China Deploys Fighter Jets To Contested Island in South China Sea

[GhostZ06]

WASHINGTON — China has deployed fighter jets to the same contested island in the South China Sea to which it also has sent surface-to-air missiles, US officials said Tuesday.

Citing two unnamed US officials, Fox News said US intelligence services had spotted Chinese Shenyang J-11 and Xian JH-7 warplanes on Woody Island in the disputed Paracel Islands chain over the past few days.

Navy Capt. Darryn James, a spokesman for US Pacific Command, confirmed the report but noted that Chinese fighter jets have previously used the island.

Woody Island, which is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam, has had an operational airfield since the 1990s but it was upgraded last year to accommodate the J-11.

“We are still concerned that the Chinese continue to put advanced arms systems on this disputed territory,” James said.

The move was reported as US Secretary of State John Kerry hosted his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in Washington.

Last week, China confirmed it had placed “weapons” on Woody Island, defending what it said was its sovereign right to do so.

A US official told AFP that Beijing has deployed surface-to-air missiles on the island, apparently HQ-9s, which have a range of about 125 miles (200 kilometers.)

http://www.defensenews.com/story/de...ts-contested-island-south-china-sea/80824116/


i love how US news outlets act like US ships cant defend themselves and have overwhelmingly good capability's to take out air units and negate sams.

 

[GhostZ06]

Updated satellite images taken by Imagesat Eros B intelligence satellite acquired by ISI on 14/2/16 reveal a deployment of Chinese HQ-9 (the Chinese S-300 equivalent) Surface to Air Missile (SAM) system now positioned in ‘Woody Island’, previous images obtained by the same source on February 3, 2016 did not show presence of such weapons on the island.

This deployment is likely the first Chinese deployment of heavy SAM system in the spratly (paracel) archipelago in the South China Sea – an area of many island and atolls claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Woody Island claimed by Vietnam, was seized by China in 1974.

Using it’s very high resolution satellite, ISI Analysis team has identified the SAM systems with high confidence as the HQ-9 system. With an operational range of 200 km at high altitude, the HQ-9 pose a threat to military and civilian air traffic.
The high resolution image and shadows casted by the tall erected launchers clearly show four ready to launch missile tubes and six additional missile carriers. However, the radar system providing target acquisition for the unit was still folded, ISI analysts noticed.

The linear deployment along the beach seems to be temporary, either a s part of a drill or prior to more permanent preparation of launch pads, paved roads and bunkers protecting these strategic assets. Further deployment or these assets on the island, or redeployment of the SAM battalion back to the mainland will determine the Chinese intentions.

http://defense-update.com/20160218_woody_island_hq9.html

 

[GhostZ06]

China continues its force buildup across islands throughout the South China Sea. A study compiled by Asia maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) unveiled new installations and preparations on a number of islands.

Apart from air strips and air defense sites reported in the larger islands, China is actively deploying permanent airspace and maritime surveillance capabilities at its smaller SpratlyIsland outposts—Gaven, Hughes, Johnson South, and especially Cuarteron reefs—will prove equally important to Beijing’s long-term strategy. Improved radar coverage is an important piece of the puzzle—along with improved air defenses and greater reach for Chinese aircraft—toward China’s goals of establishing effective control over the sea and airspace throughout the nine-dash line.


New radar facilities at Cuarteron Reef, the southernmost of China’s occupied features in the South China Sea, are particularly important. Construction of facilities at Cuarteron seems nearly complete and the artificial island now covers about 52 acres (211,500 square meters). Two probable radar towers have been built on the northern portion of the feature, and a number of 65-foot (20-meter) poles have been erected across a large section of the southern portion. These poles could be a high-frequency radar installation, which would significantly bolster China’s ability to monitor surface and air traffic across the southern portion of the South China Sea. In addition to these radar facilities, China has constructed a buried bunker and lighthouse on the northern portion of the feature, a number of buildings and a helipad in its center, communications equipment to the south, and a quay with a loading crane on the western end of the outpost.

Radar ranges are shown as 300 kilometers from Cuarteron Reef and 50 kilometers

http://defense-update.com/20160223_chinese_radars.html


Sighs* Dick move, by a dick government...

 

[Deleted member 457759]

Ghost do you believe that the US will continue to fly Orions over those islands now that the Chinese have deployed SAM's on their man made islands?

 

[GhostZ06]

Ghost do you believe that the US will continue to fly Orions over those islands now that the Chinese have deployed SAM's on their man made islands?

Probably, but then again Chinese pilots are horrible, remeber all the incidents we've had with shitty chinese pilots? They've been using the P-8s, and sailing Destroyer all around the island. i dont think the US gives a fuck, China claims 80% of the South china sea, so basically our allies the Philippians can use the beach

 

[MicroBrew]

The US should build their own artifical islands in the disputed territories . What is China going to do about it. The US can do this in coalition with neighbouring nations that are disputing China's claim.

 

[VivaRevolution]

I don't see how the US is going to hold the south China sea shipping lane, in the long term.

China obviously wants military control over the shipping lane off of its coast, and I think they are willing to go further to get it, than we should be willing to go to maintain our control of it.

 

[ocean size]

The US should build their own artifical islands in the disputed territories . What is China going to do about it. The US can do this in coalition with neighbouring nations that are disputing China's claim.

You need an atoll or reef to start with to smother with sand, and its a real dick move to pull to trash an ecological hotspot like that.

 

[VivaRevolution]

The US should build their own artifical islands in the disputed territories . What is China going to do about it. The US can do this in coalition with neighbouring nations that are disputing China's claim.

I had this thought earlier of a new arms race, where instead of building weapons, we build islands.

This is a form of warfare I can back.

 

[Boagrius]

No need, the U.S already has CVN strike groups for that - the kind that (unlike these islands) are likely to survive the first day of an actual shooting war. Still v provocative of the Chinese though...

 

[GhostZ06]

No need, the U.S already has CVN strike groups for that - the kind that (unlike these islands) are likely to survive the first day of an actual shooting war. Still v provocative of the Chinese though...

And submarines being based in Aussie lands and the Philippians

 

[Deleted member 457759]

Probably, but then again Chinese pilots are horrible, remeber all the incidents we've had with shitty chinese pilots? They've been using the P-8s, and sailing Destroyer all around the island. i dont think the US gives a fuck, China claims 80% of the South china sea, so basically our allies the Philippians can use the beach

I don't think it's honest to use incidents of Chinese provocation as evidence that their pilots are shitty. They are intentionally being dangerous. China is definitely behind on training no doubt, but your video doesn't compliment that. I would wager that America will not fly so close to those islands anymore.

 

[GhostZ06]

I don't think it's honest to use incidents of Chinese provocation as evidence that their pilots are shitty. They are intentionally being dangerous. China is definitely behind on training no doubt, but your video doesn't compliment that. I would wager that America will not fly so close to those islands anymore.

They will probably sail and use submarines, drones an what not.

 

[Abezal]

Why don't the us just sent in a Carrier task force or two, have sail right by the island as close as possible.

 

[Deleted member 457759]

I said it before and was attacked here, Obama failed miserably on this issue, they should have blown up those islands when the Chinese started breaking international law before they had a military presence on the island. Now again, America loses the long game to Chinese passive aggressive tactics and will lose influence in the region. In 20 years America won't be sailing their Navy through there without permission either.

 

[Selukrid612]

Ghost do you believe that the US will continue to fly Orions over those islands now that the Chinese have deployed SAM's on their man made islands?

Woody is not an artificial island and has a population of 1,500 people. Looking at the map it's actually one of China's more reasonable claims and seems like it should belong to them.

 

[Arkain2K]

If all those East Asian countries couldn't stop bickering with one another and start working together to push back China's advances, they're not worth saving.

 

[Handsomebwonderfull]

Because it's a small stationary target. That always works well in the pacific.

(We'd just bomb it back into the sea) the Chinese play by a script everyone knows. The Chinese are so arrogant they don't realize we know their slow slow quick game, we just don't care.

I had to work with the Chinese for years. You have no idea about how arrogant they are. They really play very passive aggressive games with long term ends. Then time and time again right at the end we'd f*ck them after all the effort they'd put into stuff. As long you have them some nonsense merit badge to placate their giant egos they'd be happy.

 

[Videer]

I said it before and was attacked here, Obama failed miserably on this issue, they should have blown up those islands when the Chinese started breaking international law before they had a military presence on the island. Now again, America loses the long game to Chinese passive aggressive tactics and will lose influence in the region. In 20 years America won't be sailing their Navy through there without permission either.

You are right but it is just not only this case that made the Chinese to go with these plans more rapidly that I thought they would, it is from Syrian not all that red lines to a nearly non-action in Ukraine. Xi and Putin are not going to stop pushing as long as all they meet is mush.

 

[Abezal]

You are right but it is just not only this case that made the Chinese to go with these plans more rapidly that I thought they would, it is from Syrian not all that red lines to a nearly non-action in Ukraine. Xi and Putin are not going to stop pushing as long as all they meet is mush.

Quite true, hell why wouldnt they keep pushing if it works. Only way anyone stops ever in anything is when shit stops working and or some one pushes back.