Several Chinese bombers, including the H-6K strategic bomber, have landed on contested islands and reefs in the South China Sea as part of ongoing landing and takes-off drills in the area.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army said in a statement that multiple bombers had taken off from a base in southern China and hit a training target before practicing take-off and landing at an airfield built on an unidentified island in the South China Sea.
“A division of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) recently organized multiple bombers such as the H-6K to conduct take-off and landing training on islands and reefs in the South China Sea in order to improve our ability to reach all territory, conduct strikes at any time and strike in all directions,” the statement said.
The PLAAF’s Weibo microblogging account also quoted defense expert Wang Mingliang as saying that the recent exercises will help China to “strengthen its combat capability to deal with maritime security threats.”
Earlier reports appeared that China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles in three outposts of the South China Sea.
More about the Chinese military:
The Spratly islands and contested reefs in South China Sea have become forward bases for the Chinese navy and air force to project military power east of Philippines, north of Australia, and western Pacific approaching Guam.
Yeah basically China wants to have the imperial power over the Pacific that Japan used to have a century ago.
Or they aware that USA uses sanctions and economic blockade way too often recently that they make countermeasures against it.
Japanese imperial power controlled costal China, indochina, and eventually Philippines and indonesia. I see China as primarily defending its sphere of influence, not creating an empire.
Well… give it a few decades.
Japan had ‘imperial powers’ over the Pacific for 3 very brief years after 1941. As now the USA seemed to think it’s imperial powers were being challenged. The response was called ‘WW2 – Pacific theatre’.
US is now in the same position Japan was in 1941. Except now the role of dominant power with huge industrial power (that U.S.had 1941) belongs now to China and outsider challenger role belongs now to U.S.
Don’t forget that – apart from an expansion into Manchuria – which resulted in a war with China, Japan was largely driven to its ‘imperial ambitions in the Pacific’ by the USA and sanctions on oil and steel imports after 1939.
As Japanese ambitions grew after Manchuria, so did their need for natural resources to develop and maintain its armed forces. Indochina and eventually Indonesia became necessary possessions, I believe Japan could have consolidated its holdings and gotten stronger militarily without having to attack Pearl Harbour in 1941. The same can be said of Germany after controlling most of Europe, they could have consolidated their positions without attacking Russia in 1941. Both, Japan and Germany started their wars against US and Russia a few years too soon.
Japan used to have a century ago.
japan had never power over pacific. they tried to get, but lost. quickly, swiftly.
Voilà they breakthrough the USA containment plans using Philippine and South Asian neighbors as potential launch platform or trade choking point.
These bases provide Chinese forces the range needed to cover Malaga straights and surrounding areas in case US navy tries to impose some form of blockade, curtailing Chinese shipping.
That would be a likelihood in the event of Iran- or Korea-grade sanctions on China. , with apparently catastrophic economic results.
That’s the real story in western Burma, it has become an oil and gas port bringing in Iranian / Qatar LNG and has an active pipeline into China.
The “Muslim ethnic cleaning” is just a staged Wahhabi event, an ongoing attempt to shut down that Chinese western port and cripple Iran. Last year Saudi Arabia opened 650 Wahhabi schools in Bangladesh, preparing some fresh new jihadists to attack Burma and likely Thailand.
Those Buddhists are much too sane and happy, they can’t handle that.
Old machines with new stickers. That tudor miron would work for chinese? :DDDDD
If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. However, the Tu-16 airframe has been tinkered with for a long time. I believe they’re in the K series. They also are rolling out a variant that have Inflight-Refueling capability (IFR).
Sure. You are right. But in 21st century bombers are too vulnerable. Chinese should look for better things. :)
Take that USA. Deterrence right in your faces.
The end of US-Western domination is near.
“New ICBM in 2020, hypersonic glider in 2019: Putin outlines nuclear deployment plans” https://www.rt.com/news/427196-sarmat-avangard-deployment-deadlines/
The US has it’s areas of influence. It also has world-wide ‘interests’. The question is will the US cooperate, or challenge China inside its (growing) areas of influence, or interest. Please note the geography of the situation – the S. China Sea is China’s Gulf of Mexico.
“It also has world-wide ‘interests’. ” Every global power always had ” world-wide ‘interests'” China has them also being industrial world super power they have global ” world-wide ‘interests'” With their approach and way of thinking US is having now …. US will only challenge China inside its areas of influence with the methods typical for US.
“the S. China Sea is China’s Gulf of Mexico” I agree. China that is so reluctant on conflicts would start the war against US without hesitation because of S. China Sea – That area is essential for their survival
War with China will be fought in Africa. South China Sea is a side show to what’s really begun.
China has no capabilities to fight US-NATO in Africa. They can only pack their bags and go home. But in that case they would hit US interests near China They can make quite show in Pacific and I doubt very much that US can scare them with those air-carriers… They are just too massive to get scared from anybody any more….
War with China will not happen tomorrow but it will happen. Currently China is in Africa and installing massive bases. They are essentially preparing for war. They absolutely do not want the upcoming war on their doorstep. I do however agree that aircraft carriers do not intimidate anyone in 2018
“installing massive bases”?! I know only for ONE officially announced military base while US has them everywhere…. With such big exports around the planet they have every right to have few bases. When minor economies like UK, or France can have few military bases why China can’t have them?
look like passenger planes to me.
It is the old Soviet Tupolev Tu-16 model that was copied and upgraded into this newest upgrade version .. That’s where the design of the airplane comes from
Wow I just saw tu 16 images. Yeah, they precisely copied the plane. Why china cannot design/build things on their own is beyond my understandings. Recently, I learned china has made an aircraft career and then realized that the career was indeed copied from kuznetsov class. They copy literally everything.
Old habits die hard. That is on of the first Chinese copies. It is not “beyond” anybodies understanding. Building bombers is not childrens game just like very large ships there is whole lot to learn… Russia has lost know how in building very large ships and now the process is painstakingly slow and difficult to revive what once they knew and was routine…. Same situation was with some US rocket engines problem in US…
” made an aircraft career and then realized that the career was indeed copied from kuznetsov class.”
Well that is some journalistic rubbish! That haul bought from Ukraine was sister ship and future Kuznetsov class aircraft career that was unfinished Soviet job. They didn’t ” realize” but they KNEW that it is Kuznetsov class from the start The next one is also Kuznetsov class just upgraded Only 3rd will be different…not copy
It’s not about old habits. It’s about available resources and reliability. The Tu-16 airframe have served them well for decades. You are correct that a clean sheet designed bomber is incredibly difficult to build. What the Chinese are doing is wait for supporting components such as avionics, engines, and manufacturing know-how to mature first, before venturing into unknown territories.
Here’s another thing to consider, do you really believe the Chinese 3rd carrier will be any different from current US carriers? It’s going to have catapults (likely EMAL), arresting wires, elevators and a flat deck (obviously). I fully expect to look very similar to US carriers such as the Nimitz-class or the Kitty Hawk version. Why? Because the US spent billions of dollars in research on what works and what doesn’t. Why reinvent the wheel?
The biggest Chinese problem (to copy) are engines always! So call it “manufacturing know-how to mature” or whatever they are not yet there….The rest they have it more or less – including avionics and radar tech….how much is stolen copy and how much is their know how I do not know and it isn’t important any more…. They are advancing in electronics the most of all…
Chinese 3rd carrier will be normal carrier thus with catapults. I do not know weather China really has mastered electromagnetic catapult….Because even US have problem in fine tuning them (and they have invented them) Even so…if not China can always create classic steam catapults.
“…how much is stolen copy and how much is their know how I do not know and it isn’t important any more…”
It was never important to begin with. In war, ‘good enough’ is all that matters.
Thanks for the info, but when I see a Chinese product first thing come to my mind is, it’s garbage. I can’t help myself. :(
It is human to react that way. But you are wrong because China is changing very fast and their army is becoming very powerful. Example; Guided Missile Destroyer “Type 055” is top notch ship equal to US “Arleigh Burke”-class destroyers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_055_destroyer http://pop.h-cdn.co/assets/16/43/1477341206-cpushikwsaaz35njpg-large.jpeg
Yeah, I may be wrong. Looks good btw
The H-6 (Tu-16 variant) have been modified so many times that it’s no longer the same internally. There’s growing rumors of it’s replacement, the H-18. But, we’ll see their Strategic stealth bomber, H-20, first. It’s suppose to look like the B-2 / B-21.
In case you didn’t know, China’s 2nd carrier may look like the Kuznetsov-class but it doesn’t have the AShM (Granit) launchers, it’s island is smaller (footprint), the internal storage is larger and even the top flight deck is different. There are high quality photos out there for you to see.
War is not a fashion show. Nobody flying these bombers is going to care as long it does the job it was designed to do. I’m sure the people on the receiving end of these bombers won’t either, as they’ll be too busy shooting it down or running away from it. The phrase “good enough” is the doctrine in war.
Thanks for the info :)
Most maritime reconnaissance aircraft started as passenger planes. Some bomber designs too.
true…. and opposite also… passenger planes turned into the maritime reconnaissance aircraft….
Yeah reconnaissance jets do look like passenger jets and I know most of then were converted. But for bomber designs, I see different interesting designs from US and Russia.
Trump may want to dump Obama’s “Pacific pivot”, but the deep state needs it.
Like that “Pacific pivot” can change anything. US can not stop China’s growth in strength ……short of war
Obama’s pivot is largely a failure now. A Korean peace treaty will ensure it’s demise.
USA will surely get a get a FIGHT with CHINA
China should not fight. the USA is looking for any excuse. Just be patient and the petro Yuan will reduce the USA to the stone age.
China is already fighting, asymmetrically, against the US. Think Sun Tzu.
Yawn, China is overrated…
You are “blast from the past” that interests nobody any longer… There are 2 infant giants China and India that are about to take the scene and dominate the world of the future. Russia is trying to find her place (the best possible) you should try to do the same before it is not too late….
F u
yes, repeat this daily 3x before mirror :DDDDDDDDDDDDD
China is industrial Super Power with the biggest money reserves on the planet.
China dominates REAL ECONOMY and US dominates FINANCIAL ECONOMY based on WORTHLESS PAPERS….
Once dollar collapses US will dominate NOTHING !
Tell me Dr. What happens when you back a Lion into a corner. If you think the Chinese military with no training will do anything but get mauled your dreaming
Humane resources vise… US doesn’t stand chance fighting China on their territory. We all know counting even if China sustains much bigger loses US will lose at the end for exactly the same reason Japan have had lost in WW2.
For not having enough humane resources for the army and not enough strong industry to match US industrial production. Now US is in exactly same position like Japan in 1941.
China has such big industrial potential that they would outmatch by far US industrial production. No general can fight that…..and win…
China has no training!? What are you some stupid hillbilly and don’t know the best Counter Terrorism Forces in the World are Chinese Police units. Just think they are better trained in the Chinese military stop living on US Media Pulp Fiction , even the DIA doesn’t think that way. US troops have even less experience in combat so what is your point, when you are the one dreaming.
North Krea Iran China Russia U.S. can pick the fight with everybody but eventually if the war doesn’t start soon …they will only lose in what is left of their credibility….and there is not much left there… They should understand that they scare nobody any more and that people are quite fed up with them….. Just like they are fed up with IsraHELL.
Agreed… Among those countries, North Korea is one to pay attention to as the Kim-Trump summit in Singapore approaches. North Korea’s ability to annihilate the US with ICBMs, SLBMs, EMPs, etc has led to this summit. Otherwise there is no reason for the US to have the summit. US is expected to sign on peace treaty and withdraw its troops from south korea.
If there will be any summit….. US do not stop with provocations They even have military drills with 100 airplanes near North Korea
The peace treaty is between the North and South; not the US. If Kim and Moon can get one signed by the end of this year AND both parties call for the end of US troops in the Korean peninsula, then the US have no valid excuse to remain there. If the US continue to drag their heels, making up excuses, it will further expose them to the World on who they really are.
lmao a clone of Tu-16 …