China Ballistic Missiles and Nuclear Arms Thread

[ChongqingHotPot92]

To go back to topic, do you guys think China should directly announce to the world its actual nuclear warhead stock?

Like say when they break X amount, or maybe wait to if tensions go higher around Taiwan or some other reason/timing?

Yes, but only after more than 1000+ warheads and 300+ land-based ICBMs become fully operational. In fact, I am quite supportive of a "strategic clarity" on nuclear first use, especially in a Taiwan Contingency, where US and Allied conventional forces still maintain an edge. Also, since the 575 and newer warheads have never been tested in full yields (except using simulations by supercomputers that still run on US-made chips), now is the time to resume full nuclear testing. With Nop Nur now being an airbase testing space places as opposed to nuclear weapons, a new testing ground ground could be constructed in Southern Xinjiang or the Qinghai Tibet Plateau.

 

[Michaelsinodef]

There's actually another question I had in mind.

Which is how is testing done with nukes? (with basically any country that has them)


Like how often are the missiles tested, are the actual nuclear warheads being tested 'regularly' (every few years) or is stuff like testing the keys to a 'empty' nuke or testing the nuclear warheads with a much lower yield etc.

A big and broad question I know, but curious.

 

[r41]

corruption will only relatively slow down China's progress that is unstoppable

the Pentagon China Military Report 2020 report clearly address the harmony of the PLA machine that encompasses the whole society including universities and civil industries which is unparalleled, corruption is only a small stain that is already accounted for in their budget by Xi and the party

 

[s002wjh]

corruption will only relatively slow down China's progress that is unstoppable

the Pentagon China Military Report 2020 report clearly address the harmony of the PLA machine that encompasses the whole society including universities and civil industries which is unparalleled, corruption is only a small stain that is already accounted for in their budget by Xi and the party

it depends if corruption allow substitute of inferior/sub-parts/components into the system(software or hardware), or sub-contractors win the contractor due to connection/corruption etc. this can be pretty bad. if certain inferior x components integrate into the whole system, it will affect longevity/condition it operate in/performance or quality etc etc, example using civilian grade semi-conductor vs military grade version have huge affect on vibration/operating temperature/longevity etc etc.

 

[montyp165]

it depends if corruption allow substitute of inferior/sub-parts/components into the system(software or hardware), or sub-contractors win the contractor due to connection/corruption etc. this can be pretty bad. if certain inferior x components integrate into the whole system, it will affect longevity/condition it operate in/performance or quality etc etc, example using civilian grade semi-conductor vs military grade version have huge affect on vibration/operating temperature/longevity etc etc.

Exports and joint exercises with Russia, Pakistan et al are and have served as excellent reinforcers for quality control, for if corruption were as bad as some would insinuate it would also show up in exported weapons and in joint exercises such as equipment breakdowns and subpar performance to non-Chinese weapon systems. However this really isn't the case, as shown with Pakistani arms acquisitions and the performance of Chinese units in Russian tank biathalons for instance.

 

[s002wjh]

Exports and joint exercises with Russia, Pakistan et al are and have served as excellent reinforcers for quality control, for if corruption were as bad as some would insinuate it would also show up in exported weapons and in joint exercises such as equipment breakdowns and subpar performance to non-Chinese weapon systems. However this really isn't the case, as shown with Pakistani arms acquisitions and the performance of Chinese units in Russian tank biathalons for instance.

how bad the corruption is there, i dont know. but bad quality or sub-parts is not gonna show up just like that. beside you dont know which components is inferior or how its affect the overall system. for example car company A sub-contract company B for its auto tire, company B got the contract due to connection/bribery, it manufacture sub-par tire for company A, instead last 30k, it last 20k. it might operate differently due to temperature/snow/rain condition thus can affect safety, it might be easier to have blow up during high speed, but IT DOESNT do that every time. bad part might be fatal or minior performance/longevity decrease.
another example pc motherboard, some use high quality capacitor, some use the cheap one. former last longer, better performance etc, i had mobo that use cheap cap, and it blow up and short the board, but it doesn't mean every cheapo board gonna do that.

 

[montyp165]

how bad the corruption is there, i dont know. but bad quality or sub-parts is not gonna show up just like that. beside you dont know which components is inferior or how its affect the overall system. for example car company A sub-contract company B for its auto tire, company B got the contract due to connection/bribery, it manufacture sub-par tire for company A, instead last 30k, it last 20k. it might operate differently due to temperature/snow/rain condition thus can affect safety, it might be easier to have blow up during high speed, but IT DOESNT do that every time. bad part might be fatal or minior performance/longevity decrease.
another example pc motherboard, some use high quality capacitor, some use the cheap one. former last longer, better performance etc, i had mobo that use cheap cap, and it blow up and short the board, but it doesn't mean every cheapo board gonna do that.

Some specialized subsystems may vary with enduser, but the fundamental components all are supplied the same and of which would be very telling in the event of substitutions in terms of performance in extreme heat/cold and prolonged use, and the PLA in particular prioritizes reliability and durability in the hardware it procures and uses (as evidenced in things such as replacement firearms as discussed in the QBZ-191 thread). Again if there were such issues they would already be popping up and the cases would be numerous enough to pop up on the Chinese social media/discussion groups and draw the attention of the CPC disciplinary department in particular.

 

[Temstar]

In

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

(31 minutes in) they were discussing the recent Hwasong-17 launch in North Korea and the topic drifted to amount of secrecy for strategic weapons and they dropped a bit of a news that I had to do a double take:

According to them, JL-3, the longest range SLBM in the world has been successfully tested, and because of the success the development team have been awarded under a very funny team name. I looked it up and sure enough it's real:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Second National Innovation Award, given out on May 2020, winning teams:
三代半导体（氮化镓）创新团队
大跨拱桥关键技术研究团队
广州医科大学新冠肺炎疫情防控研究南山团队
中国人民解放军总医院灾害医学救援与伤病救治创新团队
水下发射大型固体运载火箭研制团队
北京大学第三医院医学创新研究院
武汉雷神山医院抗疫团队
空间飞行器系统研发团队
复兴号动车组研发创新团队
高超声速强预冷空天动力研究团队

That translates to "Large scale underwater launched solid fuel launch vehicle development team".
That last team might also be of some relevance for this thread and the hypersonic thread, that's the "hypersonic strong precooler aerospace propulsion development team".

 

[ChongqingHotPot92]

In

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

(31 minutes in) they were discussing the recent Hwasong-17 launch in North Korea and the topic drifted to amount of secrecy for strategic weapons and they dropped a bit of a news that I had to do a double take:

According to them, JL-3, the longest range SLBM in the world has been successfully tested, and because of the success the development team have been awarded under a very funny team name. I looked it up and sure enough it's real:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Second National Innovation Award, given out on May 2020, winning teams:
三代半导体（氮化镓）创新团队
大跨拱桥关键技术研究团队
广州医科大学新冠肺炎疫情防控研究南山团队
中国人民解放军总医院灾害医学救援与伤病救治创新团队
水下发射大型固体运载火箭研制团队
北京大学第三医院医学创新研究院
武汉雷神山医院抗疫团队
空间飞行器系统研发团队
复兴号动车组研发创新团队
高超声速强预冷空天动力研究团队

That translates to "Large scale underwater launched solid fuel launch vehicle development team".
That last team might also be of some relevance for this thread and the hypersonic thread, that's the "hypersonic strong precooler aerospace propulsion development team".

OMG the way they rebrand the weapon systems for alleged civilian purposes is priceless. Why not call the DF-41 ICBMs "unmanned large-scale solid fuel launch vehicle for outer space intercontinental cargo deliveries"

 

[AssassinsMace]

There's actually another question I had in mind.

Which is how is testing done with nukes? (with basically any country that has them)


Like how often are the missiles tested, are the actual nuclear warheads being tested 'regularly' (every few years) or is stuff like testing the keys to a 'empty' nuke or testing the nuclear warheads with a much lower yield etc.

A big and broad question I know, but curious.

I believe that's mostly done with computer simulations which is one of the arguments in the US camp for modernization to break ranks in the international nuclear arms game to test new weapons which the West expects countries not to do. That's the problem when the US thinks out loud, there are consequences. Trump put it out there that the US should increase its nukes and then you see increased China nuclear arms activity as a result. I read once that China was the only country to test firing a missile with a nuclear warhead and detonate. I have no idea if that's true because I've never came across anything else mentioning it.