UNPLEASANT SURPRISE: Chinese Missile Has Double the Range Thought by West

NAVLog ^ | 2003 | K.B. Sherman

[spetznaz]

The Peoples Republic of China recently startled the West when a JH-7 (“Flying Panther”) aircraft (Xian Aircraft Industry Company) fired a YJ-83 anti-ship cruise missile over Bohai Bay, demonstrating twice the range of which the weapon had been believed capable. This weapon is widely believed to be part of Beijing's efforts to develop a long-range strike capability against the US Navy and the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy.

According to sinodefense.com, the YJ-83 flies within 15 feet of the water’s surface. It is equipped with a 365-pound warhead and a monopulse terminal guidance radar possessing high anti-jamming capabilities. It uses a semi-armor-piercing anti-personnel blast warhead, which relies on the missile's kinetic energy to pierce the deck of a ship, penetrate into and explode in the ship's interior.

Defense specialists say the YJ-83, sometimes called the C-803, also has the capability to receive target information in flight. Richard Fisher of the Jamestown Foundation was quoted as saying that the YJ-83 will probably be outfitted on the upgraded JH-7a fighter-bomber. A 155-mile range would put the launching aircraft outside of the range of Standard SM-2 missile that will be mounted aboard the ex-Kidd-class destroyers recently bought by Taiwan.

[spetznaz]

This is interesting because the Chinese also took possession of another missile system known as the SS-N-26 Yakhont that is basically the next-generation missile after the Sunburn. Also the Chinese just engaged in a massive military war games exercise involving infantry, naval and air forces in Southern, Northern and Coastal Chinese locations (and according to sources what was weird about these exercises were that the naval exercises involved maneuvers in cold temperatures and rough seas relatively far from the Chinese coast ...plus the training circumstances were much harder, and different, from normal and also the technology used was more advanced ...and western in nature).

Add to this that Taiwan also had a military projection paradigm (that they set for a scenario where China invades Taiwan in 2005) and that scenario pitted Chinese Sovremennyys Guided-missile destroyers (armed with SS-N-22 Sunburns) against Taiwanese ex-American Kidd-class Destroyers .....and all the Taiwanese destroyers were "sank under enemy fire after they were forced to engage in battle."

What is ironic is that in that particular scenario the Taiwanese ships were sunk by the SS-N-22 SunBurn (which has a ripple-volley terminal attack system that is meant to baffle ship defenses ...including jamming and the close-in Phalanx defense system ....plus the fact the Chinese would saturate the skies with the missiles). The Chinese just got the SS-N-26 Yakhont, which is more advanced than the SunBurn ...however the Taiwanese Navy is not worried because (and this is the official statement by the Taiwanese navy)" we tend to think the new missile system [the SS-N-26 Yakhont] is aimed at attacking the U.S. navy." "

What the Taiwanese should know is that if China ever attacks Taiwan that those Yakhonts will also be streaming toward Taiwanese naval assets ....so their nonchalance is rather foolish and a little disconcerting (it is like a teenager (taiwan) going on a drinking binge and not having a care because he knows his rich daddy (the US) is going to get him off the hook. However the question is what happens if tha daddy decides to just sit back?)

[spetznaz]

[Enterprise]

Thank you Bill Clinton and all your Cabinet traitors.

[spetznaz]

Ping on Chinese military activity.

[spetznaz]

I decided to ping you to this one solo ....what do you seriously think about this. Do you think the Taiwanese are assuming too much ...especially when their own war paradigms warn them not to?

[gundog]

How many are GPS dependant for targeting?

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Rain-maker]

That story has been out for several weeks.

China reportedly test-fires longer-range missile

With twice the reach previously estimated, national defense paper provides measures to protect Taiwan

2002-11-22 / Taiwan News, Staff Writer / click for link

A PRC-made C-802 cruise missile, similar to the C-803 missile but with twice the range of the U.S.-made Standard SM-2 missile, is displayed at a recent air show in Zhuhai City in Guangdong province. (Central News Agency)

China has recently test-fired a new cruise missile dubbed C-803 with twice the range initially estimated by U.S. intelligence agencies, and such missiles may pose a threat to U.S. or allied ships in case of military conflicts with China, the Washington Times said Wednesday.

In Taipei, an official from the Ministry of National Defense said Taiwan has completed its assessment report on China's missile threat, which also provides suggestions on the measures Taiwan should take to cope with a missile attack from China.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official referred to China's deployment of its missiles targeted at Taiwan as the biggest military threat to Taiwan. China appears to have decided to give priority to developing new missiles while seeking to expand its military presence in this part of the world, he said.

In the Legislature, Defense Minister Tang Yiau-ming admitted China's deployment of such missiles may increase its pressure and options for a final solution to the Taiwan issue. Tang called on the people to support the government's plan to increase its military spending in order to deter such threats.

According to the Washington Times, China test-fired a C-803 anti-ship cruise missile from a JH-7 fighter-bomber earlier this month over Bohai Bay, off northern China. The results even surprised U.S. intelligence officials. Until recently, the range of Chinese missiles had been assessed to be at about 125 kilometers. The new missile test showed that its range has increased to about 250 kilometers.

The last time the missile was tested was July 4, when the People's Daily, the official Communist Party newspaper, announced the testing of a beyond-visual-range anti-ship missile. The weapon is believed by Pentagon officials to be part of Beijing's efforts to develop a long-range strike capability against U.S. aircraft carriers and ships.

The official said the missile represents a new capability for the Chinese military in conducting "over-the-horizon" attacks on U.S. or allied ships in any conflict with China. The C-803 is believed to be a derivative of the C-801 anti-ship cruise missile but can travel at supersonic speeds, making it very difficult for ships to stop.

Defense specialists said the C-803 missile has the capability to receive target information in flight. Richard Fisher, a specialist on the Chinese military with the Jamestown Foundation, said the new C-803 missile will probably be outfitted on an upgraded JH-7a fighter-bomber.

"With a range of 250 kilometers, it gives China and its export clients a new anti-ship missile that can fire beyond the reach of U.S. naval anti-aircraft missiles like the Standard SM-2, which will soon equip Taiwan's Kidd-class destroyers," Fisher said.

[MattinNJ]

Thank you Bill Clinton and all your Cabinet traitors.

Maybe it's me, but shouldn't Clinton and his cronies swing from an oak tree for treason.

[spetznaz]

Info on the Yakhont: employs stealth technology, has supersonic flight speed and a completely independent guidance system based on the fire-and-forget concept. The missile is 8.9 meters (29.1 feet) in length. It can be launched from ships, aircraft, submarines, or even ground mobile launchers and is fired from a unified encapsulated ampoule - shaped transporter - launching container. Flight speed is at Mach 2.0+, using a kerosense liquid-fuel ramjet, with a terminal run at Mach 2.5. Range is at 300 km in a hi-lo profile or at 120 km at altitudes of 5-15 metres, in a lo-lo profile. A regular mid-course phase of the flight occurs at 15 km. If and when launched from submarines, the vessel must be fitted with 650mm torpedo tubes. An operational missile designed for hitting complex sea-based and in-shore targets, a vessel armed with the Yakhount can carry out combat operations against warships or even against carrier battle groups. Yakhont's navigation system uses an inertial guidance system based on the present target location data. At a pre-calculated flight point (around 25 - 80 km), a brief turn-on of the homing scanner occurs, resulting in exact determination of target location. After that, the homing system turns on only when the Yakhont leaves the radio horizon and drops its altitude to 5 - 15 metres, i.e. a few seconds before hitting the target. It carries a 250 kg (553 lbs.) warhead. The enemy would detect the launch of the missile at the distance of 300 km and take measures to destroy it. However, being resistant to jamming, having the flight velocity of 750 m/s and making complex maneuvers during flight, the Yakhont ASCM shall anyway reach the target. It is not the high speed or jamming protection that makes Yakhont an advanced weapon system. It's major advantage, not too much advertised by NPO Mashinostroyeniya representatives, is the guidance system which has accumulated all the NPO experience in developing electronic systems of AI (Artificial Intelligence) enabling to fight against single warships (one missile - one ship) or even against a group of warships (a flock against a group). It is salvo launching that shows all unsurpassed tactical capabilities of the Russian weapon. The missiles allocate and range targets by their importance and choose the attack implementation plan. The independent control system keeps in memory not only of the ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) and ECCM (Electronic Counter-Countermeasures) data, but also the methods of evading the fire of the enemy's air defense systems such as the US' Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System). Having destroyed the main target in a carrier group, the missiles left attack other ships of the carrier group, eliminating the possibility of using two missiles on one target. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[riri]

paraphrasng here " Tonight, I can say that no nuclear missiles are pointed at American children" Remember that speech?

[anobjectivist]

China...

We should get on the ball with this and start diplomacy now to work towards disarmament at least. I wonder what China has planned.

[spetznaz]

Depends on what your definition of treason is! If treason to you is 'selling out' your country of citizenship then i guess certain people in the Clinton era fit the crime!

The sad thing is they will never face prosecution.

[MattinNJ]

The sad thing is they will never face prosecution.

I just don't get it and I never will.

[gundog]

Thanks for the info. Hard to jam, but can it be messed with with chaff or flares?

The independent control system keeps in memory not only of the ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) and ECCM (Electronic Counter-Countermeasures) data, but also the methods of evading the fire of the enemy's air defense systems such as the US' Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System).

This makes it sound like you could jerk it around long enough to get it to a point beyond which it could recover and acquire target. Of course this assumes that you've got nothing better to do than lob countermeasures at a few incoming missiles. Naval war is generally a pretty hectic ordeal.

[gundog]

I just don't get it and I never will.

Libs used to walk away from me when I started my rant on how Bill Clinton would become the most hated man in America. Sadly, I think a nuclear confrontation might not convince the 'true believers'. The retort is that, somehow, a conservative will always find a way to blame Clinton. I guess that's his cross to bear for being responsible for so many of our ills, present and future.

[NormsRevenge]

War in 2006 2005? If not sooner.

Hmmmmm... will it be conventional, exotic weaponry, nuclear, laser .. take your pick or all of 'em and maybe more... ie.. do we have super ultra cool stuff (not like the Moscow theater gases, heaven forbid), maybe ultra HF , umm, maybe .. uhh , you get my drift... China beckons.. Empire against Empire... history doing the civilization shuffle.. repeating itself.. toss another log on the fire and a bag of popcorn in the microwave... The neXt bIg one is .. Coming Soon

[SwinneySwitch]

An oak tree is too good for them! Remember the yellow ribbons?

How about a sour apple tree?

[spetznaz]

1) You can always count on the US to have an ace up its sleeve. I am sure the brass at the USN have reviewed such stuff (for example once the Russians came up with the Shkval hyper-cavitating rocket torpedo that could swim 4-5 times faster than anything we have the US navy started to develop its own hyper-cavitating torpedo). Hence they are aware of current goings on, and i am certain they have (or are working on) an answer.

2) The Chinese attack on Taiwan is thought to be around 2007 when the Chinese would be ready to tackle Taiwan and keep the US at bay (the 2005 date was from the Taiwanese computer paradigm that looked at what would happen if China attacked them in 2005 ....and it seems even at 2005 the pride of the Taiwanese navy went to Davy Jones locker).

[Sparta]

Maybe it's me, but shouldn't Clinton and his cronies swing from an oak tree for treason.

I should've been pinged for that post alone.