The US-led coordinated strikes on Syria last week, in response to the Assad regime’s suspected use of chemical weapons, has given the Chinese military more impetus to develop its own precision airborne strike systems.
The Pentagon once again showcased its highly sophisticated weapons capabilities when targeted missile strikes allegedly crippled Assad’s chemical weapon facilities in the Syrian capital of Damascus and elsewhere.
People’s Liberation Army strategists and weapons experts followed the operation closely, taking note of the allied forces’ preparedness and potency in launching offensives.
US Joint Staff Director General Kenneth McKenzie said earlier this week that together with France and the United Kingdom, the joint raid deployed 105 missiles on Syrian targets and all the aircraft used returned safely to their bases.
The Beijing-based Global Times has admitted that the US “leads the world in precision strikes with battlefield experience and a comprehensive arsenal.”
Precision strikes rely on military expertise in global reconnaissance and early warnings, directing and navigating attacks as well as data links and command systems.
The tabloid also noted that the PLA has been quietly honing its precision attack capabilities over the years, building on China’s strides in technology such as with global navigation and positioning systems. For instance, more BeiDou satellites will be put into orbit this year to beef up coverage and precision to rival the military version of the US’s Global Positioning System.
State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Monday that the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force had “activated” new intermediate, long-range missiles tailor-made for precision strikes against targets both onshore and offshore.
These missiles could contain nuclear warheads, but the report did not give details about the missile’s specifications.
Some analysts believe the missiles could be a new variant of the DF-26 class, with a hit radius of 3,000-4,000 kilometers that brings the US military installations on the outpost of Guam within its range.
Information on the DF-26 since its media debut at a 2015 parade show that the versatile and conventional anti-ship ballistic missiles, nicknamed Guam Express, can look for and lock onto moving targets on land and at sea, such as an aircraft carrier, while cruising at a top speed of up to 18 times the speed of sound after re-entry into the atmosphere.
As shown on the CCTV program, a PLA Rocket Force brigade is equipped with 18 such missiles.
Chinese commentators say they believe that the timing of the DF-26’s entry into full deployment versus the Pentagon’s ongoing raid on Syria can be a hint of the covert rivalry between Beijing and Washington as China’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ma Zhaoxu, joined his Russian counterpart in condemning Washington’s “encroachment of Syria’s sovereignty and UN’s principles.”
"The Pentagon once again showcased its highly sophisticated weapons capabilities when targeted missile strikes allegedly crippled Assad’s chemical weapon facilities.." Urm, only if you believe the mainstream media. The Russian military has reported that the Syrian Arab Army, operating Soviet era anti-missile systems, took out 70% of the Tomahawks.
That’s impressive. On the Russian end. We’re not even taking about the S-300 and S-400 yet.
Peter Muyonga Shimenga: Sure, that must be why the Syrians were dancing on the streets after the "devastating" attack. Seriously.
The PLA defends China properly, always. The American war-makers are always playing "the short game" looting and plundering national wealth as much as possible, and when the wealth is gone so will too be the war-makers, retired to tropical mansions or where ever they will vanish to, the looting finished. The nation will revert to a primitive, natural anarchy of no interest to industrial states.
Df 26…a fire cracker missile….or just a vintage missile…before they lunch the missile is already blowned by b52 bomber….
Lies. Out of 105 missiles launched by the US and its allies, 71 of them knock down by the old Russian anti missile used by the Syrians. What if the sophesticated S400 anti aircraft/ missile beind activated and use to counter those attacks of US and its allies? Surely embarassing isn’t it?
The Russians were not telling the truth…
The Chinese out number the Americans in number of soldiers.
Russia hasitated to deploy S-300 , S-400 in Syria
speculative.
Amr Boudj in medieval times, wars were won by men, now by advanced weapons of war. even if china has the largest army, it still has to bring its war machine to the war front that is tantamount to suicide given the sophictication and ability of its opponent to annihitate a fighting force. tactical movements can no longer be concealed from the peering eyes of advanced surveillance sattilites. numbers is not a guarantee for victory in modern warfare.
China’s missile is just like fire crackers never hit the target.. .and China’s army has no experience in war. ..
Ground zero would have looked like the lunar surface if all 105 missiles had hit the 3 targets.
Sofisticated. you say ! 71 where brought down by Syrian army!
Does you mean when half of your population gone then you start to believe the nuclear weapon of the opposing party ?
Amr Boudj Who cares about the numbers of soldiers?
Don’t blag so much about Russia’s weapons which have not been used in real situation yet!
Sure
America, back to the age of the wild wild west. Donald Trump, the Marshall.
chinese missiles are not battle-tested.
Are you happy with what America done to MENA- Middle East Nations.. That America is the Invader and Destroyer of Gods Creation… Killed Millions of Innocent people for the glory of greater Israel… For thier GREED Of G.O.D- Gold,Oil,Drugs.. Try to put your feet inside other shoes…
God have mercy on us
but pak army is experience and power
Quoted: "The Beijing-based Global Times has admitted that the US “leads the world in precision strikes with battlefield experience and a comprehensive arsenal.”
Long range missile means ample time to neutralize. The satellites will report immediately and F35 will sit up and wait in air to shoot down. The Russian doesn’t dare to test and confront with S 400 as these are their last line of air defense
Zahid Ali Baig
They also have full nuke and depleated ones
I’m convinced that Thess information about wars should be discussed by Military Personnel.
Let us promote love, not war.
Peter Muyonga Shimenga Dont embarass black people with your illiteracy
Barry Graham. What is illiterate about this" The Beijing-based Global Times has admitted that the US “leads the world in precision strikes with battlefield experience and a comprehensive arsenal.” did you read that ?….or you need mowack lenses !!!
you a real scumbag troller
Barry Graham can u hear ursef. Would China praise d USA for nothing? They are d missles hit d intended ????. Moreover have u watched d news lately? North Korea is making peace by force lol
Esby Toh they were dancing sure…but dancing as in happy to be alive
Peter Muyonga Shimenga why America don’t attack Russia and see who is the better one bully America only attack third world country who can’t find for themself .
All the war America fought is with third world country is like s heavy weight fighting a middle weight .
Amr Boudj China outnumbered the US in number of noodles eaten….
Esby Toh Yes you’re absolutely right,they were dancing, since the target destroyed were research facilities and military installations,not hospitals and residential areas.
Peter Muyonga Shimenga …I think you are either illitrate on payload or want to suggest that each missiles carried only 10Kg of explosives…remember only 3 missile were fired and destroyed the complex in sudan when ossam bin ladden was suspected to be there…so why 105??? The truth is they knew several will be shot down
Weng D Arroyo the dragon will sleep forever and will not wake up like you are dreaming of building a hut on spratleys.
Weng D Arroyo you and your family should be attack and exterminated by terrorists so that you would understand how pitty putting your heart to insects and plagues of our world..go live in china or in syria and dont ask Jesus why?
Zahid Ali Baig hahaha
So funny.
If they deploy it will anger the west and if they deploy and don’t use against them. It will give bad name to s300 and s400.
Haha USA said that They hit all The target. My brother is in syria and he have sen american misils on The ground not exploded and russians took them. And many Was knock Down. He Will show US in sweden when he come home. Haha
Weng D Arroyo it true
Zahid Ali Baig What is so especially about pak army you are vouching for.What is their stature in the world order.What so special about nukes of pak gifted by Chinese having no credibility.And the western forces will pulverise and bombed pak to Stone age sooner than later afterwards North Korean demise at the hands of US led western forces
#Amr Boudj, how observant!
Another gem: Chinese population outnumber America’s by ONE BILLION!
Unlike ballistic missiles that are shot into space by rocket motors and reenter the atmosphere at very high speeds, the jet-powered cruise missiles are much slower. Cruise missiles are harder to hit because they “cruise” along close to the ground and are invisible to radar due to the ground clutter. But once they appear on the horizon near the targets, they could be taken out using normal anti-aircraft guns, gattling machine guns and line of sight anti-aircraft missiles by experienced air defence crews who had expected a cruise missile attack. Video clips on Syrian TV showed cruise missiles appearing over the horizon and close the ground like a plane cruising at sub-sonic speed. If all 103 missiles did hit their 3 targets, assuming 31 missiles at each site, the damage could have been very much greater than that shown on Syrian TV. The Russian reported that most missiles were taken out by air defence crews of military airports because the cruise missile attack on the research centre was a ruse to attack the military airports and cripple Syrian ability to launch air strikes on rebel bases. Either that or the cruise missiles lost their way by Russian jamming of GPS signals, strayed to the military airports and were shot down there. ????