If it was the only means to deliver nukes like the UK and France ... yes you are absolutely correct
But China has a lot of IRBM/ICBM (and cruise missiles) to deliver the nukes and also there are a lot of bombers that could deliver nukes. So really there is no "must" for China doing ICBM patrol all the time. I sense that China may wait until 096 and JL-3/A .... and it won't be too long
I believe 094 also regularly doing patrol (not all the time), but not too far from China coast. And I'd bet China wouldn't tell us (and you as well) when they doing SSBN patrol
Yes surely 2 on operational cycle patrol or in transit/ready, sure 4 for 5 with last rate of nucl subm production one new/year and new 093A/B i don't think 5 now, the two 093A normaly based to Yalong Bay with the two 093/2nd Submarine base, the two first 093B one in service, on normaly 4 to Shakizou/Jiangezhuang under reserves with the extreme difficulty to have infos...
I don't understand ?
Why you think only irregular patrols ?I doubt that Chinese sub deterrence is aimed only at US. Eventually India is going to get it's own sub based missile force and there is also Russia... neither of those have same capabilities as US NAVY so 1 boat per counry should be enough, even if the designated boat is only doing irregular patrols.
With 4 : 1 one in patrol, one training/ready, one minor and one major maintenance the cycle is there so in surge 2I doubt that Chinese sub deterrence is aimed only at US. Eventually India is going to get it's own sub based missile force and there is also Russia... neither of those have same capabilities as US NAVY so 1 boat per counry should be enough, even if the designated boat is only doing irregular patrols.
I doubt that Chinese sub deterrence is aimed only at US. Eventually India is going to get it's own sub based missile force and there is also Russia... neither of those have same capabilities as US NAVY so 1 boat per counry should be enough, even if the designated boat is only doing irregular patrols.
Why other with India? Is India capable of taking out China's land-based missiles?
Why you think only irregular patrols ?
Russia have in average more than a SSBNs in patrol 1 - 2
US about 5
The only target country that the 094 goes out on patrol for deterrence purposes for is the US, and no other. For India and Russia there are SRBMs, MRBMs, IRBMs, and cruise missiles galore.
They could hit Alaska and probably Hawaii from just off most of the coastlines of eastern China.But how if their missiles don't have even range to hit Hawaii from SCS?