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Thousands Of Ships, Millions Of Troops: China Is Assembling a Huge Fleet For War With Taiwan
https://www.forbes.com ^ | Jul 27, 2021 | David AxeForbes Staff

Posted on 07/27/2021 7:14:19 AM PDT by RomanSoldier19

To have any chance of conquering Taiwan, China might need to transport as many as two million troops across the rough 100 miles of the Taiwan Strait and land them under fire at the island’s 14 potential invasion beaches or 10 major ports.

That’s a lot of people—far, far more than the People’s Liberation Army Navy can haul in its 11 new amphibious ships. To transport the bulk of the invasion force, Beijing almost certainly would take up into naval service thousands of civilian ships.

To that end, the Chinese Communist Party has created a legal and bureaucratic framework for taking over control of commercial shipping. Meanwhile, naval engineers have begun modifying key vessels to make them better assault ships.

All that is to say, the vast flotilla that would be both the vehicle for China’s assault on Taiwan—and the biggest target of Taiwanese forces and their allies—is taking shape.

“If the PLA invasion force was a million or more men, then we might expect an armada of thousands or even tens of thousands of ships to deliver them, augmented by thousands of planes and helicopters,” Ian Easton, an analyst with the Project 2049 Institute in Virginia, wrote in a recent report.

The PLAN’s eight modern Type 071 landing docks and three Type 075 big-deck assault ships together can haul around 25,000 troops. A drop in the bucket. To transport the balance of the invasion force, the Chinese navy can take up around 2,000 large commercial vessels crewed by around 650,000 mariners.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ccp; china; invasion; taiwan
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To: BroJoeK; Kevmo; Mr Ramsbotham; Little Ray
My guess is our guys know how to defend their carriers against the best the Chi-Coms can throw at them.

One Ford-class carrier group will destroy several Chinese carriers without breaking a sweat.

Nimitz-class carrier groups are better than anything China has, also.

101 posted on 07/27/2021 9:22:39 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux - The Ultimate Windows Service Pack )
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To: adorno

I don’t think we have 3+ years with Biden — he is slipping into dementia faster than anticipated.

I think China’s window of opportunity is about 1 year. Kameltoe Harris is a wildcard for them.


102 posted on 07/27/2021 9:24:22 AM PDT by Kevmo (Right now there are 500 political prisoners in Washington, DC.)
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To: PIF
the CCP is not rational, rather it is a fragile, paranoid body with a power mad leader.

Um no. But you keep thinking that. Xi likes your non fight irrationality.

103 posted on 07/27/2021 9:24:54 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: Lockbox
Million troops could be shipped in 12 hours from China.

Taiwanese ports do not have that kind of capacity to move that quantity of freight.

104 posted on 07/27/2021 9:25:19 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux - The Ultimate Windows Service Pack )
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To: oldasrocks

If China takes over the chip making industry [they’re halfway there already] then our ‘brilliant’ industrialists will rebuild it here, once again employing the catchphrase “local delivery of your skillset”.


105 posted on 07/27/2021 9:27:43 AM PDT by Kevmo (Right now there are 500 political prisoners in Washington, DC.)
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To: Tallguy

Why do you think it’s much thicker on the bottom of the dam than at the top?


106 posted on 07/27/2021 9:28:40 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans

The Japanese and Australian can talk tough, but, without the U.S. in the mix, they’ll just silently slip away from the table and battle.


107 posted on 07/27/2021 9:29:02 AM PDT by adorno
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To: 1Old Pro

Very simple. I wonder what the chinese phrase for Keep It Simple Stupid [KISS] is?


108 posted on 07/27/2021 9:29:34 AM PDT by Kevmo (Right now there are 500 political prisoners in Washington, DC.)
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To: Rennes Templar

Yes, I know all of that, but do you understand that those systems are very limited both in capability (they must be in specific locations at the time of launch or they are useless) and in the number of kill vehicles - 1260 MIRVed warheads, along with who-knows-now-many sub-launched missiles would simply overwhelm a system designed to keep a handful of NK ICBMs at bay. Further more those US assets are scattered all over the globe, and would be no help.

The Chinese essentially have the same capabilities as the Russians when it comes to the number of nuclear warheads and missiles which we could not stop either, despite the PR Pentagon propaganda.


109 posted on 07/27/2021 9:32:00 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: Tallguy

In the Taiwan case it will be even more vulnerable cargo ships. Filled with civilians getting slaughtered while migrating to their internal province. Armed with cameras and direct linkups to CNN. PR nightmare for America.


110 posted on 07/27/2021 9:34:03 AM PDT by Kevmo (Right now there are 500 political prisoners in Washington, DC.)
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To: PIF

Cargo container ships filled with civilian migrants armed with cameras and CNN uplinks. PR nightmate for America.


111 posted on 07/27/2021 9:37:18 AM PDT by Kevmo (Right now there are 500 political prisoners in Washington, DC.)
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To: Boogieman

It’s basically an arch laying on its side


That is what I was reacting to. This isn’t an arch. You’re changing the subject.


112 posted on 07/27/2021 9:39:39 AM PDT by Tallguy
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To: Little Ray
"but I would expect them to eff it up somehow."

It wouldn't be the first time our guys were caught with their heads up a dark & smelly place.
At Pearl Harbor Halsey knew what he needed to do but his fighter planes were shot at by our own gunners, so distressed & confused they couldn't tell up from down...

War is hell & often defies predictions.

That works both ways.

113 posted on 07/27/2021 9:42:36 AM PDT by BroJoeK (a little historical perspective...)
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To: BroJoeK

Taiwan is divided up in population roughly in thirds

1/3 are native Taiwanese who want their own independence.

1/3 are culturally and historically Chinese. These are the arrogant bass turds who claim to be the rightful ‘rulers’ of China and Formosa. They have blocked moves to independence.

1/3 are apathetic soyboys who don’t care who’s in charge as long as they can get cable TV and good noodles.


114 posted on 07/27/2021 9:44:35 AM PDT by Kevmo (Right now there are 500 political prisoners in Washington, DC.)
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To: ShadowAce

I am not worried about PLAN, much. Their subs are dangerous and have good chance of bagging a carrier. But if it’s a carrier battle they want, by all means, bring it on.
I am worried about the PLA’s DF-21D and DF-26 anti ship ballistic missiles. If they work, they’re a potential game changer.
I am also worried about the damage to the USN’s professional skills over the last decade or so. We have taken naval supremacy for granted for far too long.


115 posted on 07/27/2021 9:46:25 AM PDT by Little Ray (Civilization runs on a narrow margin. What sustains it is not magic, but hard work. )
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To: ShadowAce
One Ford-class carrier group will destroy several Chinese carriers without breaking a sweat.

There is only one Ford class carrier that is commissioned.

The second carrier (the Kennedy) has not been commissioned yet.

116 posted on 07/27/2021 9:46:36 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (We are being played by forces most do not understand)
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To: Ahithophel

The first wave of the ‘amphibious assaulr’ will be cargo ships filled with civilian migrants armed with hand cameras and CNN uplinks.


117 posted on 07/27/2021 9:46:48 AM PDT by Kevmo (Right now there are 500 political prisoners in Washington, DC.)
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To: Tallguy; Boogieman

TGD has been reportedly moving in the few months as well. It does not seem stable at the moment, so it seems that any explosion upstream of it could trigger a sudden failure of structure.


118 posted on 07/27/2021 9:47:28 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux - The Ultimate Windows Service Pack )
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To: blueunicorn6

Kinda like what happened with the Argentinian generals trying to distract the population by invading the Malvinas/Falklands.


119 posted on 07/27/2021 9:48:50 AM PDT by Kevmo (Right now there are 500 political prisoners in Washington, DC.)
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To: Little Ray

Not just our military’s professional skills.....but the rules of engagement we have been using accepts our military deaths over accidental civilian deaths.


120 posted on 07/27/2021 9:50:01 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (We are being played by forces most do not understand)
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