The original U.S. military’s latest confirmation that 6 Chinese 094 ballistic submarines have started 24-hour combat readiness cruise has given the West a huge impact
2023-04-05 08:30
The U.S. Pentagon has paid close attention to the development of the PLA’s nuclear submarines in recent years. It believes that the strategic nuclear submarines can carry modern submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles and have a truly practical second-strike capability, which can further enhance China’s “trinity” nuclear deterrent. A latest report from the Pentagon is even more "confirmed": the PLA has equipped six Type 094 strategic nuclear submarines, and has started a new mode of 24-hour non-stop combat readiness cruise, which has given the West a huge impact and strategic pressure.
(The U.S. military confirmed that the Type 094 strategic nuclear submarine of the People’s Liberation Army has achieved combat readiness cruise)
Reuters recently reported that the report released by the Pentagon pointed out that for the first time, China kept at least one Type 094 strategic missile nuclear submarine on a continuous combat readiness cruise at sea. growing military power.
The report assessed the PLA submarine force that the underwater fleet of six Type 094 "Jin" class ballistic missile nuclear submarines (NATO code name) can already conduct "almost continuous" patrols in the South China Sea from its base on Hainan Island. Citing so-called "intelligence information", the top U.S. military said that the Type 094 submarine is equipped with a new, longer-range Julang-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile that can hit targets in the continental United States.
The 174-page report was published as early as the end of November last year, but it attracted little attention at the time. According to four U.S. military military attaches familiar with naval operations abroad and five other security analysts, the report shows a significant improvement in the capabilities of the PLA's strategic nuclear submarines.
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1st Time Ever! China Can Now Strike The ‘Heart Of US’ By Submarine-Launched JL-3 Missile From Its Coastal Waters
By Sakshi Tiwari
April 5, 2023
China’s People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLAN) has been adding new, more sophisticated submarines to its fleet, forcing the United States to acquire new capabilities. PLAN has also increased deterrence patrols by its nuclear submarines in the Pacific Ocean.
For the first time, China is maintaining at least one nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine permanently at sea, increasing pressure on the United States and its allies as they attempt to contain Beijing’s expanding military, said the latest analysis of a Pentagon report published by Reuters.
According to the Pentagon report, China’s fleet of six ballistic missile submarines of the Jin class was conducting “near-continuous” patrols out of Hainan Island into the South China Sea. Hainan Island, also known as China’s Hawaii, is home to the Yulin Naval base that houses PLAN’s submarines.
The deployment of these nuke submarines is complimented by very long-range missiles that can strike the heart of the United States. General Anthony Cotton, the head of the US Strategic Command, testified before Congress in March that the Chinese submarines are now armed with the JL-3.
The Pentagon reports that China can now, for the first time, reach the mainland United States from Chinese coastal waters, thanks to the JL-3’s estimated range of more than 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles) and multiple warheads.
Previous reports indicated that the JL-3 would be deployed on the next-generation Type-096 submarine, which is currently under development. However, the testimony by General Anthony Cotton signals that the US mainland could already be within the range of the Chinese sub-launched missiles.
Even though the 174-page report received little attention when it was first published in late November, five other security experts and four local military attachés familiar with naval operations believe it to be a vital indicator of Chinese capabilities, according to Reuters.
The US Department of Defense earlier noted that China could become capable of fielding eight SSBNs by 2030, with Type 094s and Type 096s operating simultaneously. The Type 094 platform can carry up to sixteen JL-3 missiles, while the Type 096 submarines can carry as many as 24.
Currently, the only nuclear-capable submarine in the PLAN inventory is the Type 094 or the Jin class. The platform is China’s “first credible sea-based nuclear deterrent,” according to the US Department of Defense.
Military analysts predict that with the JL-3 missile, Chinese strategists will prefer to retain their ballistic missile submarines in the South China Sea, where they have built several facilities, rather than risk patrols in the western Pacific Ocean.
The Jin class is believed to be traceable due to a design defect near the missile hatches at the back of the hull, which could generate a detectable sonar signal. However, armed with long-range missiles, the submarine could pose a significant risk to US security, nonetheless, and force the US Navy to enhance capability by allocating more resources.
The US’s concerns about the rapid acquisition of capability by China are not new. Despite arriving at the scene later than its peers, the PLAN has made steady advancements and significant investments in deploying a modernized SSBN force in the near future. There are six Type 094 submarines, with two more in the pipeline.
Earlier, an unclassified analysis by the US Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) said China’s submarine fleet is expected to grow from 66 vessels to 76 by 2030.
1st Time Ever! China Can Now Strike The 'Heart Of US' By Submarine-Launched JL-3 Missile From Its Coastal Waters
China’s People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLAN) has been adding new, more sophisticated submarines to its fleet, forcing the United States to acquire new capabilities. PLAN has also increased deterrence patrols by its nuclear submarines in the Pacific Ocean. For the first time, China is...
eurasiantimes.com
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