"With all of the world's attention focused on the Beijing Olympics and to a lesser extent, the 'truce' in Georgia, we should not underestimate the serious implications for U.S. strategic objectives posed by the Chinese military modernization programs, (Russia's announced modernization programs is another element). ... As it builds systems to fight in or from space, China is also quickly exploiting space for military missions on Earth. ... In April, China launched its first tracking data relay satellite to lessen its dependency on ground satellite control and relay stations. The emerging systems will in the near future enable global precision targeting by Chinese weapons. ... China has built several sky-wave Over-the-Horizon radar stations that for the first time allow the PLA to monitor continuously U.S. Navy ship movements hundred miles out in the Western Pacific. ... The PLA's space networks and ground survelliance systems will help target the PLA's new revolutionary long-range anti-ship ballistic missiles. ... Complementing the anti-ship ballistic missiles, China has purchased advanced Russian anti-ship missiles like the supersonic Sunburn and the very advanced Club-two-stage anti-ship missile. ... The implications for the U.S. Navy are clear. In 1987, I had 255 ships including seven aircraft carriers in the Pacific Fleet which is almost what we have in the entire Navy today. ... We obviously need to ramp up our ship building program", James Lyons (JL) at http://www.washingtontimes.com/, 25 August 2008.
JL is a retired US Navy admiral and former commander in chief of the US Pacific Fleet. I agree with JL. Imagine, we spent $650 billion in Iraq. For what?
2 comments:
i read that a chinese sub surfaced inside a usa carrier group's defensive perimeter without warning a few years ago. the ruskies buzzed one of our ships near japan recently. i know we don't agree as to cause / effect but i think we can probably agree that the confrontations will probably escalate.
BS:
You are correct. It was on 10 November 2007. A diesel powered Chinese sub surfaced within torpedo range of the carrier Kitty Hawk. Having surfaced, the Chinese sub submerged and dissappeared.
Yes, the confrontations will increase. We sent a number of ships to the Black Sea. This only irritates the Russians, who said so. It looks like we are trying to create another Gulf of Tonkin incident. We keep provoking the Bear. Eventually the Bear will bite back.
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