Author Topic: China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile  (Read 1222 times)

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SPQR

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China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile
« on: December 26, 2013, 07:52:56 am »
by Aya Igarashi / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent


China’s military is advancing the development of a new intercontinental ballistic missile and increasing its stockpile of nuclear warheads, an ambitious step to block U.S. engagement in the Asia-Pacific region by boosting not only its naval and air forces, but also its nuclear missile capabilities.

The Chinese military conducted a second test launch of its newest ICBM, the Dong Feng-41 (DF-41), from the Wuzhai missile launch center in Shanxi Province to western China on Dec. 13, according to the U.S. website Washington Free Beacon, which cited Pentagon officials.

China first tested the DF-41 in July 2012. With a range of up to 14,000 kilometers, the missile is capable of hitting most targets in North America. The Global Times, which is affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party organ, People’s Daily, quoted the Washington Free Beacon report and said the DF-41 will serve as the new basis of the country’s security in its Dec. 19 editorial, effectively confirming this month’s test fire.

Tensions are escalating between the United States and China over the air defense identification zone that China unilaterally announced in the East China Sea last month and a near collision reported earlier this month between a U.S. guided missile cruiser and a Chinese warship. The U.S. ship is believed to have been monitoring the Liaoning, China’s sole aircraft carrier, in the South China Sea.

China’s test firing of the missile, along with its attempts at gaining air supremacy and the command of the sea, are apparently aimed at checking the United States.

China’s program to develop strategic missiles runs counter to the global trend of nuclear arms reduction, championed by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama and others.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, China had about 250 nuclear warheads as of Jan. 1, which is far fewer than the United States’ 7,700, but it is the only nation among the five nuclear powers sanctioned under the Nuclear Non-Prolifertaion Treaty to increase its nuclear stockpile. The other sanctioned nuclear powers are the United States, Britain, France and Russia.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Second Artillery Corps, in charge of ballistic missiles, already deploys DF-31A missiles, which have a range of 11,200 kilometers. A DF-31A is capable of carrying three to five warheads, whereas a DF-41 can carry up to 10.

A U.S. Air Force research institute in a May report said the number of Chinese warheads capable of reaching the United States will increase to 100 or more over the next 15 years after factoring in the development of the DF-41 missile.

The Chinese military is said to be close to deploying the Julang-2 (JL-2), a second-generation submarine-launched ballistic missile. When JL-2 missiles are installed in China’s state-of-the-art nuclear-powered Jin-class submarines, they would be capable of hitting the U.S. mainland from the Chinese coastal areas.

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0000895009

SPQR

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Re: China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2013, 08:08:34 am »
Remember, China is not a signatory of any nuclear arms treaties like SALT,START or INF. Therefore, it can do practically what they want.

http://www.icnnd.org/Documents/Arbatov_INF_Paper.pdf
« Last Edit: December 26, 2013, 08:35:28 am by SPQR »

Offline EC

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Re: China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile
« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2013, 03:56:16 pm »
Hmmm - range of 14000 km, carries 10 warheads.

Sounds like the new Russian ICBM.
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rangerrebew

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Re: China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2013, 04:04:09 pm »
Isn't this Obama's cue to further disarm America and reduce the military? :peeonobama:

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Re: China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2013, 04:16:00 pm »
Isn't this Obama's cue to further disarm America and reduce the military? :peeonobama:

Apparently Obama promised more "flexibility" to the Chinese as well as to the Russians.

SPQR

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Re: China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2013, 01:26:34 am »
Hmmm - range of 14000 km, carries 10 warheads.

Sounds like the new Russian ICBM.

It may be a Russian knock off of the SS-18 Satan missile. The part that I am worried is part of it can carry 10 warheads. Meaning 10 MIRV targets in one missile with chaff and penetration aids. Add to their new their version the GPS system(the Beidou) hot wired in these MIRVs, you have a very accuracy rate.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2013, 01:42:06 am by SPQR »

SPQR

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Re: China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile
« Reply #6 on: December 27, 2013, 01:36:10 am »
Apparently Obama promised more "flexibility" to the Chinese as well as to the Russians.

I do not think its flexibility, is that the Chinese have never been a part of any nuclear arms control treaty spanning decades. Only the Soviet Union and United States have been signatories of the major ones like ABM, SALT,START and INF. They have been getting a free ride for decades.This have left them a gigantic loophole to exploit.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2013, 02:22:11 am by SPQR »

Offline Chieftain

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Re: China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2013, 02:28:00 am »
So somebody figure the odds for me that the Chinese are going to be marketing these new ICBMs to the Saudis and any other rich Sunni Princeling who wants to buy into the nuclear superpower club.....

The Saudis already have the older model Chinese missiles, sans warheads of course....


SPQR

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Re: China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile
« Reply #8 on: December 27, 2013, 02:47:56 am »
So somebody figure the odds for me that the Chinese are going to be marketing these new ICBMs to the Saudis and any other rich Sunni Princeling who wants to buy into the nuclear superpower club.....

The Saudis already have the older model Chinese missiles, sans warheads of course....

The Saudis have the CSS-2 missiles.The CCS-2 missile. The CCS-2 has a single RD-101 rocket engine, and used alcohol for fuel with liquid oxygen (LOX) as an oxidizer. The missile had max range of 550 km and 500 kg payload. Limited numbers of CCS-2 were produced in the 1960s, and have since been retired. They have the launch facilities but they have not tested them yet. The key for a successful ICBM are three things:1. Guidance Control 2.Propusion 3. Warhead Design. I do not think that the Saudis will get these missiles. These missiles have only one target in mind: the United States launched from China.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2013, 03:17:45 am by SPQR »

SPQR

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Re: China develops new ICBMs, adds to nuclear stockpile
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2013, 02:56:38 am »
The Saudis have the CSS-2 missiles.The CCS-2 missile. The CCS-2 has a single RD-101 rocket engine, and used alcohol for fuel with liquid oxygen (LOX) as an oxidizer. The missile had max range of 550 km and 500 kg payload. Limited numbers of CCS-2 were produced in the 1960s, and have since been retired. They have the launch facilities but they have not tested them yet. The key for a successful ICBM are three things:1. Guidance Control 2.Propusion 3. Warhead Design. I do not think that the Saudis will get these missiles. These missiles have only one target in mind: the United States.

These missiles are only for the PLAAF use only and they are strategic missiles.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2013, 02:57:50 am by SPQR »