First publicly-released photo of the YJ-82 submarine-launched missile

This submarine-launched missile was derived from the standard YJ-82 SSM that has been in service with the PLAN over 20 years. It also enjoys export successes with number of navies around the world. Until today's PLA Daily article (here) there is no photo of this submarine-launched variant with it's specially designed launcher capsule available to the pubic .

Perhaps in keeping up with China's recent submarine export drive to Thailand (here) and Pakistan (here), it feels the need to release more information about its under-water warfare systems to the market.

CDF Forum is Back ONLINE!

After an outage of several days, China-Defense.com Forum is back online.

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We are working on a permanent solution to this ongoing problem...

Guess What?

Launched

Photo credit goes to HSH.





Unrelated photo of the two recently ordered PLAN-AF KJ-200 AWAC birds.

12 Y-8 Transport to Venezuela

Will be interested to see which model/add-on.

Venezuela to buy Chinese transport planes
An arms embargo imposed by the United States means much of Venezuela's air fleet has fallen into disrepair.
Sunday, 28 November 2010 09:23

http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=66779

Venezuela plans to buy up to 12 Y-8 transport aircraft from China, a senior military official said on Friday, adding to a list of recent defense purchases from the Asian country.

Major Gen. Jorge Oropeza said the government was negotiating the purchase of between 10 and 12 of the medium range transport planes, which have a 7.5 hour flight range.

"These Y-8 will add to our operations with Hercules C-130s," he said. "Their reach extends through South America and to Spain."

He did not reveal the projected cost of the deal.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has bought billions of dollars of military hardware from Russia and China to upgrade ageing equipment. An arms embargo imposed by the United States means much of Venezuela's air fleet has fallen into disrepair.

China this year delivered 18 K-8 training jets to the South American country and has also sold it a network of radars.

General Visit.

First it was General Casey's visit to Vietnam on November 22nd; 6 days later, it was General Ma Xiaotian's turn. Despite the wishful thinking of many pundits, don't think Vietnam would give up its hard-won independent foreign policy to a single power.

US Army General visits Vietnam
http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/US-Army-General-visits-Vietnam/201011/121645.vov
Chief of Staff of the US Army Gen. George William Casey Jr., who is on a working visit to Vietnam, was warmly received by Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, at the headquarters of the Defense Ministry, on November 22.

At the reception, Lieut. Gen. Khanh expressed his hope that the visit would help strengthen the relations and mutual understanding between the two countries’ armies and people.

For his part, Gen. George William Casey Jr. thanked Lieut. Gen Khanh for warm reception and expressed his delight at visiting Vietnam to understand more about Vietnam’s history and its army and people.

Both agreed to further boost military personnel exchange and cooperation on military activities including military medicine and bomb and mine sweeping.

China-Vietnam boost defence cooperation

Updated : 9:42 AM, 11/28/2010
China-Vietnam boost defence cooperation
Defence cooperation is an important factor in Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership, a Vietnamese Party official has said.


http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/ChinaVietnam-boost-defence-cooperation/201011/121802.vov

Receiving Deputy Chief of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Staff Senior Lieutenant General Ma Xiaotian in Hanoi on November 27, Truong Tan Sang, politburo member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) and permanent member of the CPVCC’s Secretariat said he hoped the two defence ministries and armies will boost exchange and cooperation and implement reached agreements to deepen their ties.

The increased cooperation will help lift Vietnam-China comprehensive development to a new height, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large, Mr Sang said.

The Party official also affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people’s army always attach importance to the development of comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, considering it one of the country’s foreign policy top priorities.

Senior Lieutenant General Ma Xiaotian, who led the Chinese military delegation to attend the first Vietnam-China strategic defence-security dialogue, briefed his host about the results of the event, saying that the organisation of the dialogue is an important cooperation mechanism, contributing to increasing mutual understanding and trust between the two countries.

He said he hoped that the two sides would continue to increase meetings and delegation exchanges and cooperate in national defence and security, helping strengthening Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Earlier in the morning, Deputy Defence Minister, Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh and Senior Lieutenant General Ma Xiaotian co-chaired the first Vietnam-China strategic defence-security dialogue.

Vinh said the organisation of the dialogue is a manifestation of the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two armies.

The two sides informed each other of achievements in socio-economic and defence development of their respective countries in recent years and exchanged views on defence policy and the security situation in the region and the world as a whole.

They reached high consensus on military and defence cooperation between the two countries in the recent past and affirmed that the dialogue is an important cooperative mechanism, contributing to mutual understanding and trust in their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

In this spirit, the two armies agreed to increase cooperation in military science research, and training, cooperation in navy, border guard and establish a hot-line between the two defence ministries in order to realize agreements reached between the two Parties, States and armed forces.
VOVNews/VNA

Chinese village residents may be descended from ancient Romans: study

Here is something for every history buff out there.

Chinese village residents may be descended from ancient Romans: study

The Daily Telegraph · Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/Chinese+village+residents+descended+from+ancient+Romans+study/3875449/story.html#ixzz16WAqWkag

Genetic testing of residents of a remote Chinese village has shown nearly two-thirds of their DNA is of Caucasian origin, lending support to the theory they may be descended from a "lost legion" of Roman soldiers. Tests found the DNA of some villagers in Liqian, on the fringes of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China, was 56% Caucasian in origin. Many of them have blue or green eyes, long noses and even fair hair. A local man, Cai Junnian, nicknamed Cai Luoma (Cai the Roman), is one of many villagers convinced he is descended from the lost legion. Archaeologists plan to conduct digs in the region, along the ancient Silk Road, to search for remains of forts or other structures built by the fabled army unit. The genetic tests have lent weight to the theory Roman legionaries settled in the area in the first century BCE after fleeing a battle.

Photo credit goes to Natalie Behring

Must stay within the narrative.

It has become fashionable to cite the Global Times as the speaker for the Chinese government especially in regards to international incidents. Case in Point -- the Washington Post just "copy-and-pasted" the previous Cheonan incident and transplanted it to the recent DPRK - ROK artillery exchange.   It follows the standard narrative of criticizing the "lack of media" coverage in Chinese media.

Quote

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/26/AR2010112602168.html
Analysis: US carrier visit a dilemma for China

State media have been virtually silent. An editorial in the nationalistic tabloid Global Times worried that a U.S. carrier would upset the delicate balance in the Yellow Sea, ignoring the fact that the George Washington has taken part in drills in those waters numerous times before.

End Quote

Never mind that the PLA Daily devoted an entire special session to the shelling of Yeonpyeong (here). It is filled with news headlines around the world translated into Chinese. A discussion forum and commentaries are also featured. In fact, the link that was posted two days ago in this blog on how the South Korean K-9 reduced the North Korean military base into rubble which was cited by the PLA Daily special session (here)

Makes you wonder if journalists who cover China actual read Chinese media other than the Global Times.

More photos from the PLA Daily.

Update on DDG 135 and LPD 999

DDG 135 looks similar to the Type 052C class from this angle -- standard 100mm dual purpose gun, Type 730 CIWS, and Active Phased Array Radar.

FL3000N RAM on the newly launched LDP999, making it the second known installation thus far. It seems that the PLAN has added the FL3000N as part of its next generation of Ship Self Defense Systems.

China-defense forum will be off-line until Dec 1st 2010.

Bangladesh Army's New Type59G MBT

According to our friend, the Bangladesh Military Forum, (http://www.bdmilitary.com), the first public appearance of the long-expected Type 59G was reported by today's Channel-i news.

In essence, this latest Type59MBT variant is a Type 96G in a Type59 body modified to carry a 125mm main gun, a modern fire control system, and the latest Chinese armor protection package. A total of 300 examples of the Type59G will be rebuilt from the existing fleet.  In addition to the Type59G rebuild program, the Bangladesh army will procure the Type96 MBT in due course as part of a greater modernization drive.  Since both MBTs are sharing many common components, this will greatly reduce the load on the existing logistics infrastructure.

Here is a list of Chinese land forces hardware to be procured by the Bangladesh Army compiled by BMF.


****
* 7 x Type 96 MBTs (Not delivered yet, but eventually a couple of regiments)
* 5 x MBT ARV (Chinese, for MBT2000/Type 96 recovery)
* 300 x Type 59 MBT Upgrade (1 spotted at Dhaka; Army named them as "Type 59 G")
* 1 x SPH Regt (Chinese 122 or 155 mm SPH is expected)
* 1 x ADA Regiment (This complements another air defence regiment in BDA. Regiment is equivalent of brigade; Equipped with Chinese AAGs and MANPADS).

****

Profile for new Type 59G MBT at bdmilitary.com created with input from armoured corps officer, photo analysis and Chinese defense websites:

http://www.bdmilitary.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=333&Itemid=97

Including a couple of pictures, which might be interesting reference material.

China launches Shen Tong-1 military satellite via Long March-3A

China launches Shen Tong-1 military satellite via Long March-3A
November 24th, 2010 by Rui C. Barbosa

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/11/china-launches-shen-tong-1-military-satellite-via-long-march-3a/


China launched the second Shen Tong-1 military communications satellite via a CZ-3A Chang Zheng-3A (Y19) launch vehicle, providing secured voice/data communications services for PLA ground users in Ku-band. Receiving the designation ZX-20A ZhongZhing-20A, the satellite was launched from the Xi Chang Satellite Launch Center, in Sichuan Province at 00:09 loca time on Friday.

Chinese Launch:

The first Shen Tong strategic communications satellite was launched on November 14, 2003 by a CZ-3A Chang Zheng-3A launch vehicle from Xi Chang.

Shen Tong satellites are based on the Dong Fang Hong 3 (DFH-3) satellite bus developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, and have a heavier payload, increased power supply, better reliability, being three-axis stabilized satellite – weighing in at 2,300kg.


The spacecraft features a number of new technologies, providing Ku-band communication and utilizing the advanced multiple steerable spot beam antenna technology to enable ground users to communicate whilst on the move. These satellites are the first to use secured uplink transmission for satellite antenna control and have the most powerful onboard data processing capability.

China used a CZ-3A Chang Zheng-3A launch vehicle for the mission to carry the bird into its transfer orbit.

The CZ-3A is a large-scale three-stage liquid launch vehicle, which has inherited the mature technology of the CZ-3 Chang Zheng-3. An upgraded liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen cryogenic third stage has been developed to enable CZ-3A performing greater geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) capability.

The CZ-3A is equipped with a more flexible and sophisticated control system which supports substantial attitude adjustments to orient the payloads before spacecraft separation and provides adjustable satellite spin-up rotation rate. It has paved the way for the development of CZ-3B Chang Zheng-3B and CZ-3C Chang Zheng-3C.

The CZ-3A is mainly used for GTO missions and can also can be used for LEO, SSO and polar orbit missions, as well as dual-launch and multiple-launch missions. The launch capacity of the CZ-3A to GTO is 2,650 kg, the lift-off mass is 241,000 kg, the overall length is 52.5 meters, the diameter of first stage and second stage is 3.35 meters, the diameter of third stage is 3.0 meters, and the maximum fairing diameter is 3.35 meters.

The first stage and second stage of CZ-3A employ storable propellants, i.e. unsymmetrical dimethy1 hydrazine (UDMH) and nitrogen tetroxide (N204), and the third stage uses cryogenic propellants, i.e. liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOX).

On the first stage the CZ-3A uses a DaFY6-2 engine with a 2961,6 kN thrust, while the second stage is equipped with a DaFY20-1 main engine (742 kN) and four DaFY21-1 vernier engines (11.8 kN each). The third stage is equipped with two YF-75 engines (78.5 kN each).

The fairing diameter of the CZ-3A is 3.35 meters and has a length of 8.89 meters.

CZ-3A consists of rocket structure, propulsion system, control system, telemetry system, tracking and safely system, coast phase propellant management and attitude control system, cryogenic propellant utilization system, separation system and auxiliary system, etc.

The launch success rate of CZ-3A continues to be 100 percent since its maiden flight on February 8, 1994 when it successfully launched two experimental satellites. And it was awarded the “Gold Launch Vehicle” title by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation in June 2007.

China used a CZ-3A launch vehicle to successfully launch the Chang’e-1 lunar satellite on October 24, 2007, which indicated that has taken a substantial step towards lunar exploration.

This was the 136th successful Chinese orbital launch, the 135th launch of a Chang Zheng launch vehicle, the 58th successful orbital launch from the Xi Chang Satellite Launch Center, the seventh successful orbital launch from the Xi Chang in 2010 and the 14th successful orbital launch from China in 2010.

The Xi Chang Satellite Launch Centre is situated in the Sichuan Province, south-western China and is the country’s launch site for geosynchronous orbital launches.

Equipped with two launch pads (LC2 and LC3), the centre has a dedicated railway and highway lead directly to the launch site. The Command and Control Centre is located seven kilometers south-west of the launch pad, providing flight and safety control during launch rehearsal and launch.

Other facilities on the Xi Chang Satellite Launch Centre are the Launch Control Centre, propellant fuelling systems, communications systems for launch command, telephone and data communications for users, and support equipment for meteorological monitoring and forecasting.

The first launch from Xi Chang took place at 12:25UTC on January 29, 1984, when the CZ-3 Chang Zheng-3 (CZ3-1) was launched the Shiyan Weixing (14670 1984-008A) communications satellite into orbit. The launch of the new BeiDou-2 satellite was the 52nd successful orbital launch from Xi Chang.

Until the end of the year is expected that China will launch a new satellite for the BeiDou navigation network. The launch is expected at the end of December.
pixelstats trackingpixel

Artillery of the North Korean Army

The shelling as reported by the Chinese CCTV

More discussion is ongoing in China-Defense Forum.


One thing to note:

The South Korean was able to ToT-ed most of the North's positions with their K-9 155mm howitzers. The North did not cease fire, it was put out of action.

“Because the K9 is very accurate, the North Korean military bases were probably reduced to rubble,” said the official.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2928852

K-9 self-propelled howitzers on Yeongpyeong Island

The IL-76 deal is dead, long live the IL-476?

Rosoboronexport to pitch Il-476 to China
http://www.russiandefenseblog.org/?p=1682

Russia will offer China the new military cargo plane Ilyushin Il-476, which will be produced in Ulyanovsk, head of the Rosoboronexport department on exports of special property and services Sergei Kornev told reporters at Airshow China 2010 on Wednesday.

He leads the Rosoboronexport delegation at the show.

“Il-76 production in Ulyanovsk is being resumed. Il-476 is a new generation plane with profound modernization. We will offer this plane to our Chinese partners,” he said.

It is not planned to resume the fulfillment of a contract on the delivery of many Il-76 cargo planes and Il-78 tanker planes to China. “We will sign a new contract because we offer a plane of completely new quality,” Kornev said.

He confirmed the complete delivery of D-30KP engines for the Il-76.

Meanwhile, consultations on the joint creation of a heavy cargo helicopter continue with China. “No agreements have been reached so far,” Kornev said.

As of lately, Russia has been leasing heavy helicopters Mil Mi-26 to China.

Russia and China agreed on the delivery of 34 Il-76MDs and four Il-78s in September 2005. Experts approximately evaluated the deal at $1.5 billion. The contract was suspended due to the Tashkent aviation plant’s inability to build the aircraft.

Thanks loi25 for the news

An update on the Chinese Aircraft Carrier

FL-3000N "Flying Leopard" RAM, Multiple (Chaffs/Defensive) Rocket Launcher, and Type 730 CIWS installed.

FL3000N RAM on display during the recent China Air Show.