Current Events in Asia-Pacific

From Defense Aerospace [excerpt]

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/06/re...e-of-junk/all/1 'Cause Shi Lang is a navalized version of "Potyomkin villages? Points in article: - Chinese have no experience whatsoever in conducting naval air ops - It is just a one carrier against entire Pacific Fleet, augmented by its allies - Chinese have only J-15 naval fighter (possibly with limited antisurface capabilities) and some helicopters for ASW and (possibly) AEW role, but nothing more. No EW planes, no AEW planes, no carrier cargo planes - Chinese fleet have insufficent number of modern warships and submarines, comparable to Tico's, Burke's, improved Los Angeles, Seawolves and Virginias. So chinese f…

From Navy Times Fallon seeks quick agreement on Kitty Hawk replacement Associated Press (Kyodo) The commander of U.S armed forces in the Pacific told Congress on Wednesday he wants to reach an early agreement with Japan on a replacement of the retiring Japan-based aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. ”I’d like to have some agreement on the issue with Japan,” Adm. William Fallon, commander of the Hawaii-based Pacific Command, told a House of Representatives Armed Services Committee hearing. With the Kitty Hawk slated for retirement in 2008, Congress is urging the military to quickly set out an overall naval deployment plan to offset China’s growing naval power in …

Submarine Corp to be sold off August 16, 2006 THE former Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC Pty Ltd) will be sold by the Federal Government. Finance Minister Nick Minchin announced today that following a scoping study into the possible sale of the company, the Government had decided to put it up for a competitive tender sale. He said the tender would most likely begin in late 2007, with a sale completed by the second half of 2008. The sale decision had been expected. Senator Minchin said a tender sale would protect the company's long term interests. "It is vital that ASC continue to have access to essential technical assistance from international …

From Defense Aerospace Launch of RSN's Fourth Frigate (Source: Singapore Ministry of Defence; issued July 15, 2005) The Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) fourth frigate, RSS Tenacious was launched on 15 July 2005, by Mrs Lalitha Jayakumar, wife of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Law, Prof S. Jayakumar, at Singapore Technologies Marine yard. Prof Jayakumar officiated at the launching ceremony. The launch of RSS Tenacious marks another milestone for the Formidable-class frigate programme. She is the third frigate to be built locally. In the next phase, RSS Tenacious will undergo harbour and sea trials. The RSN stealth frigates’ sophisticated sen…

From Defense Aerospace China's Defense Budget to grow 17.6% in 2008 (Source: Chinese Government Portal; issued March 4, 2008) China plans to increase its defense budget by 17.6 percent in 2008, a parliament spokesperson said in Beijing on Tuesday. The planned defense budget for 2008 was 417.769 billion yuan, a rise of 62.379 billion yuan from last year, Jiang Enzhu, spokesman for China's top legislature's annual session, told a press conference. (ends) China Military Expansion Could Have Global Implications (Source: US Department of Defense; issued March 3, 2008) WASHINGTON --- China not only is a rising international economic power, but also …

From the Summer 2011 issue of US Naval War College Review: PLA Doctrine and the Employment of Sea Based Airpower (PDF)

How does China's first aircraft carrier stack up? (CSIS)

From australian ABC news service: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-22/japanese-ambassador-slams-china-over-raaf-laser-incident/100849886

From DefenseNews Chinese General Warns U.S. Over Taiwan By JOHN RUWITCH, REUTERS, BEIJING A Chinese general has warned that China was ready to use nuclear weapons against the United States if Washington attacked his country over Taiwan, the Financial Times reported on July 15. Zhu Chenghu, a major general in the People’s Liberation Army who said he was expressing his own views and did not anticipate a conflict with Washington, nevertheless said China would have no option but to go nuclear in the event of an attack. “If the Americans draw their missiles and position-guided ammunition onto the target zone on China’s territory, I think we will have to respon…

Los Angeles Times April 16, 2007 N. Korea Reminded To Fulfill Its Pledge U.S. is displeased by the failure to shut a nuclear reactor but says it will wait a few more days. By Associated Press SEOUL — The U.S. said Sunday that North Korea must act within days on a pledge to halt its nuclear weapons program, after the Pyongyang government failed to meet a Saturday deadline to shut down and seal a nuclear reactor. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said Washington was prepared "to hold on for a few more days" after his Chinese counterpart, Wu Dawei, asked the U.S. for patience. "We're not happy that the [North] essentially has missed…

Report: Chinese Develop Special "Kill Weapon" to Destroy U.S. Aircraft Carriers Advanced missile poses substantial new threat for U.S. Navy U. S. Naval Institute March 31, 2009 Find USNI article here. With tensions already rising due to the Chinese navy becoming more aggressive in asserting its territorial claims in the South China Sea, the U.S. Navy seems to have yet another reason to be deeply concerned. After years of conjecture, details have begun to emerge of a "kill weapon" developed by the Chinese to target and destroy U.S. aircraft carriers. First posted on a Chinese blog viewed as credible by military analysts and then translated by th…

From the Summer 2011 issue of US Naval War College Review: A New Carrier Race? (PDF) A lengthy discussion about the JMSDF's new DDH Hyuga.

Nice choice of namesake ... From Defense Aerospace [excerpt]

Excerpt from Jane's Defence Weekly Taiwan claims US Navy is sabotaging SSK plans By Wendell Minnick JDW Correspondents Taipei Taiwan (Republic of China) has accused the US Navy of intentionally sabotaging the sale of eight diesel-electric submarines that the Bush administration promised it in April 2001. A US source close to the programme has confirmed Taiwanese claims and argues that the US Navy feared a revival of a domestic diesel-electric submarine programme that would challenge its traditional use of nuclear-powered submarines. "The bottom line is that the initiation of a Taiwan submarine programme has tremendous implications for the US Navy …

From Jane's Intelligence Watch Report 26 March 2007 Tamil rebels take to skies to attack Sri Lankan base EVENT On 25 March, the ethnic insurgent Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) became the world's first non-state armed group to undertake a bombing raid using its own aircraft without external support. The LTTE’s use of air power is not unexpected. The Sri Lankan government has long accused the rebels of developing an air wing, possibly called Vaanpuligal, stating in mid-2005 that the LTTE had built and was maintaining a 1,250 m air strip in Mullaitivu district. Photographs released by the LTTE on 26 March show the LTTE leader Prabhakaran with six a…

From DefenseNews Australia Cancels Seasprite Contract AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 4 Mar 22:13 EST (17:13 GMT) SYDNEY - Australia on March 5 cancelled a $1 billion (930 million U.S.) contract for U.S.-made Seasprite helicopters following a review of the troubled project. The Australian navy ordered 11 of the anti-submarine and anti-shipping helicopters in 1997 but technical problems meant they were never fully operational and the fleet was indefinitely grounded in 2006. Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon ordered a review of the project after the center-left Labor Party won office last November as part of a wider examination of a series of controversial …

German Freighter Nordlake sinks Indian Frigate Vindhyagiri source "Times of India" .....

China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities—Background and Issues for Congress (pdf, CRS)

Japan doubles the number of F-15J based at Naha, Okinawa, to some 40 planes, near disputed Senkaku islands: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/01/31/national/japan-doubles-number-f-15s-okinawa-amid-senkaku-incursions-china/#.VrXZevnhDIU