Defense/Military - 78. page

Xinhua recently published an article detailing some of the aspects of the Chinese land based antimissile experiment successfully conducted on January 11. The experiment was a “mid-stage” interception, which refers to an exoatmospheric interception that happens in, roughly, outer space. The report described the basic flight lifecycle of an intercontinental missile. The “mid-stage” is the stage after the first level engine and the warhead separate. The report indicated that the United States immediately responded upon the completion of the experiment. The US response was believed to be a “side confirmation” of the success of the mission.

The report compared the experiment with the US GMD system, which is considered a strategic missile defense system instead of a tactical system represented by the Patriot antimissile system. Components of the GMD system such as EKV, GBI and the X-Band Radar were covered by the report. The article also briefly introduced India’s PAD system, which was based on Israeli technology.

Source: Xinhua, February 3, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-02/03/content_12924301.htm

Starting January 2010, Xinhua will publish a new column called "Foreign Media on the Chinese Military," with a listing of articles from Western media. The column is meant to show how foreign media report the Chinese military and the focus of such reports. For January 2010, Xinhua has identified 6 topic-areas of foreign reports about the Chinese military: U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, China anti-missile tests, U.S.-China military ties, the China-India defense dialogue, Chinese space program, and F-11 equipment.

Source: Xinhua, February 1, 2010.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-02/01/content_12898530.htm

Before AVIC’s (Aviation Industries of China) annual summit, China’s top leaders instructed all top officials to praise AVIC for its great achievements in 2009. The leaders who praised AVIC include Hu Jintao, Politburo members Wu Bangguo, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, and He Guoqiang, Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Dejiang, State Council Member Liu Yandong, Deputy Chairman of Central Military Committee Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, and many Department Ministers and heads of military departments.

AVIC’s achievements for 2009 were a sales revenue of 191 billion yuan (US$28.5 billion), a profit of 9.7 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion), a $1 billion dollars sale of 42 FC-1 planes to Pakistan, 10 M&As (merger and acquisitions), amd significant progress on developing plane models (produced models for 3 planes, 10 planes passed evaluation, 12 planes had first light, and initiated projects for 12 planes and 2 bombs).

Source:
1. China News Service, January 24, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2010/01-24/2088609.shtml
2. China Government Procurement website, January 21, 2010
http://www.ccgp.gov.cn/gysh/jdjx/xgbd/1097333.shtml

In 2009 twelve thousand college graduates joined the People’s Liberation Army. For the first time large numbers of college graduates are enlisting to become military officers. A professor at the National Defense University expressed that in the history of the PLA, large numbers of intellectuals or students joining the PLA has always brought about a quantum leap in military talent.

source: Xinhua, January 25, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-01/25/content_12869220.htm

Xinhua republished a China Youth article reporting that the US Air Force visualizes China as its number one imaginary enemy for 2030. According to rhe article, the December 2009 issue of U.S. magazine “C41SR” disclosed that a research team, led by Dr. Werner  J.A. Dahm, the Chief Scientist of the U.S Air Force, identified four imaginary enemies for the U.S. The four enemies are: China, Islamic separatists, a country in distress, and Russia.

Dahm’s team suggested that when fighting with a big power like China and Russia, the U.S. must rely on an unsurpassable technological advantage, which puts to the test the enemy’s determination. Therefore, the U.S. Air Force has to maintain a superior technical leadership. Dahm identified three technical areas for the US Air Force to focus on over the next 20 years:  modular weapon systems, micro air vehicles, and hypersonic aircraft or missiles.

Source: Xinhua, January 25, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-01/25/content_12870424.htm

Xinhua recently republished an article reporting the Chinese Navy’s visit to South America. The report briefly described the Navy mission to Chile, Peru and Ecuador. The report especially mentioned, “The Pacific has no pacification” – the fleet was under heavy surveillance by various countries. Starting the third day, the Chinese fleet was followed by the fleet from a “certain country.” After that, warships and reconnaissance planes from another country took over. And then a new warship from a “certain country” followed the Chinese fleet day and night even in five-meter waves. The report suggested that the close monitoring of the Chinese mission is proof that peace in the Pacific has a long way to go.

Source: Xinhua, January 22, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-01/22/content_12854324.htm

After China launched the third satellite of its Compass Navigation Satellite System (CNSS) on January 17, 2010, Major General Jin Yinan, Head of the Institute of Strategy, National Defense University, stressed the importance for China to have its own Satellite Navigation System. Jin mentioned that as Europe is developing its Galileo System and other counties continue to launch satellites, the most important issue is the competition for the limited space orbit and satellite communication frequencies. China should launch its satellites before others countries can, to obtain the needed orbits and frequencies while they are still available.

“As of today, launching and starting to use the CNSS system, I personally think, is more important than manned space flight and Chang’e moon landing projects.” Jin argued.

Source: People’s Daily, January 22, 2010
http://military.people.com.cn/GB/42969/58520/10825418.html

Russian media reported that after Rosoboron export, Russian’s state defense product export company, signed a 43 RD-93 aircraft engine contract with China in December 2009, Russia is likely to sign another contract with China to sell 100 more RD-93s. This engine is to be installed on FC-1 fighter. Currently, China signed another contract to sell 150 FC-1 to Pakistan (Pakistan will assemble the plane using the components provided by China).

Russian military experts believe that although China frequently claims it has made great progress in the R&D of the engines, the fact that it continues buying Russian engines indicates that China still lags behind. Exporting engines to China will allow Russia to control the capability of fighter planes that China exports.

Source: Eastday.com, January 12, 2010
http://mil.eastday.com/m/20100112/u1a4945924.html