DEFENSE NEWS

Beijing denies report, calls it an 'out-and-out fabrication'

Namibia and China are discussing plans for a Chinese naval base in the southwest African country, the Namibian newspaper reported Tuesday, prompting an immediate denial from Beijing.

The Namibian quoted a confidential letter from Namibia's Beijing ambassador to his foreign ministry stating that a Chinese delegation would visit Windhoek for discussions "on the way forward regarding plans for the proposed naval base in Walvis Bay”.

The letter from Ambassador Ringo Abed to foreign affairs permanent secretary Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, dated December 22, 2014, followed a meeting he had with Chinese defense ministry official Geng Yansheng, the Namibian said.

The detailed letter said the Chinese delegation would include technical staff and naval architects who would do an exploratory feasibility study, the newspaper reported.

In response to a query, the Chinese defense ministry told AFP that "the exchange of communication between Chinese defense officials and Namibian embassy officials reported by 'The Namibian' is an out-and-out fabrication".

Namibia's Foreign Affairs Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who was sent a copy of the letter, said: "The whole issue is completely new to me. I'm seeing this letter for the first time."

The ambassador's letter said Geng Yansheng had noted that China had invested heavily in Namibia and that a Chinese naval presence would deter illegal fishing trawlers and smugglers in Namibian waters, the paper reported.

"Other considerations for the naval base would be for it to serve to train the Namibian navy, not only to be combat ready but to carry out civilian duties as well," the Nambian quoted the letter as saying.

This is the second time Beijing has denied reports of a planned naval base in Walvis Bay, which has a sheltered deep water harbor and is Namibia's biggest commercial port.

The desert nation on the Atlantic coast to the north of South Africa is mineral-rich -- from diamonds to uranium -- and China has increased investment and aid in recent years.

(AFP)

China has shown off the People's Liberation Army's latest hardware on primetime state television, an advanced short-range missile defence system said to have a “high success rate” destroying incoming missiles and aircraft.

The Hongqi-10 (Reg Flag 10) surface-to-air missile was shown in China Central Television's evening news bulletin Wednesday being fired from ships and land-based mobile launchers,  and exploding in the sky on impact with its target.

It will protect warships against rockets over a limited area, and will be  used alongside an “area defence system” which covers a larger area but has a  slower response time, the state-run Global Times newspaper said Thursday.

“As a naval point defence missile system, HongQi-10 boasts a particularly  quick response to low-altitude missiles that area defence systems fail to  intercept,” it quoted Lan Yun, deputy chief editor of monthly journal Modern  Ships, as saying.

It cited him adding that it had a high success rate in hitting its targets.

Incoming missiles only 1.5-10 metres above sea level can be targeted with the new system, which takes only 10 seconds to launch, Lan said.

The missiles can also used to protect ground forces from air attacks by ”jets, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles”, the Global Times report  said, citing an expert.

The Hongqi-10, whose export version is known as FL-3000N, has been installed on some of China's most advanced warships including the 1,300-tonne Type 056 frigates and 7,000-tonne Type 052D destroyers, Chinese media have reported. 

Beijing has been increasing its military might and naval reach in recent  years, and President Xi Jinping regularly urges the country to strengthen its  ability to “win battles”.

China has announced that it plans to hold joint naval exercises with Russia, and although both nations frequently co-operate militarily, some analysts believe that these drills could have deeper implications. The Chinese government has said that these drills are aimed at strengthening military cooperation between the two countries.

In what many believe is a response to recent Western foreign policy maneuvers that have angered both Moscow and Beijing, these recent exercises will be held in disputed waters of the East China Sea between Japan and China. Near Shanghai, these waters are adjacent to a set of uninhabited yet disputed islands. Both Japan and China claim that the Diaoyu (as they are called in China) or Senkakus Islands (as they are called in Japan) are rightfully their own.

Recently in a trip to Asia, President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to Japan’s interests in the dispute. This move has been rebuked by China as inflammatory. As it stands now, the Islands are under Japanese jurisdiction.

On top of this, China surprised its Asian neighbors and the West by redrawing its air defense identification zone last year. Now, this zone covers the disputed islands which has Japan, South Korea, and the United States worried. On top of that, China has been rapidly increasing its military spending while also sending more and more patrols into the region.

Now, with China and Russia planning to hold joint naval exercises later this year, there are renewed concerns that the strengthening of their military cooperation may be for the purpose of standing in solidarity against some the West’s current foreign policies. And with the current standoff between the West and East over a range of issues, there is ample room to worry about a continual cooling of relations.

As it stands now, the most pressing issue is the current Ukraine Crisis. Russia has found itself on the receiving end of economic sanctions, diplomatic pressures, and an expanding NATO force on its doorstep in response to its handling of the crisis. Although Russia denies involvement, the West claims that Moscow is behind the unrest in the region.

For its part, China has remained tepid in commenting on Ukraine. However, the announcement to hold these new drills may perhaps be seen as a way to affirm Russia that China will remain in solidarity with its ally. Accordingly, China has not explicitly supported or denied these speculative claims, only saying that these drills are normal for the two nations and that they are meant to serve as a pragmatic way for their navies to “improve their capability.”

That being said, there can be no denying that these joint naval exercises between China and Russia hold more than just practical military applications in mind. It is likely that these drills are planned to explicitly send a message to the West that both nations stand aligned against some of the foreign policy measures that have been exercised lately. Although it is not unusual for the two nations which have strong economic, political, and military ties to perform such drills, many argue that the timing of them is particularly pointed.

China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, returned to Dalian Shipyard dock to undergo its first interim service on April, 17, 2014.

Experts predicted that the service will last for six months; comprehensive overhaul and maintenance will be conducted on the power, weapons, and other systems. Complex weapon systems require regular maintenance, and aircraft personnel also need to be trained and rest to maintain combat effectiveness.

The Liaoning formally entered into service with the Chinese navy in September 2012. Prior to this, ten sea trials had been conducted. In August 2013 the Liaoning returned to Dalian port to resolve problems identified during test sailings and pilot training. However, this time the maintenance work will include the replacement of certain large parts.

The Liaoning did not take part in the multinational joint maritime exercise held yesterday in Qingdao.

The B-585 Sankt Peterburg, Russia's first and only completed Lada-class submarine. (Internet photo)

Instead of providing the older Lada-class submarines to the People's Liberation Army Navy as requested by Beijing, Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, will likely authorize China to receive the more advanced Kalina-class submarine, reports the Voice of Russia, citing Vassily Kashin, a senior research fellow from the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies.

Viktor Chirkov, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy, officially announced that the Kalina-class conventional submarine equipped with an advanced air-independent propulsion system will be developed and produced in the future on Mar. 20. "Russia is currently designing a fifth-generation conventional submarine, dubbed Project Kalina, which will be fitted with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system," said Chirkov.

Authorities also declared that the construction of the older Lada-class submarine will be cancelled. The Lada-class, or Project 677, is a fourth-generation diesel-electric submarine based on the older Kilo-class submarine.

China was negotiating with Russia to purchase four Lada-class submarines from the Rubin Design Bureau based in St Petersburg. China hoped those submarines could be refitted with Chinese engines and an electronic fire-control system, according to the Canada-based Kanwa Defense Review.

As Russia remains isolated over its intervention in the Ukraine crisis, Moscow values China's position as one of its strategic partners, Kashin said. He added that the PLA Navy will benefit from the cancellation of the Lada-class as it will open a new door for China to gain more advanced technology from Russia to build its own submarine in the future. Meanwhile, China may be able to design its own fifth-generation conventional submarine with the help of Russia under this new concept, Kashin said.

The United States Navy kept a close eye on the recent sea trials conducted in the South China Sea by the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, according to a report published on US military affairs website Strategy Page.

The Liaoning and its escort group of two Type 051C destroyers, two Type 054A frigates and a supply ship, returned to base on Jan. 1 after 37 days at sea, with state media declaring it a successful sea trial the next day.

The Xinhua news agency said the carrier "attained the anticipated objectives," including testing its combat system and conducting a formation practice. All tests and training programs went well, as scheduled, it said.

The Jan. 7 Strategy Page report claimed that the final month of Liaoning's seal trials were particularly important to the US Navy as the aircraft carrier was operating as part of a task force on the high seas for the first time.

"There were some days of bad weather and how well the Chinese ships performed under these adverse conditions was a good indicator of how effective the Liaoning task force would be in combat," the article said.

To monitor the Liaoning's task force during the sea trials, the US Navy employed aircraft, satellites and submarines, the report claimed, adding that it was also important to observe all activities from the surface using the USS Cowpens, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser which was confronted by the PLA Navy.

On Dec. 5, one of the Liaoning's escort ships cut in front of the USS Cowpens while it was observing the carrier from a distance of 40 kilometers, a move that was condemned by US officials as a "dangerous maneuver."

China will construct two conventionally powered aircraft carriers in Dalian and Shanghai between 2014 and 2015, a source from China's Central Military Commission has told Duowei News, an outlet run by overseas Chinese.

Under the Commission's Project 048, China aims to establish three carrier battle groups by 2020 so that all three major fleets of the PLA Navy will be able to carry out missions with the full support of an aircraft carrier. The two new Type 001A indigenous carriers will be updated versions of China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which was originally a Soviet-era Admiral Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier purchased from Ukraine in 1998. They will also likely be designed with a ski-jump ramp, according to Duowei.

Sources said that the General Equipment Department of the PLA has already signed a contract with the Beijing-based China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation to build the two carriers. The price of the two vessels is estimated to be worth US$9 billion.

China has yet to decide whether its J-31 stealth fighter will replace the J-15 to become the country's next generation carrier-based fighter, according to sources. The J-31 fighter entered service before the J-15, and is able to land or take off from the flight deck of the Liaoning. Sources said that a decision will only be made after the construction of the nation's second and third aircraft carriers is completed. This will give the PLA more time to think about the type of carrier-based fighter it will need in the future, the sources added.

China's fourth Type 052D guided-missile destroyer — Chengdu — has been launched by the PLA Navy, reports China's Global Times.

The Type 052D is one of the most powerful naval combat systems in PLA Navy service. A modified version of its predecessor, the Type 052C, the Type 052D adds a new 130mm main gun, equipping it with both sea-to-air and sea-to-land attack capabilities. It also has the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system.

The Chengdu is the 10th Chinese surface combat vessel to be referred as the "Chinese Aegis." With AESA radar and a 64-cell vertical launching system, the destroyer is comparable to Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in the US Navy. It also boasts advanced weapons systems such as HQ-9 long-range air defense missiles and DH-10 cruise missiles.

The nation's first Type 052D destroyer — Kunming — has completed a test of its propulsion systems in the East China Sea, according to the report.

China is now capable of deploying between two and three advanced surface combat ships while Japan is limited to one. In addition, China is designing a new Type 055 guided-missile destroyer comparable to the US Zumwalt-class. Equipped with a railgun and HQ-26 surface-to-air missiles, the Type 055 will serve as PLA Navy's main surface combat ship between 2020 and 2030.

China's new Type 096 Tang-class ballistic missile submarine, thought to be in development, may become a serious threat to the United States in the Western Pacific as it is estimated to be able to carry 24 missiles, according to the Russian Military Analyst based in Moscow.

The article China's Nuclear Potential published on Dec. 30 said that it will still take decades for China to establish sufficient second-strike capability. However, China has taken much less time to develop its nuclear arsenal than most Western observers had previously expected, though the People's Liberation Army Air Force still relies on H-6K bombers and Q-5 attackers for nuclear strike capability.

While Q-5 attackers have been slowly replaced by the more advanced JH-7A, China is unlikely to develop a new stealth bomber to take the H-6K's place in the near future, the article said. However, the H-6K's range had been extended from 1,800 kilometers to 3,000 km and it can now carry six CJ-10A strategic cruise missiles, which would allow the PLA Air Force to hit critical US targets in the Central Pacific.

The article also estimated that the number of China's nuclear warheads is under 2,000. However, only between 250 and 300 nuclear warheads can be transferred on road-mobile systems. At the same time, it also said that China's has less than 459 tactical nuclear warheads. China's nuclear forces are currently under close surveillance by US forces in Central Asia. Even though they do not pose a threat to the US mainland, they may still be a threat to Russia's national security.

The article further said that submarines are strategically important for the PLA. The JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles carried by Type 094 Jin-class ballistic missile submarines cannot reach the continental United States unless fired from the Central Pacific while Jin-class submarines would be detected and countered out by US forces if they attempted to move into the waters around Hawaii.

Until China improves the ability of its subs to withstand US anti-submarine weaponry, the PLA is unlikely to succeed in a conflict against the US. The new Type 096 Tang-class submarines may prove very useful against US forces in the future, however. The number of its ballistic missiles has increased to 24 from the Type 094's 12. With an attack range of at least 11,000 km, it could conceivably attack the United States under the escort of China's surface combat fleet.

The Namibian, citing reports in the Chinese media has stated that China is planning to establish 18 naval bases in strategic locations that included the Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka.

Another one of these naval bases is due to be established in the Walvis Bay in Namibia and this was confirmed to The Namibian newspaper by Namibian Ministry of Defence spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Monica Sheya.

The Namibian has stated that China plans to build replenishment, berthing and maintenance bases in foreign countries through mutually beneficial and friendly consultations.

Following is the story published in The Namibian:

DISCUSSIONS are under way at the ‘highest levels’ regarding plans by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy to build a base at Walvis Bay in the next 10 years.

According to reports in the Chinese media, Walvis Bay will be one of 18 naval bases that will be established in various regions: Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Mynanmar in the northern Indian Ocean; Djibouti, Yemen, Oman, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique in the western Indian Ocean; and Seychelles and Madagascar in the central South Indian Ocean.

“These three strategic lines will further enhance China’s effectiveness in taking responsibility for maintaining the safety of international maritime routes thereby maintaining regional and world stability,” the media reports said.

Other naval bases are: Chongjin Port (North Korea), Moresby Port (Papua New Guinea), Sihanoukville Port (Cambodia), Koh Lanta Port (Thailand) Sittwe Port (Myanmar), Dhaka Port (Bangladesh), Gwadar Port (Pakistan), Hambantota Port (Sri Lanka), Maldives, Seychelles, Djibouti Port (Djibouti),

Lagos Port (Nigeria), Mombasa Port (Kenya), Dar es Salaam Port (Tanzania) and Luanda Port (Angola).

Ministry of Defence spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Monica Sheya confirmed these reports to The Namibian yesterday, saying that once a decision is made, the ministry will inform the nation.

“We have read about it. I believe it is being discussed at the higher levels, but that’s all I can say now. Once a decision has been made, we will be sure to inform the nation about it, but we cannot say more yet,” Sheya said.

China plans to build replenishment, berthing and maintenance bases in foreign countries through mutually beneficial and friendly consultations. Furthermore, the reports state that the Chinese navy will not establish “US-style” military bases, yet it will not exclude the establishment of a number of so-called ‘Overseas Strategic Support Bases’ in accordance with prevailing international rules.

China has several major infrastructure development and resource extraction interests in Namibia. It also has a satellite tracking station near Swakopmund.

The decision for strengthening China’s national armed forces in line with the country’s international standing to meet the needs of its security and development interests, was taken at the Chinese Communist Party congress.

China’s navy boasts of a personnel strength of 255 000 servicemen and women, including 10 000 marines and 26 000 naval air force personnel. It is the second largest navy in the world in terms of tonnage, behind only the United States Navy, and has the largest number of major combatants of any navy.

At AAD 2014 (Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition which took place from the 17 to 21 September in South Africa) the China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Company (CSOC) showcased its P-18N Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) and its LPD/LHD design. The booth also featured a scale model of China's aircraft carrier Liaoning. CSOC is part of the part of the State Shipbuilding Corporation, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC).

P18N Offshore Patrol Vessel

CSOC's P18N OPV design has already been selected by the Navy of Nigeria who ordered two vessels.

At AAD 2014, a representative from CSOC gave us the following specifications:
P18N Offshore Patrol Vessels have a displacement of 1,700 tons, a length of 95 m, width of 12.2 m and beam of 3.5 m. It is powered by two MTU 20V 4000M diesel engines. The maximum speed is 21 knots. The endurance of the vessel is 20 days at sea (range 3000 nautical miles at 14 knots) for a crew of 70 sailors.

In April 2012, Nigeria signed a contract with China to build two P18N OPVs. Under the contract, the lead ship was to be built in Wuhan with construction starting in October 2012, while the second unit is expected to be partially built in Nigeria.

Navy Recognition was told that the P18N was designed by China Ship Design and Research Center, or 701 Institute of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) at the Wuhan University of Science and Technology,

The first vessel which was launched in January 2014 in Wuhan, China, is currently conducting sea trials. An institute will provide training to the Nigeria Navy crew in China. The OPV will then sail to Nigeria for its official delivery.

LPD/LHD
The CSOC stand was also featuring an LHD design. Called "LPD" by CSOC, this design is similar to the one we first discovered during IDEX last year. Read our article at this link to learn more about the specifications of the vessel.

Aircraft Carrier
At the center of their stand, CSOC was showcasing a scale model of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Aircraft Carrier Liaoning (CV-16). The CSOC representative explained to Navy Recognition that the model was on display in order to show potential customers that CSOC has the ability to work on very large and complex project such as aircraft carriers. CSOC, 701 Institute and Wuhan Digital Engineering Institute were all involved in the refurbishing of the Chinese aircraft carrier.

TAIPEI — New details have emerged on the aircraft lineup for the new carrier Liaoning, which analysts say is a “plausible” mix of foreign-designed fighter jets and various helicopters, yet limited due to its lack of other necessary aircraft.

According to the Aug. 28 edition of the Chinese-language Shanghai Morning Post, the carrier will house 36 aircraft, including:

■ 24 Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark fighters.

■ 6 Changhe Z-18F anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters.

■ 4 Changhe Z-18J airborne early warning helicopters.

■ 2 Harbin Z-9C rescue helicopters.

The article was based on quotes from Cao Dongwei, senior colonel and researcher at the People’s Liberation Army Naval Research Institute. The Liaoning is a refurbished Soviet-era Varyag aircraft carrier procured in 1998 by China and commissioned in 2012.

“The overall lineup certainly looks plausible, as the mix of helicopters and fighters is similar to how the Russians outfit their example of this carrier,” said Roger Cliff, senior fellow with the Asia Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council. “The striking thing about this carrier and aircraft lineup is that every single item is based on a foreign system. The Liaoning is a Russian-built ship fitted out with Chinese systems. The helicopters are based on Eurocopter designs. And the J-15 fighters are based on the Russian Su-33 design.”

China’s first carrier air wing reflects a balance between combat and support aircraft seen in the Liaoning’s Russian counterpart, said Richard Fisher, a senior fellow with the International Assessment and Strategy Center.

“The Soviets intended their carrier to provide a defensive extension for their pro-nuclear ballistic missile submarine ‘anti-access’ missile forces carried by their nuclear submarines, large surface combatants and land-based strike bombers. The Liaoning can perform that mission for the Chinese Navy as well as form the centerpiece for a carrier battle group that could overwhelm most Asian navies, but would still require extensive land-based support to oppose a US Navy carrier battle group.”

According to Chinese defense industry brochures acquired at air shows around Asia, the Z-9 and Z-18 helicopters have numerous configurations for both civilian and military use in China....

Swedish firm CybAero recently sold a number of its APID 60 helicopter UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to the Chinese coast guard, which plans to use the unmanned aerial vehicle aboard customs vessels to combat smuggling, reports the Washington-based Strategy Page on Apr. 18.

Designed as a 180-kilogram unmanned helicopter, the APID 60 is capable of carrying a 75-kilogram payload for up to six hours per sortie. It has a max speed of 150 kilometers per hour, and a max altitude of 3,000 meters. The APID 60 can also be operated up to 200 kilometers from the control station on a ship or land, and costs more than 75% less than a manned helicopter to operate, the report said, adding that it is just as effective for reconnaissance.

China has designed its own helicopter UAVs such as the Z-5, according to the report, but the quality and performance of these drones cannot match the APID 60. The Z-5 designed in 2011 is a 437-kilogram drone that can only carry a payload of up to 100-kilograms for three hours. In addition, the Z-5 can only be operated 100 kilometers away from a control station.

Unlike most helicopter UAVs, the APID 60 was built from an original design instead of taking an existing small-size helicopter and turning it into a drone. The APID 60 can be seen as an upgrade version of the APID 55, which was designed for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Strategy Page said.

The UAE continues to manufacture the APID 55 under license and exports it to other nations for coast patrol missions.

BEIJING: China has started constructing the second of four planned aircraft carriers, a top government official said according to media reports on Saturday.

The ship is under construction in the northeastern port of Dalian and will take six years to build, the reports said quoting Wang Min, Communist Party chief for Dalian's Liaoning province.

The country's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was completed in September 2012 in a symbolic milestone for the country's increasingly muscular military.

Another two are in the pipeline, according to Wang, in a projection of power that could be seen as contradicting Beijing's long-stated policy of arming itself strictly for self-defence.

When the Liaoning went into service, Beijing and Tokyo were locked in a territorial row over the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea which China also claims and calls the Diaoyus.

The row continues to simmer, along with other sovereignty disputes with the Philippines and Vietnam.

Early this month, a Japanese newspaper said China was overhauling its military structure in order to strengthen its attack capability and secure air and naval superiority in the South China and East China seas.

The Liaoning carrier conducted its maiden mission in the South China Sea in January.

It followed an incident in December in which a US warship was forced to avoid a collision with a Chinese naval vessel, prompting Washington to accuse China of being the aggressor.

PEKIN, 26 nov 2013 (AFP) -

La Chine a annoncé mardi envoyer son porte-avions en mer de Chine méridionale, où plusieurs conflits de souveraineté l'opposent à ses voisins, dans un contexte tendu par la décision de Pékin d'imposer une nouvelle zone de contrôle aérien.

Le "Liaoning" a quitté son port de Qingdao (est de la Chine) et mis le cap vers le sud, pour une première mission en mer de Chine méridionale, a rapporté la marine chinoise sur l'un de ses sites internet.

Le porte-avions, admis au service actif il y a un peu plus d'un an, est escorté de deux destroyers lance-missiles et deux frégates lance-missiles, a précisé l'agence de presse Chine nouvelle.

Cette nouvelle mission du navire-amiral de l'Armée populaire de libération intervient dans un contexte de tensions notamment avec Tokyo, qui s'oppose à Pékin dans une autre région maritime, la mer de Chine orientale.

Pékin a décrété unilatéralement samedi une "zone aérienne d'identification" au-dessus de la mer de Chine orientale, zone qui englobe les îles Senkaku, un archipel administré par le Japon mais revendiqué par la Chine sous le nom de Diaoyu.

La Maison Blanche y a vu une annonce "incendiaire", tandis que le ton est monté lundi entre Tokyo et Pékin, chacun convoquant l'ambassadeur de l'autre.

L'Australie a annoncé de son côté mardi avoir convoqué l'ambassadeur de Chine pour protester contre cette nouvelle mesure de Pékin, dont les ambitions maritimes inquiètent la région Asie-Pacifique.