China, Iran and Russia can easily attack US aircraft carriers with new technology

[Tiqiu]

A few point I would like to point out.

1.) US aircraft carrier have an un-overheated top speed of 32 knots, OH speed are classified. And no, it's engineering impossible to track a ship by predicting its course, simply there are too much variable. Tracking must be done real time. which mean it need to calibrate the satellite to basically fly above your target, then start tracking before you lose feed.

2.) You cannot move the satellite to track your target, all you can do is to gain control of minor adjustment, each satellite have their own manuveroability envelope. I don't know (And most likely so did you) about the GF-4 envelope but most likely it would have been the same envelope as with Western Satellite. Which will give anywhere between 6 to 10 degree movement.

3.) What you are talking about is IMGINT. which is completely different than Target Tracking (ISTAR), you can look at some picture with high grade resolution does not mean you can track your target in real time. And also, ISTAR have a pre-requisite that was to have a constant survellience capability on target. Satellite will move out of target area, which would not give a continuous picture of any given target. Satellite are never good for ISTAR.

You can have the GF-4 loop thru the US Naval Base each day, probably twice daily to a maximum of 7 times a day), but the best you can do is for a GF-4 to tell you the US carrier have left port before previous interval and you will not be pick it up with a one directional search (Satellite can only orbit in one direction) with a GF-4 or any other satellite, unless you are really that lucky that the carrier sail the same direction as your satellite orbit.

I think you watch way too many movie and overestimating what a spy satellite can do. Real world does not work like 24 (The TV series) at all, on TV, they will have a satellite when they need one. In Real life, if you need a satellite, you will need to wait until it enter your target area. They are actually only ever able to give you a hint. Not enough to track anything, if they can, it won't take us 11 years to find Osama Bin Laden

[EDIT] Just read up some article on GF-4. Apparently it is an GEO orbit satellite (which mean they are constantly overhead on the same patch of land). Well, it have a effective surveillance area of 7000kmx7000km. Which means the satellite only effective when the Carrier enter the surveillance area........[/QUOTE
"Well, it have a effective surveillance area of 7000kmx7000km. Which means the satellite only effective when the Carrier enter the surveillance area........"

This is the whole point for the developing of GF4 alike, the first of this kind in the world. Since nobody ,apart from the Chinese developing team members, knows precisely how or how effectively it works, so we just have to take whatever were said from all sides and judge thereupon by common sense. There is no right or wrong, only plausible or not.

 

[Tiqiu]

400,000m divide 50m = 8,000 x 8,000 equal 64,000,000 dot pixel.
You didn't count weather aspect, night aspect...
and as photography, electronic noise.

Why we must count on noise level, because we are talking about pixel level.
You know there're noises added to the image, they don't represent for any real thing.

The big problem isn't identifying an A/C from other oil tanker, but identifying which some pixels are ships, which are cloud and their shadows on Earth, which are LEO satellites, which are asteroids which some pixels are just noise. I must tell you even GF-4 can't capture pixels of an A/C because the contrast level is very low. It's not as high as an ongoing big fire in the forest at night.

One of the situation is you found thousands to millions suspected pixel arrays, and technically can't investigate all of them in more details during limited time.

Image noise - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That is why we see a host of different types of satellites, Optical image, SAR, infrared etc operating at deferent obits. They have to work in conjunction to eliminate all the possibilities you raised. Finding ac is a process of elimination I think.

 

[j20blackdragon]

The GF-4 doesn't need to provide high-detail pictures of the carrier. It simply needs to track the aircraft carrier sized 'pixels' that is moving at 30-40 knots. Oil tankers don't move at those speeds.

Moreover, the combined wake left by an aircraft carrier strike group sailing together is unmistakable. The wake is also much larger than the ship itself.

 

[MarkusS]

"China, Iran and Russia can easily attack US aircraft carriers with new technology"

the entire topic is a nobrainer. Come back when you have a functional plan for colonizing mars. Evrything else is worthless bullshit.

 

[j20blackdragon]

Also, my 'crazy' idea of 10,000 trucks carrying 30,000 Tomahawk Block IV isn't as crazy as you think once you do the math.

Let's say one cruise missile is $1 million each.
10,000 cruise missiles would be $10 billion.
30,000 cruise missiles would be $30 billion.

China just paid $43 Billion for Syngenta recently.

You think China can't afford it? Want to check China's GDP?
The World Factbook

 

[BoQ77]

The GF-4 doesn't need to provide high-detail pictures of the carrier. It simply needs to track the aircraft carrier sized 'pixels' that is moving at 30-40 knots. Oil tankers don't move at those speeds.

Tell us how "GF-4 track the aircraft carrier that moving at 30-40knots?"
You imagine the PACMAN game ? when every object pixel was displayed clearly on a dark background
I doubt about that ability.

 

[jhungary]

"Well, it have a effective surveillance area of 7000kmx7000km. Which means the satellite only effective when the Carrier enter the surveillance area........"

This is the whole point for the developing of GF4 alike, the first of this kind in the world. Since nobody ,apart from the Chinese developing team members, knows precisely how or how effectively it works, so we just have to take whatever were said from all sides and judge thereupon by common sense. There is no right or wrong, only plausible or not.

The problem is, we don't need to know what we don't know, we only need to know what we know.

IMGINT and STAR or ISTAR is two different concept. I can use a satellite and look at what youre up to, but I cannot use a Satellite to try and track you real time.

That's simply because it take time to process image and any intelligence article. and when it takes time to process those intelligence, then you have something we called "Operational Delay" that is why when we have an intelligence briefing, we always say "These image are accurate as of XX:XX" or this "intel is accurate as of XX:XX" (XX:XX is time)

For STAR or ISTAR, tracking must be done in real time, meaning you cannot have operational delay. And when you track a target using Satellite imagery, you need to first identify the target from your image, and then compare to the previous and next image. Those are operational delay.

As for how long is that delay? Let me give you a for instant, the team that is currently looking for MH370 going over the SAT image of South Pacific at a rate of 300 sq kilometre a day (That's roughly 17x17km). GF-4 have a resolution of 7000x7000 you do the maths......And all in all, you don't actually know what you are looking for, as the satellite may or may not capture the aircraft carrier at all, so basically, you are saying you can track an item in real time when it take at least a few days to process one image and there are no indication at all whether or not any image would have spotted the aircraft carrier?

Well, I know China have a very advance manufacturer capability, but this is way too much to make it true.....

 

[gambit]

The problem is, we don't need to know what we don't know, we only need to know what we know.

IMGINT and STAR or ISTAR is two different concept. I can use a satellite and look at what youre up to, but I cannot use a Satellite to try and track you real time.

That's simply because it take time to process image and any intelligence article. and when it takes time to process those intelligence, then you have something we called "Operational Delay" that is why when we have an intelligence briefing, we always say "These image are accurate as of XX:XX" or this "intel is accurate as of XX:XX" (XX:XX is time)

For STAR or ISTAR, tracking must be done in real time, meaning you cannot have operational delay. And when you track a target using Satellite imagery, you need to first identify the target from your image, and then compare to the previous and next image. Those are operational delay.

As for how long is that delay? Let me give you a for instant, the team that is currently looking for MH370 going over the SAT image of South Pacific at a rate of 300 sq kilometre a day (That's roughly 17x17km). GF-4 have a resolution of 7000x7000 you do the maths......And all in all, you don't actually know what you are looking for, as the satellite may or may not capture the aircraft carrier at all, so basically, you are saying you can track an item in real time when it take at least a few days to process one image and there are no indication at all whether or not any image would have spotted the aircraft carrier?

Well, I know China have a very advance manufacturer capability, but this is way too much to make it true.....

These little bits of knowledge are rare in the public domain. These guys can only look up the general capabilities of <something> and grossly exaggerate its effects, usually in the wrong directions. I have Chinese friends who interprets the Chinese forums for me and they are doing/saying the same wrong things.

 

[jhungary]

These little bits of knowledge are rare in the public domain. These guys can only look up the general capabilities of <something> and grossly exaggerate its effects, usually in the wrong directions. I have Chinese friends who interprets the Chinese forums for me and they are doing/saying the same wrong things.

Then again, what do I know?? For them, I am just a floor mopping private which don't know anything or are not qualified to fight in the frontline.....lol

Anyway, you cannot find those information (The term maybe) in public domain, most of these capability are closely guarded secret, most people in this world would not ever attend one intelligence briefing in his/her life, let alone knowing the term.

 

[BoQ77]

Also, my 'crazy' idea of 10,000 trucks carrying 30,000 Tomahawk Block IV isn't as crazy as you think once you do the math.

Let's say one cruise missile is $1 million each.
10,000 cruise missiles would be $10 billion.
30,000 cruise missiles would be $30 billion.

China just paid $43 Billion for Syngenta recently.

You think China can't afford it? Want to check China's GDP?
The World Factbook

LOL 1 single cent for business make profit.

30,000 long range missiles and 10,000 trucks for transport,
and radars, logistics, command post .. storage,
and personnels to operate
and cost for maintenance, ... annual expenses
They would be sumed up at hundreds to thousand billion
This idea could be comparable to F-35 project in budget.
And earn no profit.

As for how long is that delay? Let me give you a for instant, the team that is currently looking for MH370 going over the SAT image of South Pacific at a rate of 300 sq kilometre a day (That's roughly 17x17km). GF-4 have a resolution of 7000x7000 you do the maths......And all in all, you don't actually know what you are looking for, as the satellite may or may not capture the aircraft carrier at all, so basically, you are saying you can track an item in real time when it take at least a few days to process one image and there are no indication at all whether or not any image would have spotted the aircraft carrier?

GF-4 taken square area of 400kmx400km for a single photo at resolution 8000x8000 ( 50m per pixel ).
Firstly, each color layer was taken ,
they could be used separately or mixed up to a full color photo.
All needed processing to capture, record, transfer,... and it's a matter of fact, including some image noise.
To identify an array of suspect pixels is a big ship or not, it's extremely hard. And takes much time and extra supplied information. The result could be thousands suspects.
If they request tracking the difference, GF-4 would take another photo at the same site, and another, others....

There're 18x18 =324 squares that's the times of GF-4 to rotate its lenses and take another photo and identify suspect pixels and ... thousand more suspect pixel arrays each time
and tracking the difference by taken hundreds to thousands photos at the same site and transfer to land based and identify the suspects ... and

and looping.

mention that a single photo is a 64 megapixel photo, and in RAW format, because any compression has losses of data. A single pixel lost or a single pixel added would make the investigation much harder or failed.

I dont know exact volume for that file but it's about 3GB each.
1000 of those would be 3TB. And 1000 is nearly nothing.

 

[Tiqiu]

For STAR or ISTAR, tracking must be done in real time, meaning you cannot have operational delay

Bingo.
In 2015, China launched 4 micro-satellites into orbit;
By 2016, China will have 16 in orbit, completing the network of micro-satellites which will provide data refreshing of any spot on earth in 3-4 hours;
By 2020, there will be 60 in orbit, refreshing rate is less than 30 minutes;
By 2030, there will be 138, refreshing rate is less than 10 minutes.

It seems for effectively targeting ac by DF21 a refreshment rate of less than 45 or even 30 minutes is needed. But since we are talking about finding ac around SCS or West Pacific as far as China is concerned , not in any spot on earth here, so I think with those more than 20 satellites (JB/ GF series) already in orbit, it is not too ambitious to make such claim as the said heading of this thread.

I have Chinese friends who interprets the Chinese forums for me and they are doing/saying the same wrong things.

I am interested to know how your Chinese friends will interpret this to you..........

原标题:中国实时侦察卫星获突破：射138颗卫星全球任意点10分钟刷新
中国实时侦察卫星网获突破：全球10分钟刷新_新闻_腾讯网

【科罗廖夫谈军事栏目第18期】自从人类第一颗实用的照相侦察卫星——美国的“发现者-1号”在1959年发生成功，获得了第一盒来自太空的胶片，多数光 学遥感卫星都是为军事侦察服务的。直到2000年美国决定将以前严格保密的分辨率达1米的侦察卫星照片开放给民间实用，世界光学遥感卫星领域发生了革命性 的变化，有光学侦察卫星研制能力的国家，纷纷发射了一批分辨率在1米以下的民用光学遥感卫星，例如中国的高分一号/二号卫星。目前谷歌等地图应用所使用的 卫星图像，多数来自于这些民用高分别率照相卫星。

读者在看本文时，请自动在脑海里将“尖兵”、“侦察”等军事词汇替换成“遥感”等民用中性词。原因很明确，在理论上中国不存在军事侦察卫星，我们所有发射的卫星都是为了国计民生服务的，例如农业普查、水文调查、救灾减灾等等。

中国对从太空中观察地球的兴趣一直很强烈，从1975年起中国用40年的努力，建成了一个规模仅次于美国，由多颗不同遥感手段组成的全球对地观测网。

1975年中国发射了第一颗光学照相侦察卫星“尖兵一号”，至2000年共发射了25颗尖兵系列返回式照相侦察卫星。这些 卫星分为四代，包括“尖兵一号”、“尖兵1A”、“尖兵1B”“尖兵二号”、“尖兵三号”、“尖兵四号”。尖兵系列侦察卫星共有三个系列，9个型号，其中 返回式普查和详查卫星5型，CCD光电成像数据传输型侦察卫星2型，合成孔径雷达成像侦察卫星2型。地面分辨率在2005年发射的神舟五号飞船安装的大口 径光学侦察相机上首次实现1米以下的亚米级分别率，很巧的是神舟五号的飞行轨道会掠过台湾岛上空，估计一定拍摄了很多岛上的风景名胜。 从2006年开始，中国陆续发射资源一号01/02C、资源2号卫星，资源三号、环境一号ABC等卫星。数量高达二十余 颗。目前在太空中服役的有“资源”、“高分”、“实践”、“遥感”等十几颗卫星，通过光学、红外、雷达成像进行对地普查和详查观测。其中高分系列已实现 0.8米的民用分别率，据信军用卫星的分别率可达0.5米。 中国正在规划一个全世界规模最大的遥感卫星体系。预计在十三五规划末期实现初级应用。 为了实现大范围的凝视观测。中国还即将发射高度3.6万公里的静止轨道凝视侦察卫星，从而实现全球静止轨道实时侦察，目前分辨率为50米，还不足以精确地获取目标信息。需要低轨道遥感卫星进一步详查，这样就同时带来低轨道高分辨率卫星的刷新率不足问题。 【科罗廖夫谈军事栏目第18期】为了实现半小时甚至更短的卫星重访率和信息刷新率，中国又研制了分别率0.7米、10分钟 刷新率的高时间分别率、灵巧 成像侦察卫星的星座群。目前这个星座群的名称为“吉林一号”，其首批四颗卫星将于今年的10月份发射升空。当然，“吉林一号”卫星显而易见的一个“民用”
卫星，请世界人民不要做过多解读。据吉林晚报报道，我国首颗商用遥感小卫星——“吉林一号”将于今年10月进行“一箭四星”发射。吉林一号由4颗小卫星组 成，包括1颗主星——吉林一号光学A星，主要用于获取高分辨图像，地面分辨率可达0.7米；1颗搭载星——灵巧成像验证星，主要用于航天新技术验证，灵巧 成像也叫推扫成像，是遥感卫星为克服太阳轨道造成拍摄地区东西轴向幅宽和精度不足的弱点，通过卫星镜头的姿态摇摆控制，形成宽幅高精度图像，这在对地观测 领域是个革命性的跨越；2颗搭载星——灵巧成像视频星，能够以视频的模式对地拍摄，特别适用于需要短时高刷新率、对运动目标的侦察。高分灵巧成像卫星采用“星载一体化”的设计方法，具有减轻卫星质量、缩小体积、提高结构功能密度、减少结构部件数量等优点。发射后，将广泛应用于农林等资源管理、环境监测、土地规划、地理测绘等多个领域。

根据媒体公开报道，微小卫星规划分为四个阶段： 第一阶段，2015年，发射在轨卫星4颗，其中2颗视频星，1颗推扫星，1颗实验星; 第二阶段，2016年，在轨卫星16颗，完成首次组网，实现对全球任意地点3至4小时内数据更新; 第三阶段，2020年，在轨卫星60颗，可实现全球任意地点30分钟内数据更新; 第四阶段，2030年，实现在轨运行138颗卫星，形成全天时、全天候、全谱段数据获取和全球任意点10分钟以内重访能力，可提供全球最高的时间分辨率和空间分辨率的航天信息产品。 根据中国远程导弹武器所需的目标指示刷新率，例如东风-21D和东风-26中远程弹道导弹，以及长剑系列远程巡航导弹，以 强敌航空母舰为目标时，在进行侦察、目标指示和弹道规划时，需要保持45分钟甚至半小时的目标刷新率，以实现近于实时的数据更新。这意味着，到2020 年，中国将建成一个全球实时侦察卫星网络，全球任意地点的刷新率达到半小时以内，到2030年，实现在10分钟内对全球任意地点重访刷新。 这是一种可怕的能力，美国航母将像澡盆里的塑料鸭子，无所遁形！

 

[jhungary]

Bingo.
In 2015, China launched 4 micro-satellites into orbit;
By 2016, China will have 16 in orbit, completing the network of micro-satellites which will provide data refreshing of any spot on earth in 3-4 hours;
By 2020, there will be 60 in orbit, refreshing rate is less than 30 minutes;
By 2030, there will be 138, refreshing rate is less than 10 minutes.

It seems for effectively targeting ac by DF21 a refreshment rate of less than 45 or even 30 minutes is needed. But since we are talking about finding ac around SCS or West Pacific as far as China is concerned , not in any spot on earth here, so I think with those more than 20 satellites (JB/ GF series) already in orbit, it is not too ambitious to make such claim as the said heading of this thread.

I am interested to know how your Chinese friends will interpret this to you..........

原标题:中国实时侦察卫星获突破：射138颗卫星全球任意点10分钟刷新
中国实时侦察卫星网获突破：全球10分钟刷新_新闻_腾讯网

【科罗廖夫谈军事栏目第18期】自从人类第一颗实用的照相侦察卫星——美国的“发现者-1号”在1959年发生成功，获得了第一盒来自太空的胶片，多数光 学遥感卫星都是为军事侦察服务的。直到2000年美国决定将以前严格保密的分辨率达1米的侦察卫星照片开放给民间实用，世界光学遥感卫星领域发生了革命性 的变化，有光学侦察卫星研制能力的国家，纷纷发射了一批分辨率在1米以下的民用光学遥感卫星，例如中国的高分一号/二号卫星。目前谷歌等地图应用所使用的 卫星图像，多数来自于这些民用高分别率照相卫星。

读者在看本文时，请自动在脑海里将“尖兵”、“侦察”等军事词汇替换成“遥感”等民用中性词。原因很明确，在理论上中国不存在军事侦察卫星，我们所有发射的卫星都是为了国计民生服务的，例如农业普查、水文调查、救灾减灾等等。

中国对从太空中观察地球的兴趣一直很强烈，从1975年起中国用40年的努力，建成了一个规模仅次于美国，由多颗不同遥感手段组成的全球对地观测网。

1975年中国发射了第一颗光学照相侦察卫星“尖兵一号”，至2000年共发射了25颗尖兵系列返回式照相侦察卫星。这些 卫星分为四代，包括“尖兵一号”、“尖兵1A”、“尖兵1B”“尖兵二号”、“尖兵三号”、“尖兵四号”。尖兵系列侦察卫星共有三个系列，9个型号，其中 返回式普查和详查卫星5型，CCD光电成像数据传输型侦察卫星2型，合成孔径雷达成像侦察卫星2型。地面分辨率在2005年发射的神舟五号飞船安装的大口 径光学侦察相机上首次实现1米以下的亚米级分别率，很巧的是神舟五号的飞行轨道会掠过台湾岛上空，估计一定拍摄了很多岛上的风景名胜。 从2006年开始，中国陆续发射资源一号01/02C、资源2号卫星，资源三号、环境一号ABC等卫星。数量高达二十余 颗。目前在太空中服役的有“资源”、“高分”、“实践”、“遥感”等十几颗卫星，通过光学、红外、雷达成像进行对地普查和详查观测。其中高分系列已实现 0.8米的民用分别率，据信军用卫星的分别率可达0.5米。 中国正在规划一个全世界规模最大的遥感卫星体系。预计在十三五规划末期实现初级应用。 为了实现大范围的凝视观测。中国还即将发射高度3.6万公里的静止轨道凝视侦察卫星，从而实现全球静止轨道实时侦察，目前分辨率为50米，还不足以精确地获取目标信息。需要低轨道遥感卫星进一步详查，这样就同时带来低轨道高分辨率卫星的刷新率不足问题。 【科罗廖夫谈军事栏目第18期】为了实现半小时甚至更短的卫星重访率和信息刷新率，中国又研制了分别率0.7米、10分钟 刷新率的高时间分别率、灵巧 成像侦察卫星的星座群。目前这个星座群的名称为“吉林一号”，其首批四颗卫星将于今年的10月份发射升空。当然，“吉林一号”卫星显而易见的一个“民用”
卫星，请世界人民不要做过多解读。据吉林晚报报道，我国首颗商用遥感小卫星——“吉林一号”将于今年10月进行“一箭四星”发射。吉林一号由4颗小卫星组 成，包括1颗主星——吉林一号光学A星，主要用于获取高分辨图像，地面分辨率可达0.7米；1颗搭载星——灵巧成像验证星，主要用于航天新技术验证，灵巧 成像也叫推扫成像，是遥感卫星为克服太阳轨道造成拍摄地区东西轴向幅宽和精度不足的弱点，通过卫星镜头的姿态摇摆控制，形成宽幅高精度图像，这在对地观测 领域是个革命性的跨越；2颗搭载星——灵巧成像视频星，能够以视频的模式对地拍摄，特别适用于需要短时高刷新率、对运动目标的侦察。高分灵巧成像卫星采用“星载一体化”的设计方法，具有减轻卫星质量、缩小体积、提高结构功能密度、减少结构部件数量等优点。发射后，将广泛应用于农林等资源管理、环境监测、土地规划、地理测绘等多个领域。

根据媒体公开报道，微小卫星规划分为四个阶段： 第一阶段，2015年，发射在轨卫星4颗，其中2颗视频星，1颗推扫星，1颗实验星; 第二阶段，2016年，在轨卫星16颗，完成首次组网，实现对全球任意地点3至4小时内数据更新; 第三阶段，2020年，在轨卫星60颗，可实现全球任意地点30分钟内数据更新; 第四阶段，2030年，实现在轨运行138颗卫星，形成全天时、全天候、全谱段数据获取和全球任意点10分钟以内重访能力，可提供全球最高的时间分辨率和空间分辨率的航天信息产品。 根据中国远程导弹武器所需的目标指示刷新率，例如东风-21D和东风-26中远程弹道导弹，以及长剑系列远程巡航导弹，以 强敌航空母舰为目标时，在进行侦察、目标指示和弹道规划时，需要保持45分钟甚至半小时的目标刷新率，以实现近于实时的数据更新。这意味着，到2020 年，中国将建成一个全球实时侦察卫星网络，全球任意地点的刷新率达到半小时以内，到2030年，实现在10分钟内对全球任意地点重访刷新。 这是一种可怕的能力，美国航母将像澡盆里的塑料鸭子，无所遁形！

lol, I am not talking about refresh rate from a Satellite. Rather, how do you know what you are looking for in the first place.

I don't know if I can tell you in detail (as this is quite classified) but in general, we look at a "Computer Assisted" picture which then you have to use your own eyes. To basically distinguish between a normal freighter, a ship or an island.

We don't need to know what is the capability of GF-4 to determine this is not possible to track an item in real time and by the time you have finished the before and after picture, you already lose at least days to track the item.

Trying to track a ship using SATIMG is like trying to track a stars location and plot their orbit, it takes months just to distinguish between the star you are looking for and the star someone else is tracking. Unless one day anyone develop a computer to 100% filter out what you want on a SATIMG within minutes, you will be hit by millions of pixel which was picked up as a "False Positive" and you have to eliminate all these "False Positive" by human eyes. Once you have done that , then you have to go back and do the one slide before and one slide after.

Maybe I have already said too much..........

But in any case, it is impossible for any Satellite to track an object in real time, at best you can shorten the time frame you need, but any ISTAR scenario would require real time solution, even 30 minutes you said is too much. Because you will lose track when a ASBM enter terminal guidance, and if your lag or delay is 30 minutes, then your missile is heading to where the Aircraft Carrier were 30 minutes ago, in a ship doing 30 knots, you are talking about 28 km in gap.....

 

[Tiqiu]

lol, I am not talking about refresh rate from a Satellite. Rather, how do you know what you are looking for in the first place.

This is the whole purpose of the creation of the GF-4. As quoted by Popular Science Australia: "The Gaofen 4 is the world's most powerful GEO spy satellite. It has a color image resolution of slightly less than 50 meters (which is enough to track aircraft carriers by their wake at sea) and a thermal imaging resolution of 400m (good for spotting forest fires). It may also have a lower resolution video streaming capacity. Because of its round-the-clock coverage of Chinese territory and near aboard, Gaofen 4 can provide instant coverage of earthquake or typhoon hit areas to support humanitarian relief. It will also allow China to monitor strategic foreign sites such as WMD facilities and naval bases inside its observation box."

So I would just believe this over your opinion in my opinion.

Gaofen 4, The World's Most Powerful GEO Spy Satellite, Continues China's Great Leap Forward Into Space | Space | Australian Popular Science
Gaofen 4, The World's Most Powerful GEO Spy Satellite, Continues China's Great Leap Forward Into Space
Jeffrey Lin and P.W. Singer
at 13:59 PM Jan 11 2016

Space //
On December 28, 2015, a Long March 3B/G2 rocket launched from Xichang and lofted into space the 4.6 ton Gaofen-4 imaging satellite.

Gaofen 4 Orbit

The GEO orbit of Gaofen 4 means that it can maintain continuous coverage of Chinese territory and surrounding areas. It's also the most powerful GEO satellite, good enough to track aircraft carriers in near real time from space.
Billed as a disaster relief satellite, the Gaofen 4 was placed in Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO). GEO satellites constantly stay above a patch of Earth, thus providing constant 24 hour surveillance of a geographic area. By contrast, low earth orbit (LEO) satellites such as the U.S. KH-11 spy satellites are closer to the Earth, so their speed exceeds that of the Earth's rotation (meaning that they cannot maintain continuous surveillance over specific locations). In the Gaofen 4's case, its range of view is a 7,000km by 7,000km box of 49 million square kilometers of Asian land and water in and around China.

Gaofen 4

The 4.6 ton Gaofen 4 is the most powerful GEO spy satellite, with a imaging resolution of under 50 meters in color, and 400 meters for thermal imaging.


The Gaofen 4 is the world's most powerful GEO spy satellite. It has a color image resolution of slightly less than 50 meters (which is enough to track aircraft carriers by their wake at sea) and a thermal imaging resolution of 400m (good for spotting forest fires). It may also have a lower resolution video streaming capacity. Because of its round-the-clock coverage of Chinese territory and near aboard, Gaofen 4 can provide instant coverage of earthquake or typhoon hit areas to support humanitarian relief. It will also allow China to monitor strategic foreign sites such as WMD facilities and naval bases inside its observation box.

The high ground

As a high orbiting GEO satellite, the Gaofen 4 would be very difficult to attack with anti-satellite weapons.

Jilin Constellation

When the Jilin satellite constellation is completed in 2030, it will have 138 small satellites that provide a snapshot of any place on Earth every ten minutes.
The satellite is part of the dual use China High-Resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS), which already has five other satellites (Gaofen 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8). This fits within a larger program of radar, imaging, hyperspectral and atmosphere monitoring satellites that will support Chinese civilian missions like agriculture, construction, disaster relief and climate change monitoring. Of course, the Chinese Aerospace Force (a new branch of the PLA following its December 2015 reorganization) could easily make use of such satellites during Chinese military operations. Also of interest is the Jilin LEO imaging satellites (sponsored by the Jilin Provincial government); the first four Jilin satellites launched in October 2015 and already have 80cm imaging resolution. By 2030, the Jilin constellation will have 138 imaging, high-resolution small satellites that provide all weather coverage of any point on Earth, at 10 minute intervals.

GEO Spy Satellite

This scientific article by Beijing Institute of Space Mechanics and Electricity's Zhang Yue, Wang Chao, Su Yuan and Jiao Jianchao, describes temperature control on a 20+ meter diameter mirror made of optical membrane foil (a smaller satellite can unfold the optical membrane foil to create a larger lens to enable higher resolution). DARPA is also looking at similar concepts to meet American IMINT needs.
With a lifespan of 8 years, the Gaofen 4 will likely be superseded by future GEO observation satellites with higher resolution imaging capabilities. One intriguing possibility is revealed in a study from a Chinese engineering journal. Enterprising scientists propose that a future GEO spy satellite could deploy a foldable telescope lens of over 20 meters diameter, which could be powerful enough provide sub 1-meter resolution (similar to Ball Aerospace and DARPA's Membrane Optics program). Such a futuristic GEO spy satellite wouldn't just be able to find interesting targets like aircraft carriers and missile launcher trucks, it could beam back real time video streams of enemy forces underway.

 

[BoQ77]

As American said, their aircraft carrier is an indicator.
When an aircraft carrier was attacked by a superpower, it's time for nuclear attack from US.

 

[jhungary]

This is the whole purpose of the creation of the GF-4. As quoted by Popular Science Australia: "The Gaofen 4 is the world's most powerful GEO spy satellite. It has a color image resolution of slightly less than 50 meters (which is enough to track aircraft carriers by their wake at sea) and a thermal imaging resolution of 400m (good for spotting forest fires). It may also have a lower resolution video streaming capacity. Because of its round-the-clock coverage of Chinese territory and near aboard, Gaofen 4 can provide instant coverage of earthquake or typhoon hit areas to support humanitarian relief. It will also allow China to monitor strategic foreign sites such as WMD facilities and naval bases inside its observation box."

So I would just believe this over your opinion in my opinion.

Gaofen 4, The World's Most Powerful GEO Spy Satellite, Continues China's Great Leap Forward Into Space | Space | Australian Popular Science
Gaofen 4, The World's Most Powerful GEO Spy Satellite, Continues China's Great Leap Forward Into Space
Jeffrey Lin and P.W. Singer
at 13:59 PM Jan 11 2016

Space //
On December 28, 2015, a Long March 3B/G2 rocket launched from Xichang and lofted into space the 4.6 ton Gaofen-4 imaging satellite.

Gaofen 4 Orbit

The GEO orbit of Gaofen 4 means that it can maintain continuous coverage of Chinese territory and surrounding areas. It's also the most powerful GEO satellite, good enough to track aircraft carriers in near real time from space.
Billed as a disaster relief satellite, the Gaofen 4 was placed in Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO). GEO satellites constantly stay above a patch of Earth, thus providing constant 24 hour surveillance of a geographic area. By contrast, low earth orbit (LEO) satellites such as the U.S. KH-11 spy satellites are closer to the Earth, so their speed exceeds that of the Earth's rotation (meaning that they cannot maintain continuous surveillance over specific locations). In the Gaofen 4's case, its range of view is a 7,000km by 7,000km box of 49 million square kilometers of Asian land and water in and around China.

Gaofen 4

The 4.6 ton Gaofen 4 is the most powerful GEO spy satellite, with a imaging resolution of under 50 meters in color, and 400 meters for thermal imaging.


The Gaofen 4 is the world's most powerful GEO spy satellite. It has a color image resolution of slightly less than 50 meters (which is enough to track aircraft carriers by their wake at sea) and a thermal imaging resolution of 400m (good for spotting forest fires). It may also have a lower resolution video streaming capacity. Because of its round-the-clock coverage of Chinese territory and near aboard, Gaofen 4 can provide instant coverage of earthquake or typhoon hit areas to support humanitarian relief. It will also allow China to monitor strategic foreign sites such as WMD facilities and naval bases inside its observation box.

The high ground

As a high orbiting GEO satellite, the Gaofen 4 would be very difficult to attack with anti-satellite weapons.

Jilin Constellation

When the Jilin satellite constellation is completed in 2030, it will have 138 small satellites that provide a snapshot of any place on Earth every ten minutes.
The satellite is part of the dual use China High-Resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS), which already has five other satellites (Gaofen 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8). This fits within a larger program of radar, imaging, hyperspectral and atmosphere monitoring satellites that will support Chinese civilian missions like agriculture, construction, disaster relief and climate change monitoring. Of course, the Chinese Aerospace Force (a new branch of the PLA following its December 2015 reorganization) could easily make use of such satellites during Chinese military operations. Also of interest is the Jilin LEO imaging satellites (sponsored by the Jilin Provincial government); the first four Jilin satellites launched in October 2015 and already have 80cm imaging resolution. By 2030, the Jilin constellation will have 138 imaging, high-resolution small satellites that provide all weather coverage of any point on Earth, at 10 minute intervals.

GEO Spy Satellite

This scientific article by Beijing Institute of Space Mechanics and Electricity's Zhang Yue, Wang Chao, Su Yuan and Jiao Jianchao, describes temperature control on a 20+ meter diameter mirror made of optical membrane foil (a smaller satellite can unfold the optical membrane foil to create a larger lens to enable higher resolution). DARPA is also looking at similar concepts to meet American IMINT needs.
With a lifespan of 8 years, the Gaofen 4 will likely be superseded by future GEO observation satellites with higher resolution imaging capabilities. One intriguing possibility is revealed in a study from a Chinese engineering journal. Enterprising scientists propose that a future GEO spy satellite could deploy a foldable telescope lens of over 20 meters diameter, which could be powerful enough provide sub 1-meter resolution (similar to Ball Aerospace and DARPA's Membrane Optics program). Such a futuristic GEO spy satellite wouldn't just be able to find interesting targets like aircraft carriers and missile launcher trucks, it could beam back real time video streams of enemy forces underway.

Well, First of all "Popular Science" are not actually anything substantiated or in any way or form authority. I can write a long paragraph and post it somewhere or some online magazine, that does not means they are true. By the way, they (Popular Science people) is ripping off the famous "Popular Mechanic" people in the US.

Beside, the article (Which I read a few days ago) were in a lot of contradiction to what I know when I use any satellite during my time as an military intelligence officer. For instant, the article said

It has a color image resolution of slightly less than 50 meters (which is enough to track aircraft carriers by their wake at sea

How do the Satellite know that is an Aircraft Carrier in the first place?

Satellite can pick out difference of 2 adjoined pixels, (like they can pick up if one is blue, next to it is black) but that just indicate that's something not "Continuous", so there must be "something" in between that two pixel. Modern technology is not that advance as to for your satellite can determine what kind of ship it is seeing in the picture. I don't think satellite can actually pick up if that "Abnormality" is a ship at all. To any computer, they are simply an unambiguous pixel.

To say or claim GF-4 can track an aircraft carrier over a certain boundary will be like saying your phone is telling you who is on the other side of the phone because the phone headset picking up the voice. It's impossible.

Beside, this is still not what I am talking about. But in any case, unless I produce a classified Geo-Satellite image and explain to you step by step on why and what is going on, I don't think you will EVER understand.