Posted on 06/18/2002 7:04:32 AM PDT by Enemy Of The State
Russia has agreed to sell China two powerful missile systems, including a supersonic anti-ship missile with a range of 300km, for use on two new Sovremenny-class destroyers it will acquire from Moscow, defense sources said yesterday.
The anti-ship missile, the SS-N-26 Yakhont, is much more powerful than the SS-N-22 Sunburn missile in service on two Sovremenny-class destroyers already in the Chinese navy.
The other missile that China will buy from Russia as part of the new arms deal is the SA-N-17 Grizzly anti-aircraft missile, which is an upgraded version of the SA-N-7 Gadfly missile.
| "We tend to think the new missile system is aimed at attacking the US navy. But if they want to use the weapon against us, we have already developed a tactic to deal with the threat." |
| An unidentified naval general |
The two Sovremenny-class destroyers already operational in the Chinese navy, called Hanzhou and Fuzhou, now count on the SA-N-7 as their main air-defense weapon.
The two destroyers of the same class that China is to get from Russia are expected to become a much bigger threat to the Taiwan navy with the deployment of SS-N-26 and SA-N-17 missiles.
In response, a naval general said the navy does not believe that China is buying the Yakhont for use against Taiwan.
"We tend to think the new missile system is aimed at attacking the US navy. But if they want to use the weapon against us, we have already developed a tactic to deal with the threat," the general said.
"The tactic, simply speaking, is to stay out of the firing range of the Sovremenny-class destroyers," he said, declining to speak more on the subject.
The tactic referred to was developed by Chief of the General-Staff Admiral Li Chieh (§õ³Ç) during his term as the navy chief.
The tactic, called "the navy's open-seas mobility," was initially developed for the four Kidd-class destroyers that the navy will buy from the US."
To counter the threat from the Sovremenny-class warships, the navy plans to deploy fleets led by the Kidds on seas far from Taiwan, in the vicinity of Guam. The tactic received much criticism from lawmakers on the legislature's Defense Committee when they were briefed during the previous session.
It was criticized by some lawmakers as "unrealistic" and "ridiculous," as they couldn't understand how running away from the enemy would win battles.
In the computerized war simulation of the just-ended Hankuang No. 18 exercise, the consequences of putting the Kidds in harm's way were highlighted, sources said.
In the game, which simulated a war in the Taiwan Strait in 2005, all four Kidd-class destroyers sank under enemy fire after they were forced to engage in battle.
But in the simulation, the Chinese used fighter planes, rather than the Sovremenny-class destroyers, to sink the Kidds.
As for the terrorist insult, I won't reply, you're simply wrong. For that matter, I don't know of ANY terrorist attack against US interests Russia predicted. Do you?
Can you name one nation Russia has sold arms to and is planning to attack?
Checkmate. You make it too easy, lad.
Long story short... the nations that we ought to blow away along the southern tier of the Trans-Asian Axis (.... then what, I might ask, constitutes the northern tier of said Axis?...) are now in either the Russian / neo-Soviet orbit, or the PRC one, or both, and, are, to their misfortune, only past but no longer current American allies. Too bad we could not hold on to them, too bad they will pay the price, and, most importantly, too bad Russia and / or the PRC are in bed with them. You are either with us, or ....
How do you think they make Tide soap?
I don't believe the picture near so sinister as you paint it. At least not anymore.
Case in point, India flies Russian MiG fighters. Pakistan was sold a batch of F-16's (which fell through as you know). The F-16's were sold in part, as a courtship ritual. Economic and political consequences weighed heavily in that deal, as do most.
Look, arms are arms are arms. The US has made plenty of mistakes. So has Russia. The thing you (and many others) overlook is the economic variable. When the US sells 25 F-16's to Israel, local US communities are guaranteed employment contracts for perhaps years. These same cheerful news conferences happen in other countries too, not just the US.
Afghanistan is a quagmire. In Soviet times, the CIA gave anti-aircraft missiles to what would later become Al-Queda. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The local tribesmen kept tons of Russian arms left behind. Today, the tribesmen (Northern Alliance) parade Russian arms, side-by-side with their American soldier counterparts, against the very group that the Americans gave arms and training to - Al Queda.
Mister Belmont, it is the man behind the arms, won't you agree?
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