I hate to deliver this bad news!

[fatman17]

http://www4.janes.com

Quake took its toll on defence projects, China confirms

Jon Grevatt Jane's Asia-Pacific Industry Reporter - Bangkok

Key Points
China's aerospace and defence industries suffered "heavy loss" in the Sichuan earthquake

Production of the J-10 and JF-17 fighter aircraft is likely to be affected


The earthquake that struck China's Sichuan province on 12 May brought "heavy loss" to the region's aerospace and defence industrial base, China's Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defence (COSTIND) has revealed.

The epicentre of the earthquake was close to several major aerospace and defence industries, including facilities belonging to conglomerates Aviation Industries of China I and II; scores of subcontracting companies; and companies developing high-end military technologies.

Among the most high-profile production programmes to be effected are likely to be the J-10 and JF-17 fighter aircraft projects, which are both being developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, based in the capital of Sichuan.

Speaking on 19 May at a COSTIND meeting to announce the launch of a national defence industry emergency relief funding programme, Chen Qiufa, COSTIND vice minister, confirmed fears raised in local media that the province's defence production facilities had been badly hit by the 12 May tremor, which registered a magnitude of 8.0 on the Richter scale.

In quotes published in a COSTIND press release, Chen said: "The disaster has brought heavy loss for defence and related science and technology industries ... . The disaster has posed a serious threat to the military cadres and workers in these research and production units, which have influence in [China's national] military industry."

In addition, China's Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Xi Guohua, said through state media on 19 May that initial estimates suggest industrial enterprises in the province - which total around 14,000 entities - suffered CNY67 billion (USD9.6 billion) in direct economic loss.

While the financial impact on defence and aerospace industries is not yet known, these industries are regarded as some of the province's most important and the economic loss is expected to be a high proportion of the CNY67 billion figure.

Meanwhile, the People's Liberation Army has announced that all its military facilities in the earthquake-affected zone are "safe and secure".

Speaking on 19 May, Ma Jian, deputy director of the Combat Department of the General Staff Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army, said the military had conducted a thorough inspection of all the facilities and that "there is no problem at all".

 

[Myth_buster_1]

OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

i just had a slightest impression that these projects would have been effected, but noooo..... its true now!

 

[IceCold]

This is bad. The fear was already being expressed about the producion lines being effected, I hope that what the PLA is stating be the truth and indeed the production lines are safe.
But having said so, shouldnt these military facilities be earth quake proof? I mean they are supposedly built in such a way that during war time, they donot get destroyed by enemy bombing raids, so how come earth quake could effect these buildings to this extent as mentioned in janes article?

 

[blain2]

What the Russians could not do, the nature has done..the program of induction into PAF will probably be somewhat delayed...oh well, there is nothing that can be done about that.

 

[mujahideen]

This was a big tragedy. Ifit means delaying something like the production of the JF-17 then it should be no big deal. I mean we must understand the situation in China has changed. When the earthquake hit Kashmir we even cancelled the orders for the F-16's. All this will be sorted out in the comming days.

 

[Quwa]

China was already expanding J-10 production to other factories in the country, the same would probably applied to JF-17. I think China being the giant it is would have prepared its industrial capacity to handle a World War! Trust them.

 

[fatman17]

China was already expanding J-10 production to other factories in the country, the same would probably applied to JF-17. I think China being the giant it is would have prepared its industrial capacity to handle a World War! Trust them.

MS- you are making a huge assumption - we dont know this for sure!

 

[genmirajborgza786]

a set back but God willing both China (PLAF) and Pakistan(PAF) will bounce back from this it happens in life wish them all the best for better or for worse. All the way

 

[orangeblood]

not really~as i know from the fourm of official in china, the development centre and factory in Chengdu, Sichuan province, are resume from the earth quickly. They are producing again and well

 

[asaad-ul-islam]

you know as muslims, we should be more concerned about the lives of the people more than our possesions right now. let's be a bit more thoughtful of the people!

 

[orangeblood]

you are right upstair~ many people died in the big earth quake. but some countries are say some stupid words to china..i mean korean. they have no rescue team and no help to the people who sufferd in the earthquake but laugh at them and say good. i hate korean if they have no intencive to say sorry

 

[nitesh]

you are right upstair~ many people died in the big earth quake. but some countries are say some stupid words to china..i mean korean. they have no rescue team and no help to the people who sufferd in the earthquake but laugh at them and say good. i hate korean if they have no intencive to say sorry

You are correct the earthquake is a big tragedy, people should come forward and help china in such situation

 

[kidwaibhai]

i think we should be sad and greive with our chinese brothers but lets not forget that the delay in the delivery of this aircraft is a matter of national security.

 

[kvLin]

Dear friends,

check out the Jeans news you find that it is not reporting what it sees, all hearsays instead,aren't they?

in lack of firsthand information, Jeans has to make full use of their guess work.

firstly, there's no longer a "Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defence" in China, it is now State Administration of Science Technology and Industry for National Defence in stead (SASTIND), Where Mr Chenqiufa has taken the role of president.


Second, the national defence industry emergency relief programme was launched early on May13, one day after the quake hit, not May19. it's publicly issued but pity Jeans made a wrong note.
[url]http://scitech.people.com.cn/GB/7239609.html (Chinese)

in the notice there's a line about casualties in military industrial enterprises,which goes like below:
"some of the military and civil explosive device manufacturers has suffered from casualties, and there are people buried under rubbles."

this is not necessarily directed towards CAC productions,as there are so many military enterprises in the western province of China, but it obviously inspired a good assumption for Jeans.

CAC is one of the most important unit among all military manufacturers in China, they selected Sichuan, they know well of the seismic belt. hereby I do agree with Icecold, why not assume that these military facilities be earth quake proof?

611 Institute, in charge of R&D on JF-17 programme, is located in town of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province. you know the city is fine by now.

I dont know exactly where the JF-17 production line is located,beside its approx airt southwest of Chengdu, which is not a hard-hit area during the quakes.

so far as I know, some of their workers and engineers were injuried by the crushing glass, electricity supplies suspended at one point on May12 and the research team moved to a CAC's hotel in safty measures. CAC has proclaimed they would resume production by May15.
(Chinese)
in which it says no material affects occured to CAC.

Chinese media coverage on Wenchuan earthquake is very transparent by now. I'll get you updated when there's anything new about CAC.

 

[kvLin]

by the way, we give extreme thanks to Pakistan, who donated 20,000 tents in Sichuan's urgent need. thanks man!