WASHINGTON – While Chinese military intentions remain unclear, the Asian power is continuing to modernize its military through indigenous design and development as it seeks to replace its Soviet-era arsenal, a new survey found.
In a report released this week (April 5), researchers with the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission sought to determine how much of China’s weapon modernization effort is homegrown. The report focuses on four internal weapon development programs:
• Yuan-class diesel-electric attack submarine
• SC-19 anti-satellite system (ASAT)
• Dongfeng-21D anti-ship ballistic missile
• Jian-20 stealth fighter
“Judging from the public statements of U.S. officials and reports from U.S. government agencies, the modernization and advancement of Chinese military weapons systems over the past decade have consistently developed faster than both U.S. officials and analysts outside of government expected” the report concludes.
“U.S. officials and analysts have expressed ‘surprise’ at the speed with which China was able to develop indigenous military technology or weapons systems.”
While indigenous development of ASAT weapons was widely known, the report found that China watchers have been caught off-guard by China’s submarine development, particularly the use of “air-independent propulsion” that would give attack subs greater range.
Sea trials of the Yuan-class sub began last year, according to the China commission report.
China is thought to be developing naval capabilities that would allow it to project power in the Pacific Ocean. The People’s Liberation Army’s first aircraft carrier is a refitted Soviet-era warship. The new carrier reportedly began sea trials last August. The U.S. Navy currently maintains 11 aircraft carrier groups.
China unveiled the fifth generation of its Jian-20 prototype stealth fighter in January 2011. Chinese military leaders have said the twin-engine fighter jet could be operational by as early as 2017. But advanced aircraft development has grown increasingly complex, a fact that could delay China’s indigenous development program.
Still, the report found that China’s defense industrial base has made large strides over the last several decades. “While it still faces many problems, the Chinese defense industry is far more capable of producing modern weapons platforms than would have been the case in the 1980s or 1990s,” the report concludes.