HK Indian MBT
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2013
- Messages
- 220
- Reaction score
- 0
China Has Worlds Most Active Missile Programs, U.S. Says
By Tony Capaccio - Jul 11, 2013
Chinas military has the worlds most active and diverse ballistic missile program, with an expanding inventory of nuclear warheads that can reach the U.S., according to a Pentagon intelligence report.
The arsenal includes a new submarine-launched JL-2 ballistic missile that will for the first time let Chinese submarines target parts of the U.S. from near Chinas coast, the National Air and Space Intelligence Center said in a new assessment obtained by Bloomberg News.
Enlarge image
China is expanding its missile programs as the Pentagon pursues a policy of putting more emphasis on U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific region. Source: AFP via Getty Images
Attachment: Missile Report
Enlarge image
A Chinese boy stands on a boat carrying sea-to-air missiles at the Military Museum in Beijing. Photographer: Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
China is boosting its missile program under a broader military modernization plan thats seen the countrys defense spending more than double since 2006. Chinas neighbors including Japan and the Philippines have expressed concern that its government is becoming more aggressive in the region, as the U.S. also puts new emphasis on forces in the Asia-Pacific.
Some of Chinas weapons are specifically designed to prevent adversary military forces access to regional conflicts, the report said. Its an update to one released in 2009.
China is developing and testing new missiles, upgrading older systems, forming new missile units and working on ways to counter missile defenses, the report said. The number of Chinese nuclear warheads capable of hitting the U.S. could expand to well over 100 within the next 15 years, it said.
China is in territorial disputes across the region, with nations including Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam. A Japanese defense report released June 9 said China is trying to change the regional status quo by force. China Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying responded by saying Japan has been spreading the so-called China threat, creating regional tension.
Missile Technology
The conclusions on China are part of a report that surveys world developments in ballistic-missile technology and trends, including in North Korea, Iran, India and Pakistan.
The National Air and Space Intelligence Center, located at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, is the Pentagons top provider of aerospace intelligence.
The report repeats the intelligence communitys long-standing assessment that Iran could develop and test an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the U.S. by 2015.
It also recounts Irans recent history of missile launches and modification of the Shahab-3 medium range missile thats capable of reaching Israel.
Iran Ambitions
Iran has ambitious ballistic and space-launch development programs and continues to attempt to increase the range, lethality and accuracy of its missile force, it said.
Iranian military units continue to train extensively in highly publicized exercises that enable these forces to hone wartime operational skills and evolve new tactics, the report said.
Iran also is fielding increased numbers of theater ballistic missiles, improving its existing inventory and is developing the technical capability to produce an ICBM, it said.
North Korea, the report said, recently unveiled the new, road-mobile Hwasong-13 ICBM and continues to develop the Taepo Dong-2 which could reach the United States if developed as an ICBM.
The nation also maintains a large inventory of short-range missiles and is developing an intermediate-range weapon, said the report.
Both the Hwasong-13 and Taepo Dong-2 have maximum ranges of at least 5,500 kilometers (3,420 miles).
Continued efforts to develop the TD-2 and the newly unveiled ICBM show the determination of North Korea to achieve long-range ballistic missile and space launch capabilities, the report said. North Korea has exported ballistic missile systems and will probably continue to do so.
China Has World
By Tony Capaccio - Jul 11, 2013
Chinas military has the worlds most active and diverse ballistic missile program, with an expanding inventory of nuclear warheads that can reach the U.S., according to a Pentagon intelligence report.
The arsenal includes a new submarine-launched JL-2 ballistic missile that will for the first time let Chinese submarines target parts of the U.S. from near Chinas coast, the National Air and Space Intelligence Center said in a new assessment obtained by Bloomberg News.
Enlarge image
China is expanding its missile programs as the Pentagon pursues a policy of putting more emphasis on U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific region. Source: AFP via Getty Images
Attachment: Missile Report
Enlarge image
A Chinese boy stands on a boat carrying sea-to-air missiles at the Military Museum in Beijing. Photographer: Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
China is boosting its missile program under a broader military modernization plan thats seen the countrys defense spending more than double since 2006. Chinas neighbors including Japan and the Philippines have expressed concern that its government is becoming more aggressive in the region, as the U.S. also puts new emphasis on forces in the Asia-Pacific.
Some of Chinas weapons are specifically designed to prevent adversary military forces access to regional conflicts, the report said. Its an update to one released in 2009.
China is developing and testing new missiles, upgrading older systems, forming new missile units and working on ways to counter missile defenses, the report said. The number of Chinese nuclear warheads capable of hitting the U.S. could expand to well over 100 within the next 15 years, it said.
China is in territorial disputes across the region, with nations including Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam. A Japanese defense report released June 9 said China is trying to change the regional status quo by force. China Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying responded by saying Japan has been spreading the so-called China threat, creating regional tension.
Missile Technology
The conclusions on China are part of a report that surveys world developments in ballistic-missile technology and trends, including in North Korea, Iran, India and Pakistan.
The National Air and Space Intelligence Center, located at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, is the Pentagons top provider of aerospace intelligence.
The report repeats the intelligence communitys long-standing assessment that Iran could develop and test an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the U.S. by 2015.
It also recounts Irans recent history of missile launches and modification of the Shahab-3 medium range missile thats capable of reaching Israel.
Iran Ambitions
Iran has ambitious ballistic and space-launch development programs and continues to attempt to increase the range, lethality and accuracy of its missile force, it said.
Iranian military units continue to train extensively in highly publicized exercises that enable these forces to hone wartime operational skills and evolve new tactics, the report said.
Iran also is fielding increased numbers of theater ballistic missiles, improving its existing inventory and is developing the technical capability to produce an ICBM, it said.
North Korea, the report said, recently unveiled the new, road-mobile Hwasong-13 ICBM and continues to develop the Taepo Dong-2 which could reach the United States if developed as an ICBM.
The nation also maintains a large inventory of short-range missiles and is developing an intermediate-range weapon, said the report.
Both the Hwasong-13 and Taepo Dong-2 have maximum ranges of at least 5,500 kilometers (3,420 miles).
Continued efforts to develop the TD-2 and the newly unveiled ICBM show the determination of North Korea to achieve long-range ballistic missile and space launch capabilities, the report said. North Korea has exported ballistic missile systems and will probably continue to do so.
China Has World