This Picture Is How China Could Kill A Navy Aircraft Carrier If World War III Starts

[Boats]

This Picture Is How China Could Kill A Navy Aircraft Carrier If World War III StartsBy:
By: Brent M. Eastwood - 1945 News - 09-03-33 39 second ago
Re: https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/09/...ar-iii-starts/

Photo link: https://www.19fortyfive.com/wp-conte...26-768x432.jpg
China's missile testing range using a cut out of an aircraft carrier.

NOTE: China has spent decades and billions of dollars designing, testing, and deploying what many call carrier-killer missile systems. The missiles are designed to attack from over 1,000 miles away and sink a moving warship. Yes, that means an aircraft carrier:

China’s ballistic missile program is known to be one of the best in the world. Two launchers stand out – the DF-21 and DF-26. They are both dual use with the capability to deliver conventional and nuclear payloads that could potentially target Guam – a strategic base for the U.S. military in East Asia that China has long feared. 19FortyFive invited two military analysts on China’s armed forces to share their views about the dangers of Beijing’s ballistic missiles.

But first, here is more background about the missile systems that China features. The DF-21 and DF-26 are both road-mobile and shoot missiles that are powered by a two-stage solid propellent motor. Solid-fueled missiles can be fired more quickly than liquid-fueled missiles, enabling the truck that carries the launcher and missiles to quickly prepare for launch and then move to another location after firing.

More Details on the DF-21:

The DF-21 dates back to 1991 and has been upgraded over the years to include several variants, including an anti-ship “carrier killer” model. The missile is 35 feet long and 4.6 feet in diameter. The payload weighs over 1,300 pounds and can deliver a 250- or 500-kiloton nuclear re-entry. Its range is 1,335 miles. China has at least 80 nuclear-tipped DF-21s in service. This is a lowball number since it is based on an estimate conducted in 2016. China likely has many more. The DF-21D is the variant of this missile that is considered the ‘carrier-killer’ missile.

Could the DF-26 Be a Guam Killer?:

The DF-26 is a longer-range missile that has the range (2,500 miles) to hit Guam. It is also dual-use, enabling a nuclear warhead that can fit into the missile’s nearly 4,000-pound payload. It was successfully tested in 2017 against a simulated American THAAD anti-missile battery. It also has anti-ship capabilities. The CSIS Missile Threat project believes it can “employ a ‘modular design,’ allowing operators to rapidly swap nuclear and conventional payloads in the field.” The DF-26 has an additional anti-ship variant.

Experts Speak Out on the Chinese Missile Threat:

19FortyFive interviewed two Heritage Foundation scholars about the DF-21 and DF-26. Dean Cheng is the think tank’s senior research fellow at the Asian Studies Center. Brent Sadler is the senior research fellow for naval warfare and advanced technology for the Center for National Defense.

Nuclear-capability Is Problematic

Cheng believes the dual use aspect is dangerous for the United States. “It’s also not clear that the nuclear variants are deployed separately from the conventional versions, and in fact, they may not be. In that case, the Chinese are almost daring us to strike at DF-21 and DF-26 bases, knowing there are nuclear weapons there.”

A Guam Attack Would Be Disastrous

Cheng also thinks that Guam is a cornerstone for U.S. strategy in East Asia. “It’s a ripe target with bombers, a submarine base, radars, communications arrays, etc. A massive strike involving warheads carrying submunitions rather than unitary warheads could be devastating.”

What About U.S. Missile Defense?

Sadler notes that Guam has THAAD and Patriot missile defenders to protect against a Chinese missile launch, but these defenses are not 100 percent effective. “By themselves [they are] likely to be overwhelmed by saturation attack, so layered defense [is] needed with point defense for AEGIS/SM-3 missiles, etc.”

More on Pelosi’s Trip to Taiwan

Sadler also stated that the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan was a serious matter but not expected to change U.S. tactics and strategy. “China is playing up the Pelosi visit, and testing resolve and exercising its military at the same time – but I don’t see this as intended to be a precursor for something more serious than posturing on the Chinese part … US policy is not changing after all.”

Possibility of Arms Limitation Negotiations

With the dangers of China’s road-mobile ballistic missile program, could there be any hope of the United States and China entering into an arms control agreement – or at least hold talks?

Cheng responded that there are no prospects of arms control discussions. “The Chinese aren’t interested, he said, “and won’t be unless we have something significant that strikes fear into them.”

Sadler added, “We have nothing to trade to get them to the table. That said, it would be highly beneficial if China agreed to strategic nuclear escalation control dialogues to better understand each other’s understandings of nuclear deterrence, signally and escalation. We have history on these issues with Russia, zero with China and that poses added risk.”

Now serving as 1945s New Defense and National Security Editor, Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer.

In this article: China, Chinese Military, DF-21D, DF-26, DF-26B, NotHome

About this writer: Now serving as 1945s New Defense and National Security Editor,
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future
Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army
Infantry officer.
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Personal note:

If this is true?! I hope we have counter measures in place to counter
such an attack? We heard about this for a few years now that they've been
using a land target and shooting missles at them. But to now to shoot a real
nuke at it - I hope like hell - we have a rapid counter measure to incept before
impact. Even if its not a direct hit it just might get close to due major damage
or sink one?!
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Not sure if the eye's in the sky can react - locate and destroy the incoming nuke
before it hits - but like I said they are doing their very best to knock out carriers.
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Sure would be nice to hear something from our military folks if they have
counter-measures for such and event. Even a air burst could damage the carrier
and knock out its defense opportunities. It was just a matter of time before they
would enlighten us with these up and coming weapons. Just hope our folks
are ready for such and event. Things are really getting serious and whomever
makes the first move will no doubt expect a rapid response from our military!
-
Nothing of late covering such an airburst or actual hit for counter-measures
from our military that I could find to date. I'm sure satilites may pick up
the launch but knocking it down in flight before actual harm or damage
will result - is another question - and how bad could the carrier be hurt
to knock it out of commission or further communications with their
counter-parts? Hmmmmm! or intercept missles to knock it down
before any impact?!
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About this writer:

Brent Eastwood; is now serving as 1945s New Defense and National Security
Editor, Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data:
Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S.
Army Infantry officer.
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What do you think?