, Obama....

Link: "The fact is the United States is 5 percent of the world's people. At some point we are going to have 5 percent of the world's influence and that's OK." - Bill Gates

[Rooivalk]

Russia worked on a similar missile, SS-NX-13, years ago. It was unsuccessful

SS-NX-13 [KY-9] SLBM The SS-NX-13 submarine-launched ballistic missile is a short-range, two-stage, storable liquid-propellant missile apparently designed for an anti-ship role. It is capable of delivering a reentry vehicle in the 2500-lb class, containing a warhead with a yield of 2.0 to 3.5 MT, to a minimum operational range of 80 nm or a maximum operational range of 360 nm. The missile flies a lofted trajectory, and is unique in that it has an impact-point correction capability of up to 30 nm through use of a restartable second-stage. The missile uses an inertial guidance system aided by an onboard passive ELINT target sensor. In a pure ballistic mode the SS-NX-13 is capable of a CEP of about 0.3 nm, and against cooperative targets, i.e., a target emanating radio-frequency transmissions, the SS-NX-13 is capable of a CEP of 0.1 to 0.2 nm. http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/theater/ss-n-13.htm

[BlueNgold]

Sidenote:
I may be the only person on God’s green earth who can say they were shot in the eye by a Phalanx CIWS and lived to tell the tale...

[happygrl]

For the improvements on the guidance system, we have Horndog Clinton to thank.

[happygrl]

I think well find ourselves more vulnerable for parts that are being manufactured by an adversary.

OMG!

[happygrl]

Our best defense is that we owe them a sh%^load of money.

And this is their bravado warning that we had better keep paying it.

[happygrl]

The USSS Cole was incapacitated by an operation about the size of that.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Bookmark.

[edcoil]

Had these in the 1970’s - SUBROC and ASROC’s

[Loud Mime]

Is this the next step from the SIZZLER missile?