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China Ballistic Missiles and Nuclear Arms Thread
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Well the east coast conus was within reach of JL-2 equipped Type 094 launching from near China's coast back in early 2000s. The second gen Chinese SSBN with JL-2 is not expected to travel far beyond island chains but JL-2's range is impressive nonetheless. I think the main deterrence was based solely on DF-5 which comfortably covers all of conus, while the DF-31 provided some coverage of the eastern coast. We don't have the actual range capabilities of the DF-31 to determine where they need to be launched from to cover how much of the eastern coast US. This is of course before the DF-41 and JL-3 have taken over as the leading Chinese ICBM in terms of range.
For a country with so many mid to heavy lift space launch rockets, range and payload honestly isn't a question of can but is it necessary. I think DF and JL series represent the best Chinese rocket industry can provide in terms of survivable, quick response, and reliable delivery of payloads. The payloads themselves are improved with MIRV, MaRV, HGV and various technologies aimed at improving penetration. The rest is about producing enough of them, not having a crazy range of delivery system types with the same range and function.
Isn't there a version of the JL-2 capable of 11,000+km range? Also, can the JL-3 be launched from a 094?
If i'am not mistaken, the upgraded type 94A can launch JL-3.
If those loud 094As could launch JL-3s (12,000km range) right outside of Sanya, Qingdao, and Dalian ports (ideally inside Bohai Sea) and away from US and Japanese hunter subs, there would be no need to develop the 096 class in the short term. Resources could be diverted to build more 095/097 SSNs to protect existing 6-8 094s and carrier fleets.
Do we have any actual indication that the humps on the new Type 09-IVs are significantly larger than earlier models to accommodate the JL-3? Because otherwise all we have the words of some American general who could very well be talking out of his ass. Unlike most, I don't ascribe omniscience to America - if it were omniscient it would have saved its CIA collaborators in China before the Ministry of State Security turned their lights off.
I think the type 094A are most likely just a temporary solution in order to launch JL-3s. Like your have said, those type 094As are loud so they gonna need something better like the type 096 class.
Who said the Type 09-IV submarines were loud? Especially the new variants.
Anyone any idea what the future goal is for China's nuclear stockpile. How many would prove a good deterrent?
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