Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
A newly released Pentagon unclassified intelligence report authored by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) comes to some shocking and alarming conclusions concerning China’s rapid advances in advanced military technology in answer to the question: “What are Beijing’s strategic intentions?”
The report finds that as a result of “acquiring technology by any means available” — especially in the areas of naval and missile systems, including intermediate range missiles and hypersonic weapons, capable of allowing missiles to travel at many times the speed of sound — China’s defense tech is not only at the cutting edge but “In some areas, it already leads the world.”
The “by any means available” charge leveled at Beijing is a reference to what American political leaders and businesses have slammed as unfair Chinese domestic laws forcing foreign partners to divulge secrets as the cost of doing business in China, with its massive population and ever expanding markets.
The 140-page DIA report is titled simply “China Military Power” and the introduction presents the thesis and purpose of the study according to the following central questions:
“What do we need to know about China?” What is China’s vision of the world and its role in it? What are Beijing’s strategic intentions and what are the implications for Washington? How are the PLA’s roles and missions changing as it becomes a more capable military force?
For over a year Pentagon officials and Washington defense planners have been sounding the alarm over the US rival’s rapidly advancing pace of weapons tech and research.
Gen. Paul Selva, vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs last year warned concerning China’s advances in hypersonic missiles: “If we just sit back and don’t react we will lose our technological superiority” over China, Selva said at a think tank event last June.
The new Pentagon study confirms these warnings by concluding:
“The result of this multifaceted approach to technology acquisition is a PLA (People’s Liberation Army) on the verge of fielding some of the most modern weapon systems in the world.”
The report notes further that the PLA’s advances in air, sea and space, including in cyberspace and cybersecurity, will “enable China to impose its will in the region.”
Photo from Defense Intelligence Agency 2019 China Military Power report.
This comes at a moment when tensions are soaring over the Taiwan question, which China sees as part of its territory. This week a high level Chinese military official, General Li Zuocheng, told the head of the United States Navy, Admiral John Richardson, in a face to face meeting that Beijing would defend its claim to Taiwan “at any cost”.
And according to The Guardian China’s new confidence and willingness to defend the claims has Pentagon leaders worried:
Speaking to Pentagon reporters, a senior defense intelligence official said he was worried China’s military is now advanced enough that PLA generals could feel confident they could invade Taiwan.
“The biggest concern is that as a lot of these technologies mature… [China] will reach a point where internally within their decision-making they will decide that using military force for a regional conflict is something that is more imminent,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Also of note is that the DIA report comments on China’s rapidly developing stealth bomber program “capable of striking regional and global targets.”
The report says the advanced jets could enter operational use by 2025 in what would be another huge milestone for the PLA, and of extreme worry to a US military committed to continued sailing through the Taiwan Strait and other “international waters” routes near China.
Off topic -GREAT NEWS for Russian navy !!!
Kirov – heavy missile cruiser 1144.2M “Admiral Nakhimov” to enter trials in 2020! It is the ship that can have literally salvo of 300 MISSILES (has 300 missile launch tubes) of which are naval S-400, Oniks,Kalibr and hyper-sonic Zircon, Tsirkon (Mach-8) the most important . That doesn’t count for 6 Pantsir M (modernized) system missiles that are also on that ship. This ship can single-handedly sink aircraft carrier and probably also all the ships that accompany that battle group
“Russian nuclear-powered missile cruiser to enter trials in 2020 after heavy upgrade”
http://tass.com/defense/1040526
Good man Nakhimov, hope the ship is lucky.
He couldn’t be more honored. Once on the seas this will be the most powerful ship that ever existed. Pride of Russian fleet and whole Russia. Force to be reckoned with . Power that make every enemy hesitate. As long as West doesn’t have hyper sonic anti ship missiles (and that is not going to happen soon) this ship will not be put in danger by anyone or anything.
“What are Beijing’s strategic intentions?”
I seriously question the professionalism of our military when they write like children in Middle School. If you want to argue that the U.S. should lead the world in military technology, fine. But the hysterical tone of these sentences is embarrassing.
Does anyone expect China to remain content to let a foreign power dominate its shoreline, how about dividing up their coastal regions into spheres of influence and forcing them to buy opium while we are at it.
Actually, to me it sounded like a question – the question, that a worried Dad asks the daughter’s Boyfriend, the daughter dragged around, to meet her parents (in an American film).
Dad – What are your intentions with my daughter boy ?
Lad – Sir, I am an American Christian and I follow the ways of the bible and our exceptional military.
Sir – I like you boy, I like you Son.
Later on
Lad- Sir, just like Adam and Eve…
https://media1.tenor.com/images/8ef8563bd136152360773239266abd1f/tenor.gif?itemid=11165757
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ6Gl3NPjXNT8-rumbvEd7uGHWhq327wOShEaC18dysshO74-Q0
What we should be doing is doing the SAME thing!! We should look the Chinese straight into THEIR eyes and faces, and say we will use ALL means to defend OUR rights to sail in International FREE waterways!! THAT will teach those slant eyed yellow motherf.ckers a lesson!
I don’t think anyone should get too excited about this. This would not be the first time exaggerated claims have been made in order to bolster support for western militarization. I recall similar claims about the ‘missile gap’, which were totally illusory. Talking up the threat is a constant tactic to ensure that the military stay centre stage and overly well funded.
I tend to disagree. It doesn’t sound unrealistic to me that militarily China will soon be more than capable to challenge directly everybody (Japan, including US) who would try to put them on the test in their littoral regions of influence specially Taiwan. Another story that this text is written (deliberately?) in very alarmist, amateurish way without giving concrete examples for stated. Without being presented through the by the estimates made through direct comparisons of capabilities. That doesn”t mean that those facts do not exist or are exaggerated. China already produces much more warships than U.S. every year.
In simple words ; days of US ships going through Taiwan straight are almost numbered and thing of the past. Once all 3 Chinese carriers are operational the same will happen with South China sea as well.
This time talking up a threat is based on tangible realities based on what Russian and Chinese capabilities convey to a stagnant post WW2 military doctrine of power projection.
No, this is based on China only……… sorry to be pedantic.
I actually am not making a judgement. It could be that China is even more advanced than any of us know. The same might also be said about Russia. I am not expert at all. What I do say though is that the pentagon, and the others, are twisted liars and everything they say is calculated to serve a political purpose.
Yes they normally are adept liars, now they the wall behind them.
China has overtaken US in regards to military, economic and technological capabilities, considering the development of weapons (DF21 missile series) that can keep the carrier task forces a couple of thousand kms away, hypersonic glide vehicles and an array of Mach 3 cruise missiles that equips its navy. US relying on carriers for future power projections and freedom of navigation BS are going to be limited to the combat range of the F35 and F18 Super Hornet. Strategically, China has the better geographical and logistical position and ability to support its navy using combined arms.
the DF-21 is not a very advanced system its just a ballistic missile ment for anti ship use.
It is a MRBM antiship missile platform that has been modernized to DF21 D version and DF26.
you did not eliminated his argue :)
You can have a conversation, without just eliminating his argument.
That missile is not combat tested and true capabilities and results of the Chinese tests of the missile are secret, not available to the public So it is every-bodies guess what they can or can not do. The missile is declared to be anti-ship ballistic missile (only in the world) No other anti-ship ballistic missile exists. The fact that missile has ballistic trajectory is of no importance so much (except for the facts that comes directly from above to hit the carrier which is even more difficult to defend) What is important is : did China resolve really well capability for that ballistic missile to hit the moving target?! And if yes, what is the probability of kill ? 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%? That is the most important question for Dongfeng DF-21D (DF-26) missile!
with their fake tech?
I think, this is fake news. China has giant problems with lot of things in the military industry. For example aircraft engines, submarines, …. Do not underestimate DARPA!
Moreover, for Russia would be also very unpleasant such reality with chinese supermacy.
OFF:
troday crashed two russian Su-34´s
It is “fake news” if we stick only with the title of this all in all bad written article. It is simply not true that China “Already Leads The World In Key Weapons Tech ”
Like you have said plenty of engine problems…..4th generation jet engines only recently mastered with so many difficulties… No 5th generation engines let alone anything better….Submarine tech lagging behind Russia and U.S. etc. etc…
Yet if we try to see the whole situation as bigger picture….Industrial capacity of China and human resources are much bigger by huge margins and tech gap is every day smaller in some areas even nonexistent…And all those aspects are crucial factors of comparison without losing ourselves in details about every weapon in fight on “whose dick is bigger”
All in all today the only true question left is; to recognize the time when the China is going even formally take over US power in every aspect. The process has already started and to “recognize” that moment is purely subjective because those thing are hard to measure and calculate than it looks like. That’s why wars (often)decide who is stronger.
China has been developing it own indigenous military tech for a very long time. The first place I saw it pop up was with attack helicopter development. They passed the US a long time ago. They developed their own rotor blade technology and had plug/n/play weapons systems probably almost 10 years ago. The US report is probably trash, except to say they are behind the 8 ball at this point. My take is they are not going to catch up. I wish well to all.
Nothing new under the sun. They said the exact same thing about the USSR in the late 70’s. OMGZ! The USSR is ahead of us in every aspect! We are doomed! So Carter began to throw more money at the Pentagon, and Reagan gave them basically a license to print money. And then the Wall came down and the USSR was revealed not to be ahead of the US at all.
Would I be thrilled to see the end of US military dominance? Yeah. Would I be surprised if this report is yet another attempt by the Pentagon to yell the end is nigh, give us more money? Not at all.
Or in other words they are buying or stealing technology from others…