China and Iran Test-Fire Missiles

softwar! ^ | 09-06-02 | Charles Smith

[backhoe]

 

----- Original Message -----

From: <softwar@softwar.net>

Sent: Friday, September 06, 2002 1:12 AM

Subject: China and Iran Test-Fire Missiles

> http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/9/5/185309.shtml
>
> Chinese missile page http://www.softwar.net/dongfeng.html
>
> China and Iran Test-Fire Missiles
>
> Against the backdrop of impending military action by the United States against
> Iraq, China and Iran have recently conducted tests of their own ballistic
> missile forces.
>
> On Aug. 28, following Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's visit to
> Beijing, the People's Liberation Army 2nd Artillery Corps conducted a successful
> flight test of its Dong Feng (East Wind) 4 missile from a launch site in
> southern China.
>
> The two-stage Dong Feng 4 limited-range missile was designed initially to hit
> the U.S. air base at Guam and later modified to increase its range to be able to
> strike Moscow. The large liquid-fueled missile is armed with an H-bomb warhead
> equal to 3 million tons of TNT and has a range of over 4,000 miles.
>
> China is estimated to have approximately 20 of the powerful ICBMs, which are
> capable of striking U.S. military assets in the Asia-Pacific theater, as well as
> targets in Russia and Europe.
>
> Most of the Dong Feng 4 missiles are stored in tunnels under high mountains, and
> are launched immediately outside the mouth of the tunnel. The missiles must be
> moved into the open and fueled prior to firing, an operation dubbed "chu men
> fang pao" or "shooting a firecracker outside the front door."
>
> PRC Missile Diplomacy
>
> The Chinese missile test was considered by Western intelligence sources to be a
> signal by Beijing that it will continue to develop, deploy and export missile
> technology despite a new agreement with the Bush administration on weapons
> proliferation.
>
> According to a recent report by the U.S.-China Security Review Commission, China
> is a leading exporter of missile technology. According to the report, Chinese
> proliferation of weapons, "particularly in the Middle East and Asia," poses a
> serious threat to the security of the United States.
>
> "China fails to control the export of dual-use items that contribute to the
> proliferation of weapons of mass-destruction and their delivery systems," noted
> the commission's report, which was published in August.
>
> "China is a leading international source of missile-related technologies,"
> states the report. The report also noted that China has reneged on previous
> promises and continues to export missile technology to Libya, Iran and Syria.
>
> State Department Denies Visas to Chinese Space Experts
>
> In a move seen as a response to Beijing's missile diplomacy, the U.S. State
> Department has decided to deny visas to about 20 Chinese space experts invited
> to attend the World Space Conference in Houston this fall. Over 6,000
> scientists, engineers and policy-makers are expected to show up for the space
> conference scheduled to start in October.
>
> The State Department flagged several members of the Chinese delegation due to
> "technology-transfer concerns." The word inside Capitol Hill is that the
> attendees were actually high-ranking military officers from the Chinese Army 2nd
> Artillery Corps.
>
> North Korea and Iranian Missiles
>
> Meanwhile, Iran also carried out an unsuccessful test of its Shahab-3 missile.
> The failed test flight from northern Iran occurred late last month. The Shahab
> missile test reflects ongoing Iranian development of the medium-range rocket,
> which can strike Israel, Turkey and parts of India.
>
> The Shahab missile is reported to be a derivative of the North Korean No Dong
> missile. U.S. intelligence sources have accused North Korea of working for
> several years with Iran to develop the Shahab system.
>
> In a recent speech in South Korea, Under Secretary of State John Bolton labeled
> Pyongyang "the world's foremost peddler of ballistic missile-related equipment,
> components, materials, and technical expertise" and a top exporter of missiles
> to "notable rogue state clients such as Syria, Libya and Iran."
>
> According to Bolton, North Korea's connections with Iran and Iraq, the other
> countries labeled by President Bush as constituting the "axis of evil," are
> reason enough to continue sanctions against Pyongyang.
>
> "There is a hard connection between these regimes - an axis along which flow
> dangerous weapons and dangerous technology," stated Bolton.
>
> Another sign of war in the Middle East comes from Israel. Israel has moved to
> defend critical targets in case of attack from Iran or Iraq. The Israeli air
> force has deployed units of U.S.-made Patriot anti-ballistic missiles close to
> the Dimona nuclear reactor in the south of the country. The Patriots are
> expected to assist a unit of Arrow anti-ballistic missiles already deployed in
> southern Israel in the event of retaliatory missile strikes from Baghdad.
>
> U.S. Tomahawk Armed With Directed-Energy Warhead
>
> An additional indication that war with Iraq is in the near future comes with
> reports that the U.S. Navy is deploying Tomahawk cruise missiles armed with
> newly developed "directed energy" warheads. Several Navy warships in the Gulf
> region are armed with the new Tomahawk missiles.
>
> According to U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper, the strategy to
> use the new missiles is "in the works."
>
> "You have to coordinate the effects, no matter what forms they take," noted Gen.
> Jumper. The new Tomahawk missiles are said to be equipped with warheads that
> produce high-power microwaves. The directed-energy warheads are intended to
> scramble military computers and destroy sensitive electronics. The most likely
> targets for the new warheads are Iraq's Chinese-made air defense system and
> Iraqi chemical storage facilities.
>
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[backhoe]

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