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China's Nuclear Strike Force

Yep, your commie motherland Vietnam will make a good practice for us. :lol:
Consider your Chinese motherland fortunate that American leaders are 'great and benevolent' enough to try to settle this diplomatically.
 
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China's DF-5 ICBM launch

I doubt that China will ever disclose the size of its nuclear arsenal. China wants to have it both ways. It wants to appear non-threatening. This is good for its corporate image.

On the other hand, it wants to keep the United States guessing and reap the benefit of deterrence. Also, China cannot reveal the actual size of its nuclear arsenal. Otherwise, it would have just volunteered to join U.S.-Russian disarmament talks.

However, it is possible to reach reasonable conclusions based on an analysis of open-source materials and obtain a sense of the size of China's nuclear arsenal. Let's take a close look at General Zhu Chenghu's outburst. Did he reveal China's nuclear secret in a moment of anger?

In July 2005, "a Chinese general has threatened to launch nuclear missiles at the United States, warning that hundreds of American cities could be destroyed." (See Chinese general threatens nuclear attack on US in war of words - Telegraph) Is it plausible that China had the capability to destroy hundreds of American cities in 2005 or was General Zhu completely nuts?

In 1998, Richard D. Fisher Jr. (see International Assessment and Strategy Center > Scholars > Richard Fisher, Jr.) was working "as Asian Studies Director at the Heritage Foundation" and he reported:

"Congress should question the confidence that the Clinton Administration and the defense intelligence community place on their own assessments of China's current missile force. Some reports that appeared in 1996 suggest the United States may be underestimating China's missile force. For example, during the 30th anniversary celebration of China's Second Artillery (its specialized missile force) in 1996, China's military press reported the completion of a decade-long project to build what is speculated to be a large missile base inside a mountain range.[27] A curious report that also appeared in 1996 estimates that China may have over 120 to 150 DF-5 missiles, which could be modified to carry as many as six one-megaton nuclear warheads.[28] If China is concealing ICBMs in a mountain base, then even marginal improvements to its ICBMs derived from U.S. technical know-how would contribute to a greater potential missile threat." (See Commercial Space Cooperation | The Heritage Foundation)

If Richard Fisher is correct about the 1996 reports, China had approximately 150 DF-5 ICBMs hidden in the 5,000 km Underground Great Wall. This makes sense. No one would spend a fortune and ten years to build a massive 3,000-mile ICBM complex under a mountain range to hide only a small handful of ICBMs. (See The Jamestown Foundation: single[tt_news]=35846&tx_ttnews[backPid]=459&no_cache=1 or China’s nuclear missiles hidden “underground maze” | WAREYE)

Nine years elapsed between Richard Fisher's reference to the 1996 estimate of 150 DF-5s and General Zhu's 2005 warning. Let's use a conservative estimate and say China built one new brigade each year, which is twelve DF-5 missiles. After nine years, China would have accumulated another 108 DF-5s by 2005.

General Zhu may have been referring to a total of 258 DF-5s hidden under thousands of miles of a Chinese mountain range. General Zhu may have been accurate in "warning that hundreds of American cities could be destroyed." While General Zhu's July 2005 outburst is useful for open-source analysis, he was unprofessional and deserved his public demotion in December 2005 (for possibly revealing a state secret). (See Shakeup of Top Chinese Military Command)

Anyway, it's now 2011 and the DF-5 ICBM story has taken another unexpected turn. In 1998, Richard Fisher wrote: "A curious report that also appeared in 1996 estimates that China may have over 120 to 150 DF-5 missiles, which could be modified to carry as many as six one-megaton nuclear warheads." (See Commercial Space Cooperation | The Heritage Foundation)

In September 2010, Richard Fisher reported: "This analyst has been told by Asian military sources that the DF-31A already carries three warheads and that one deployed DF-5B carries five or six warheads." (See China and START. Missile buildup may surpass U.S., Russia as they denuclearize)

From 2005 to 2011, China probably built another 66 DF-5 ICBMs. China's current total inventory of DF-5s is probably around 324 (e.g. 258 + 66 = 324). 324 DF-5s with each missile carrying "six one-megaton nuclear warheads" provide a nuclear deterrent of 1,944 one-megaton warheads.

In conclusion, it doesn't really matter how many more DF-31As (with 3 MIRVs) or DF-41s (with up to 10 MIRVs) that China builds. The Chinese most likely have had a substantial nuclear deterrent by 1996 or 2005.

Great article.

I have little doubt that the Chinese can pretty much destroy all US cities and all the major airbases and naval installations as well.

Into the future they will have a nuclear arsenal that will approach both the size and sophistication of that of the US by the end of the decade. The land-based ICBM force will then consist of hundreds of DF-41s and DF-31As. JL-2 and JL-3 SLBMs will be deployed on Type-094 and Type-096 SSBNs. Lastly this will be augmented by having air-launched nuclear cruise missiles and gravity bombs from a Chinese stealth bomber.
 
Great article.

I have little doubt that the Chinese can pretty much destroy all US cities and all the major airbases and naval installations as well.

Into the future they will have a nuclear arsenal that will approach both the size and sophistication of that of the US by the end of the decade. The land-based ICBM force will then consist of hundreds of DF-41s and DF-31As. JL-2 and JL-3 SLBMs will be deployed on Type-094 and Type-096 SSBNs. Lastly this will be augmented by having air-launched nuclear cruise missiles and gravity bombs from a Chinese stealth bomber.

The Americans have rules of engagement :D
 
In case anyone is wondering, China has plenty of uranium.

Uranium Mining

"Uranium Mining

China is estimated to mine 1,200 tons of uranium annually and is expected to stay at this level of production for the near future. China's first eight uranium mines were fully operational beginning in 1962-1965. Over the years, China has established a total of about 26 major uranium mines. Since the beginning of the opening and reform process, China's uranium mining industry has undergone extensive reorganization. China has reduced output and closed inefficient mines resulting in a reduction of personnel from 45,000 in 1984 to 8,500 in 1999. As part of its efforts to improve efficiency, China is focusing on in-situ and heap leach technologies. Improvements in management and technology have led to uranium mining facilities becoming three to four times more efficient.

China has traditionally located uranium processing facilities at or near uranium mines. China's "backbone" of uranium mining and metallurgy has traditionally been located in Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Hunan Provinces. However, in recent years uranium exploration has been focused on northwest and north China. There is potential for expanding the uranium mining facility at Yili Basin, Xinjiang where in-situ leach capacity is expected to reach approximately 400 tU/year. New production centers have been opened at the the Yining in-situ leaching facility, the Lantian heap leaching facility and the Benxi mine.

The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) reported that since 1954, China has located uranium deposits in more than 200 mining sites. China has an estimated 57,000 tons of uranium resources in the south and is exploring in the northwestern regions for further deposits. New uranium deposits have recently been discovered in Inner Mongolia and in Xinjiang Province.

Mr. Lu Youlin is director of the bureau of mining and metallurgy for CNNC.

The OECD and IAEA estimate China's uranium resources at 64,000 tons: (chart)"

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China finds 30,000 T uranium deposit -State TV | Energy & Oil | Reuters

"China finds 30,000 T uranium deposit -State TV
Sat Dec 4, 2010 10:02am GMT

Dec 4 (Reuters) - BEIJING Dec 4 (Reuters) - China has found a major uranium deposit in Inner Mongolia holding an estimated 30,000 tonnes of the metal, state television reported on Saturday.

The discovery in China's mineral-rich Ordos region will help ensure the domestic supply of uranium for its expanding nuclear industry in coming decades, Zhang Jindai, chief geologist with China National Nuclear Corp, was quoted as saying by China's central television."

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China discovers uranium deposit in Xinjiang

"China discovers uranium deposit in Xinjiang
By Jon Nones
20 Feb 2008 at 11:23 AM

According to a short article by Commodity Online, China on Wednesday announced the discovery of 10,000-tonne level leaching sandstone-type uranium deposit in the northwest of the country.

According to an official statement from China's Mineral Ministry, Chinese geologists took 17 years to make this breakthrough discovery at Yili basin, which is in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The deposit could produce more than $40 billion worth of uranium, coal and associated minerals, with coal resources totaling more than 4 billion tonnes."

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China discovers more coal, oil, uranium and lithium

"China discovers more coal, oil, uranium and lithium
January 17, 2011

Chinese geologists have detected "super-thick" oil and gas-bearing stratums in the northern part of the South China Sea and identified 38 offshore oil and gas-bearing basins. The outskirts of Songliao Basin in Northeast China, Yin'e Basin in North China and Qiangtang Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have also been found to have rich oil and gas resources.

192.7 billion tons of coal resources have been found in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. China will be using 3.2 to 4.2 billion tons of coal per year from now until 2015 So the new discovery would provide China with about 40 years of coal supply.

Four 10,000-ton sandstone-type uranium mines have been located in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia. By 2020, China will be using about 20,000 tons of uranium per year using current once through reactors."
 
When ever I visit American defense sites, you never see constant bragging about nukes, as you do on these forums. A sign of maturity? Confidence? A deep fear in these other nations?
 
When ever I visit American defense sites, you never see constant bragging about nukes, as you do on these forums. A sign of maturity? Confidence? A deep fear in these other nations?

Transparency actually. China's nuclear arsenal is vastly under reported and hidden. Just giving out some facts for greater understanding.
 
When ever I visit American defense sites, you never see constant bragging about nukes, as you do on these forums. A sign of maturity? Confidence? A deep fear in these other nations?
Yes. Lack of. Yes.
 
When ever I visit American defense sites, you never see constant bragging about nukes, as you do on these forums. A sign of maturity? Confidence? A deep fear in these other nations?

If you don't like the thread, don't read it. No one is forcing you to read my analysis of China's nuclear forces.

Defense forums discuss China's nuclear arsenal. Deal with it.

Stop whining.
 
If you don't like the thread, don't read it. No one is forcing you to read my analysis of China's nuclear forces.

Defense forums talk about China's nuclear arsenal. Deal with it.

Stop whining.

No one forced you to read my reply either. I notice you take comfort in the arsenal of a country that is not yours (you have two US flags). I take it to mean you do not feel part of this country either. I would feel lost in such a situation.

(PS...watch Dr. Strangelove sometime..it will clear up why your fantasy of secret nukes is silly)
 
Let's examine Juice's allegation that other defense forums do not discuss China's nuclear forces.

On SinoDefence, which is based in the United Kingdom, and moderated by Popeye (an American veteran living in Iowa), there are three active threads on China's nuclear arsenal:

1. "China's Perspective on Nuclear Deterrence"

2. "PLA ICBM Force in 2016"

3. "China's DF-41"

To my knowledge, all defense forums discuss ICBMs. Perhaps you (Juice) don't belong in a defense forum. We are all T-Rexes in here and you appear to be a peace-loving plant eater.

I hate it when a peacenik shows up in a defense forum for armchair generals and keyboard warriors.
 
Let's examine Juice's allegation that other defense forums do not discuss China's nuclear forces.

On SinoDefence, which is based in the United Kingdom, and moderated by Popeye (an American living in Iowa), there are three active threads on China's nuclear arsenal:

1. "China's Perspective on Nuclear Deterrence"

2. "PLA ICBM Force in 2016"

3. "China's DF-41"

Juice, if you don't like my thread or the forum, you should consider frequenting only forums that don't discuss strategic weapons, like China's ICBMs.

Missing my point. Most American sites don't concentrate on them. I actually enjoy the read, I am more talking about other threads where half the posters are yelling nuke this, nuke that.

PS...did you get my "Strangelove" reference? Nuke are basically a deterent, secret ones are meaningless. I am sure if China had thousands, they would advertise the fact.
 
No one forced you to read my reply either. I notice you take comfort in the arsenal of a country that is not yours (you have two US flags). I take it to mean you do not feel part of this country either. I would feel lost in such a situation.

(PS...watch Dr. Strangelove sometime..it will clear up why your fantasy of secret nukes is silly)
The reason why these guys have such a casual attitude about nuclear weapons is because they have nothing but an abstract knowledge about them. They have never visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki (I have) and never served in the military, let alone know what a 'nuke' look like, whereas I often stood right next to such a weapon loaded on a 'Victor Alert' jet. The 'nukes' I knew then were smaller than the external fuel tanks on the next pylons. It was difficult to imagine the devastation such a small device can bring to a people. Yet there I was touching the thing and the aircraft I was tasked to support. That is why I had to laugh at their bravado about China's nuclear weapons and the ease these innocence allow them to such bravado.
 
The conventional TNT/nuclear warhead is not our only choice for DF-21D.

Our KKV technology allows us to project the metal rods as our MIRVed warheads.

This concept originally came from US 1980s Star Wars project against USSR, but we are just making its practicable.

Yeah, we have already made the successful experiments. Those space metal rods are deadly accurate and extremely devastating. A single space metal rod can vaporize an entire building structure without even having a small chunk of debris left. It is pretty comparable in term of the destructive power to a small tactical nuke. Yeah, it is pretty inhuman.

Nothing can survive against the impact produced by the velocity and the speed of Mach 20. Considering our great leaders are benevolent and they don't want to use this inhuman weapon against your people, so they may give you a last chance to apologize for your appalling behavior in the past.

Yep, your commie motherland Vietnam will make a good practice for us. :lol:
Hehe, we have the right to enrich uranium, if CHina threaten us with Nuke boom, we will ask US for the right to make Nuke also plus blocking your shipping line passing by our EEZ, your 2rd largest economy will say bye bye to the world, coz no ship passing by our EEZ can sail to CHina any more :smokin: CHina will poorer than India, and Indian will show their contempt to poor and starving CHinese :lol:
 

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