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ChiCon Land Bagus!

Yankeeland is fucked...

Chinese Navy "Defeats" U.S. EA-18G Fighters Over South China Sea; Shares Rare Info On Growler-Nanchang Clash
In a high-stakes game of cat and mouse in the South China Sea, China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has revealed new information about the advanced strategies and equipment Chinese warships use to counter US electronic warfare aircraft, particularly the EA-18G Growler.

The new report, published in the Chinese academic journal Radar & ECM and highlighted by Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, sheds light on a high-profile incident from December 2023.

William Coulter, the commander of US Electronic Attack Squadron 136 (VAQ-136) aboard the USS Carl Vinson, was unexpectedly relieved of his duties.

While the US Navy attributed this decision to a “loss of confidence in his ability to command,” the report suggests that Coulter’s removal might be linked to the US Navy’s struggles in countering Chinese electronic warfare.


In January 2024, PLA officers and sailors aboard the Type 055 destroyer Nanchang were honored for their actions against a US aircraft carrier fleet. Chinese media subsequently broadcast footage showing interactions between two US jets, including one believed to be an EA-18G Growler and the Nanchang destroyer.

The report claims how the PLA Navy has leveraged cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a powerful “kill web” designed to challenge the capabilities of the US Navy’s EA-18G Growler.

The report states that the PLA Navy scientists have, for the first time, shed light on how their modern warships combat the advanced electronic warfare capabilities of the EA-18G Growler, which is a pivotal component of the US AirSea Battle strategy.

Boeing’s EA-18G Growler is renowned for its electronic jamming capabilities, designed to suppress enemy radar and communication systems. Despite its advanced technology and recent upgrades, which include modernization initiatives for its F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet variants, the Growler is not impervious to countermeasures.

Chinese scientists disclosed that the PLA Navy’s Type 055 destroyers, such as the Nanchang, are equipped with sophisticated radars and sensors.

The integration of these systems reduces the effectiveness of Growler’s electronic jamming by enabling them to process large volumes of data. The PLA Navy has demonstrated a noteworthy advancement in its technological capabilities by integrating these two systems and continuing to operate effectively even in the face of electronic attacks.

The intense competition between the Chinese Navy and US Growler aircraft dates back to at least 2018. During the Trump administration, reports indicated that China had deployed radar and communication jamming equipment in the South China Sea.

At that time, EA-18G Growler pilots suspected interference from Chinese systems, though experts debated the extent of the impact on the aircraft’s operational capabilities.



File Image: Growler jets
US EA-18G Growler Confronts China’s ‘Kill Web’
Chinese scientists assert that artificial intelligence (AI) has given the PLA’s radar systems a decisive advantage over the EA-18G Growler.

A scientist highlighted the capabilities of cognitive intelligent radar, which include proactive environmental sensing, customizable transmit and receive functions, intelligent processing, and resource scheduling.

These features allow the radar to effectively counter the complex and variable electromagnetic jamming tactics employed by the EA-18G.

He explained that system detection was more than merely stacking multiple sensors or creating a loosely connected network. Instead, a comprehensive utilization of various sensors’ performance characteristics is involved based on actual conditions.


PLAN Nanchang Type 055 Destroyer (via Platform X)
This approach ensures a rational allocation and scheduling of detection resources from a tactical perspective, thereby enhancing the platform’s information control capabilities.

Chinese scientists have made significant progress in ensuring dependable and fast communication for the whole fleet, even in intricate electromagnetic environments. Chinese naval vessels in the vicinity quickly counterattack an EA-18G that targets one of their ships.

This coordination creates a massive “kill web” capable of flexibly and intelligently countering the EA-18G, transforming from a “single-resource confrontation” to a “systematic detection resource confrontation.”

With these technological advancements, the Chinese navy has shifted from a previously cautious stance to a more proactive strategy. This new approach, described as “attacking as a defense,” involves taking multiple measures simultaneously, optimizing combinations, and collaborating with other elements to counter electronic warfare aircraft effectively.

An official report on the Nanchang confirmed this tactical shift. The ship broke from traditional formation ranks, advancing 100 nautical miles (185 km) ahead and, with the support of rear forces, blocked a US aircraft carrier task force from entering a Chinese exercise zone.

In response, the US military deployed carrier-based aircraft. Videos released by China indicated that the EA-18G might have used a combat mode known as jamming-while-accompanying, forming a formation with other warplanes and conducting noise jamming or releasing dense, false target signals to confuse the Nanchang.

Despite these efforts, the Nanchang’s radar system continued to function normally and successfully locked onto the US fleet’s main targets. According to a commander on board the Nanchang, the US ships and aircraft withdrew not long after they removed the protective covers from the vertical launching system.

Contact the author at ashishmichel(at)gmail.com
 
'If you don't spend, you are dog fart': China tour guide scolds tour group & refuses to move off
Authorities found that she was operating without a licence.

Daniel Seow |


July 22, 2024, 07:00 PM



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A tour guide in Tianjin, China, got into hot soup after a video of her berating her tour group loudly for not spending enough at a tour stop went viral online.

She was found to be operating without a licence, and is facing a fine of up to RMB30,000 (S$5,545).

The video
In the video, the guide could be heard complaining that the entire bus of 52 people "had only spent RMB900 (S$166) in total" at the tour stop.

"I even reminded everyone at the exit to just buy an item or two, if not I won't be able to account for this. Yet some of you still left without buying a single thing. What's wrong with all of you?" she said.

The guide also said that the group "was old enough to know better" and they had "brought shame to Taiyuan people", the city where the tour was from.

"If you spend money, you are God. If you don’t spend money, you are just dog's fart! ” she berated them.

The guide then instructed those who had not purchased anything to return to the tour stop and "spend RMB1000-2000 (S$184-368)" before the whole group would be allowed to proceed to their next destination.

The video has gone viral since it was shared online.

One clip of the incident, shared to X, has been viewed more than 986,000 times as of Jul. 22.

Authorities intervened
Subsequently, Tianjin's Culture and Tourism Bureau caught wind of the incident and investigated the matter, according to China Press and CCTV.

They confirmed that the incident took place at about 10:30am on Jul. 19, during a four-day trip to Beidahe and Tianjin, which was organised by a local travel agency.

The tour started in Taiyuan city, where the tour guide surnamed Deng began leading the group.

"During the tour group's trip to Tianjin, Deng showed an unacceptable attitude and used inappropriate language to coerce the tourists into spending, which caused displeasure," the bureau said.

Authorities also found that Deng's tour guide certification had expired on Sep. 9, 2023, and was ultimately revoked as she did not apply for a renewal.

As such, the bureau said it would fine her up to a maximum of RMB30,000 (S$1,545) and confiscate her profits from that tour.

Not the first time
It is not the first time tour guides in China have come under fire for their methods to coerce tour groups to spend more.

In 2015, a tour guide from Kunming had her licence revoked after threatening to cancel the group's next stop if they did not spend at least RMB3000 (S$554) each, BBC reported.

And in April, 37 Chinese tourists were locked up by their tour guide in a mattress store in Yunnan, and forced to buy products there if they wanted to leave, VnExpress reported.

Authorities fined the tour guide, who did not have a valid licence, and also placed the travel company under investigation.

This has widely been understood to be a systemic issue in China, according to China Daily.

In order to offer cheap trips to tourists, tour agencies in China typically cut costs by not signing labour contracts with tour guides and imposing additional fees on them.

As such, many of these guides are heavily dependent on commissions from tourists' shopping to pay the bills.

Top image from @wuwenhang / X


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Ang mor lands are fucked..

China to build first-ever thorium molten salt nuclear power station in Gobi Desert
Posted 10h ago
10 hours ago
Two samples of fluoride salt as a solid and as a liquid.
Two samples of fluoride salt as a solid and as a molten liquid.(Supplied: Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
China is planning to build a nuclear power plant on the edge of the Gobi Desert that would be the first in the world to use molten salt as the fuel carrier and coolant.

It would also be the first to use the radioactive metallic element thorium — named after the Norse god — as a fuel source instead of the uranium traditionally used in nuclear reactors.

Molten salt reactors are considered "inherently safer" than traditional water-cooled reactors, but face additional challenges such as the corrosion caused by the superheated radioactive salts and issues with waste disposal.

Plans for the thorium molten salt reactor (TMSR), first revealed by the South China Morning Post, were detailed in an environmental assessment report that was briefly posted to the website of the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP) before being taken down.

An aerial view of the site where the TMSR is to be built. (Supplied: Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics )
According to the report, a prototype TMSR at the same location, which was designed to produce 2 megawatts of thermal energy but no actual electricity, achieved criticality in October last year.

Building on the results of the prototype, the new facility will produce 60MW of heat that will be used to generate 10MW of electricity and hydrogen as part of a larger renewable and low-carbon energy research hub.

The project would "drive the development of a large number of materials and high-end equipment manufacturing technologies", the report said.

It cited advantages to molten salt reactors, including "high inherent safety, low nuclear waste, physical prevention of nuclear proliferation and better economics".

It also mentioned that because TMSRs don't require water, they could also be built underground and in arid areas.

The TMSR will be built at a site on the edge of the Gobi Desert.(Supplied: Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics )
Construction is due to start near Wuwei in China's northern Gansu Province next year with full operation expected in 2030.

Waste from the reactor is set to be stored underground in the Gobi.

SINAP did not respond to the ABC's request for comment.

The project is part of China's campaign to become carbon neutral by 2060, which has seen Beijing funding research into a wide variety of low-carbon energy technologies including new types of large nuclear reactors and small modular reactors (SMRs).

According to a paper previously published in the Chinese scientific journal Nuclear Techniques by the SINAP, China aims to begin producing 100MW TMSRs from 2030.

Duration: 4 minutes 4 seconds
4m 4s
Dr Mark Ho from the Australian Nuclear Association explains how the proposed nuclear power plant would work.
'Inherently safer' than traditional nuclear reactors
Traditional water-cooled reactors have to operate at high pressures so the water doesn't turn into steam — like huge pressure cookers.

Molten salt vaporises at much higher temperatures, so the reactors don't need to be pressurised in the same way.

They also include a "frozen" salt plug designed to melt if the system overheats or loses power, allowing the molten salt to drain into a reservoir where it cools down and solidifies — stopping the nuclear reaction.

Experts say this means there is less danger of them having a catastrophic meltdown like at Fukushima and Chernobyl.

A diagram showing a design for a molten salt nuclear reactor originally developed by the US Department of Energy.(ABC News: Jarrod Fankhauser)
Australian Nuclear Association president Mark Ho said because molten salt reactors did not need to be pressurised, they could be smaller than water-cooled reactors.

Dr Ho said China could provide these "miniaturised" nuclear reactors to Pacific Islands nations where diesel generators provide most of the electricity.

"An unpressurised core [also] means an inherently safer design," Dr Ho said.

He said the initial success of China's molten salt reactor program showed how far behind Australia was on advanced nuclear power technology.

"Which is not helped by the ban on nuclear power," he said.

Thorium, meanwhile, has some potential advantages as a fuel over uranium, as it is able to produce shorter-lived radioactive waste and is more difficult to use for nuclear weapons.

It is also much more abundant than uranium, particularly in China.

Thorium is much more abundant than uranium and Australia has some of the greatest reserves in the world.(Wikimedia Commons: W Oelen)
According to the SINAP report, China's proven thorium industrial reserves are about 280,000 tons — second only to India's, which are about 340,000 tons.

That's said to be enough to satisfy China's energy needs for 20,000 years.

The news has generated excitement in the scientific community because it suggests the Chinese researchers have had at least some success in overcoming the technical challenges that have made TMSRs unviable in the past.

They include the corrosive nature of the radioactive superheated salts and the difficulties involved in achieving fission with thorium, which is fertile rather than fissile.

Thorium needs to be irradiated, turning it into uranium-233, which is a fissile material that can be burned in nuclear reactors.

Nuclear engineer Tony Irwin, an honorary associate professor at the Australian National University, said the TMSR was an "interesting technology that's got a lot of potential".

He pointed out that the higher operating temperature could also be used to supply process heat for industrial applications.

"[Chinese researchers] tend to go in very conservative steps," he said. "Start off slowly and demonstrate and then carry on for the next one."

He said the big challenge remained ensuring the plant would last for the expected 60-year lifetime of a commercial power plant.

"But there's huge progress being made with materials," he said.

The molten salt thorium reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was shut down in 1969. (Wikimedia Commons: ORNL)
Originally intended for aircraft
US scientists first started looking into molten salt reactors in the 1940s, hoping they could be built small enough to be installed in aircraft.

A functioning TMSR was built at the Oak Ridge laboratory in Tennessee but it endured a series of issues and malfunctions and was shut down in 1969, with thorium effectively abandoned in favour of uranium.

The 2MW TMSR built in the Gobi Desert was the first to achieve sustained fission since then.

China's researchers are not the only ones who have been working on the technology in recent years.

India, which has the world's largest known reserves, has long been trying to develop thorium as a power source, while Indonesia and other countries have expressed interest in TMSRs as well.

A number of private companies are also jostling to be the first to get a commercial thorium-powered and/or molten salt reactor up and running.

They include Bill Gates's TerraPower, which is planning to build a 345MW molten chloride salt-cooled reactor in Wyoming that would run on high-assay low-enriched uranium.

However, not everyone believes in the potential of TMSRs.

"Should molten salt reactors ever be constructed, they are unlikely to operate reliably," physicist MV Ramana wrote in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

"And if they are deployed, they would likely result in various safety and security risks. And they would produce several different waste streams, all of which would require extensive processing and would face disposal-related challenges.

"Investing in molten salt reactors is not worth the cost or the effort."

However, Professor Irwin said molten salt reactors were still too far away to consider for Australia.

"I don't think that's a commercial path at the moment," he said.

"It's one that obviously everybody's looking at and monitoring, but the commercial path at the moment is still light water reactors in either large or small sizes for more immediate deployment."

Nigel Marks, an associate professor of physics at Curtin University, said it would be a "massive moment" if molten salt reactors proved commercially viable.

"If Australia decided to go nuclear, we should definitely look at it — geopolitics notwithstanding," he said.

He said finding a use for thorium would be great for the Australian mining industry,

"Australia has 10 to 15 per cent of the world's thorium," he said.

"For rare-earth miners such as Lynas, thorium is a thorn in their side as it creates a waste stream which is (mildly) radioactive."

He said that if thorium was a "bridge too far" then a molten salt reactor using uranium would have all the same safety benefits, apart from the waste being longer-lived.

He added that the problem of nuclear waste disposal had been "solved" with countries including Finland and Sweden set to put it deep underground.

"In Australia, we have great options for nuclear waste storage; not only do we have some of the oldest and most geologically stable rocks in the world, but we have excellent technology developed at ANSTO [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation]," he said.

Dr Marks said that from a broader perspective, China's progress with TMSRs showed the "power of innovation in science and engineering".

"The nuclear nay-sayers point to SMRs [Small Modular Reactors] and say 'long lead times, not yet commercially demonstrated' and so on, and all this is true.

"But it misses the point that there are lots of ways of skinning the nuclear cat, and if countries would just have the patience to invest for a decade or so, then the solutions will come.

"After all, finding a green solution for electricity (and heat and hydrogen) is a multi-generational task, so waiting five to 10 years to find a good path forward is nothing."
 
Chicon land richer than yankeeland?

$127b gold reserve discovered in China
A gold reserve estimated to be worth $127 billion has been discovered just 3000 metres below the surface of a China field.

Claudia Poposki
less than 2 min read
November 30, 2024 - 5:55PM


Gold surged this year amid election fears and global tensions. With Trump the clear... more
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The world’s largest gold deposit has been discovered in China.

Geological Bureau of Hunan Province (GBHP) scientists claim to have found 300 tonnes of the metal just 2000 metres under the ground at Wangu gold field.

Drilling indicates there are more than 1000 tonnes in reserves that sit at about 3000 metres below the surface.

It is estimated to be worth 600 billion yuan. That is the equivalent of $127.3 billion Australian dollars.

Biggest gold mine ever found in China. Picture: iStock
Biggest gold mine ever found in China. Picture: iStock
Chen Rulin, an ore expert at GBHP, told a local news outlet: “Many drilled rock cores showed visible gold.”

The gold was found thanks to 3D geological modelling, the vice head of the bureau said. Further digging has been done of the edge of the site. It has showed promise, the GBHP said.

No plans have been announced to develop the site as of yet.

It is believed there are 138 grams of gold per metric ton of ore — which is much higher than usual.

Up until this point, the largest gold deposit was found in the South Deep mine in South Africa. Around 900 tonnes was found just 3000 metres below the surface.

In October it was revealed that gold had once again reached a new height. The price had surged 31 per cent since January. This meant, for the first time ever, bricks of gold reached $US2700 ($A4070).

“There is a reality where gold could be reaching $US6,000 ($A9200) an ounce if history repeats itself. While history doesn’t repeat, it does rhyme,” Jessica Amir, Moomoo’s market analyst, told NewsWire.

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Yanks will no longer be able to defend fuckeins Island..

China "Shrinks Gap" With U.S. Navy In Vertical Launch System Capability; Here's Why VLS Is Vital For A Navy
China is rapidly narrowing the gap with the United States in vertical launch system (VLS) missile capacity, a key indicator of naval strength, according to a new analysis by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a UK-based think tank.

The report, published on December 20, disclosed that China’s Navy, known as the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), has surpassed 50% of the US Navy’s firepower in VLS-equipped surface ships as of 2024, with the disparity expected to shrink further.

The VLS is a crucial component of modern warships, which allows them to carry a range of missiles for air defense, anti-ship operations, and land attacks. The report revealed that by the end of 2024, the US Navy operated 85 VLS-equipped surface warships, just one more than China’s 84.

Johannes Fischbach, a maritime research analyst at IISS who authored the report, pointed out that the PLAN has made good progress in the past two decades.

“A 20-year comparison highlights the increase in the PLAN’s capacity. While it had less than 1.5% of US Navy capacity in 2005, this grew to over 13% by 2015. As 2024 ended, this had reached more than 51%,” Fischbach noted. Between 2021 and 2022 alone, China added more than 1,260 new VLS cells to its fleet.


The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) defeats a combination of Houthi missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in the Red Sea, Oct. 19, 2023. Carney is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Lau)
However, the shift is not solely due to China’s advancements. The US Navy has seen a decline in its VLS capacity, mainly due to the retirement of its aging Ticonderoga-class cruisers, which have long been the most heavily armed U.S. surface platforms in terms of VLS cells, with each ship carrying 122 cells.

Moreover, the construction of new US warships has not kept pace with the diminishing number of aging vessels nor with China’s rapid production of new warships.

The report further predicted, “The gap between the capacity of the US Navy and that of the PLAN is set to continue to close for the foreseeable future.”

The Role Of VLS In Modern Naval Warfare
According to the Pentagon’s annual report on Beijing’s military, China currently commands the world’s largest navy, with more than 370 ships and submarines, including over 140 major surface combatants.

This force is set to expand, with projections indicating it could grow to nearly 400 vessels by next year and reach 435 by the decade’s end.

However, the US Navy still holds several advantages. Its VLS-equipped platforms, such as the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, are integrated with the advanced Aegis combat system, a key edge in operational experience and missile defense capabilities.

Despite the aging of some platforms, the US Navy has opted to extend the service life of its oldest Arleigh Burkes and three Ticonderoga class cruisers, postponing their retirement beyond initial plans.

Meanwhile, China’s modern ships, such as the Renhai-class destroyers with 112 VLS cells, are entering service at a rapid pace.


The Ticonderoga class cruiser USS Gettysburg. USN
The ability to carry many vertical-launch system (VLS) cells offers several tactical advantages. It allows a warship to launch many missiles before needing to reload, a task that’s difficult to accomplish at sea and typically requires a return to port.

VLS technology also provides greater flexibility and faster salvos than traditional arm launchers. For example, the US-made Mark 41 VLS can fire various missiles to target land, surface, air, and space-based threats. It can even launch anti-submarine rockets (ASROC) that deploy torpedoes into the ocean from precise locations chosen by the ship’s captain.

The US has already faced high munitions expenditure rates during its conflict with Houthi rebels in Yemen. However, a potential conflict with China would demand far greater munitions use.

While the number of VLS cells serves as an important metric of a navy’s firepower, it does not encapsulate the full complexity of naval warfare.

Other critical elements, such as the dimensions and operational capabilities of launch tubes and the variety of munitions employed, play a vital role in shaping combat effectiveness. In a potential US-China conflict, the efficacy of air defenses and countermeasures would be equally pivotal.

Moreover, naval warfare extends beyond surface ships. Anti-ship missiles can be launched from land-based platforms or aircraft, and submarines with missile tubes are also critical. The US Navy maintains a considerable underwater advantage over China in this area.

The US Navy retains an edge in its VLS-equipped submarine force, a critical component that China is only now beginning to develop.

The US’s fleet of Ohio-class nuclear-powered guided-missile submarines, each carrying 154 VLS cells, remains unmatched. However, with the impending retirement of the Ohio-class submarines, this advantage may diminish in the coming years.

Contact the author at ashishmichel(at)gmail.com
 
Yankeeland is fucked...

Chinese Fighter Jets “Better Protected” Than U.S. Warplanes; New Report Says Beijing Can Quickly Wipe-Out USAF Bases During War
China’s extensive fortification of its air bases in recent years has provided it with a significant advantage over US military airfields, particularly in the event of a conflict over Taiwan, according to a new report by the Hudson Institute.

Over the past decade, Beijing has undertaken an extensive effort to “harden” its airfields and, in the process, utilized enough concrete to construct a four-lane highway stretching from Washington to Chicago, as stated in the report titled “Concrete Sky: Air Base Hardening in the Western Pacific.”

China has engaged in what the report describes as a “nationwide, systematic campaign” to expand and harden its airfields. The goal is to withstand large-scale attacks, with a particular focus on safeguarding aircraft during intense air combat.

The analysis, authored by Timothy A. Walton, a senior fellow at the think tank, and Thomas H. Shugart, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, highlights that the number of hardened aircraft shelters—designed to protect planes from enemy strikes—has more than doubled, from 370 to over 800.

Meanwhile, the number of non-hardened shelters has surged from 1,100 to more than 2,300, bringing the total number of shelters across the country to over 3,100. These shelters are crucial for protecting China’s vast fleet of combat aircraft during a conflict.

The fortification efforts are particularly concentrated within 1,000 nautical miles of the Taiwan Strait, an area that could see intense fighting if tensions between China and Taiwan escalate.

In this region, China has over 650 hardened shelters and nearly 2,000 non-hardened shelters spread across 134 air bases. By comparison, the United States has added just two hardened shelters and 41 non-hardened shelters in the same area, with a focus on bases outside of South Korea.

The report paints a stark picture of the disparity in airfield capacity between China and the US and its allies. When factoring in airbases in South Korea and the Philippines, the combined regional airfield capacity of the US and its allies is roughly one-third of China’s.

This imbalance is especially concerning, as it means that in a conflict, China could maintain its air operations far more effectively than the US and its partners.

This operational advantage, the report suggests, could encourage China to act first in a conflict. The country’s extensive airfield fortifications give it the ability to suppress or destroy US airpower in the region with significantly fewer strikes than it would take the US and its allies to disable Chinese air forces.

The report also highlights the vulnerability of US airfields in the region. Many US airbases lack the hardened protections found in Chinese facilities, which left them susceptible to missile strikes.

For example, China could neutralize US military aircraft and fuel stores at Iwakuni, located on Japan’s main island of Honshu, with as few as 10 missiles.

Moreover, the US would face serious logistical challenges. The closest US military base to Taiwan is Kadena Air Base, located on Okinawa Island, Japan, just 370 miles from the island. However, maintaining a sustainable air campaign from these distant bases could be difficult.

Growing Chinese Missile Threat
The report follows the Pentagon’s release of its annual evaluation of China’s military capabilities, which highlighted a major rise in China’s medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs), with the number rising by approximately 300 in just over a year.

These missiles, with ranges between 621 and 1,864 miles, are capable of reaching US military bases across the entire first island chain, a strategic defense line that includes Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

The Pentagon also noted that the Chinese Rocket Force, which manages land-based missiles, regularly conducts live-fire exercises targeting mock airfields, bunkers, aircraft, and ships, thereby improving its readiness for various counter-intervention scenarios.

Satellite imagery has previously revealed mock-ups of US military assets, such as aircraft carriers, which are considered potential missile targets.

While US forces have had an advantage in deploying to forward airfields without contest in past conflicts in the Middle East, experts believe that a conflict with China would present a very different and far more challenging environment.

Chinese military strategists have identified forward air bases, particularly their runways, as the Achilles’ heel of American airpower projection, given their vulnerability to missile attacks.


An F-35 Lightning II, from Hill Air Force Base Utah, taxis for take-off at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Oct. 13, 2017. The aircraft was on its way to the 2017 Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition in South Korea. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Heather Redman)
This alarming scenario has not gone unnoticed by US lawmakers. In May 2024, 13 members of Congress addressed a letter to the Air Force and Navy secretaries and highlighted the risks posed by Chinese missile threats.

They warned that such vulnerabilities “significantly weaken our ability to respond in a conflict” and urged the Pentagon to prioritize building hardened aircraft shelters, underground bunkers, and other infrastructure to increase the resilience of US bases in the Indo-Pacific region.

Yet, the report by Shugart and Walton highlights that the US military has focused more on advancing modern aircraft rather than addressing these critical airfield threats. Both older and newer aircraft face similar risks when stationed on the ground.

To counter China’s growing missile threat, the Hudson Institute report urges the US to invest in strengthening airfield defenses, fortifying airbases for resilience, and accelerating the development of aircraft and unmanned systems that can operate from shorter or even damaged runways, aligning with the US Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) strategy.

Contact the author at ashishmichel(at)gmail.com
 
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