Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is Missing

Re: Malaysia Airlines Plane is Missing

I am afraid the very understandable caution and delays in countries sharing military sourced information is going to be blown out of proportion by conspiracy theorists. Though that is only one of many aspects of this whole ordeal warranting suspicion. At this point I am very pessimistic about the wreckage being found or finding out what happened, at least for the public. Hopefully the loved ones of those missing will be able to move on for their own benefit.

Re: Malaysia Airlines Plane is Missing

joshuatree said:

I don't think this demonstrates anything about second rate. It was a Malaysian plane in an area managed by Malaysian air traffic control on one end and Vietnamese air traffic control on the other. Why would any other country track at that level completely outside their own area? And no satellite actually tracked MH370. It is really a lucky break that whoever on that plane or whatever events that took place on that plane, did not/could not disable the engine performance telemetry which attempted to respond to a satellite system used for just that, not track a plane. What is being deduced now is really more CSI work than tracking capability.

From this event, perhaps the international aviation interests show ponder about installing radar coverage in dead spots along well traveled air corridors? My understanding is that out in the Indian Ocean, those air routes have zero coverage from any radars on the ground. ETOPS made that possible I suppose. Maybe China could lead the initiative for an international system of satellites that track planes? Or something more on the ground like radar stations or something like Sea-based X-band Radar on a mobile platform?

Click to expand...

Given the huge gap in capabilities between the US and whoever comes second in dealing with an unexpected and highly unusual situation like this, it is not a diss on China for being second rate, I am merely saying there is room for improvement and here is an example of a need.

Of course when everything is occurring normally one can assume that solving any issues is within the capabilities of the local authorities who would also be co-operative and competent about it but that would not be good contingency planning.

This event demonstrates China's weaknesses in not having military alliances, not even being at a level of trust with other governments where they may more willingly share military sourced information in a civilian emergency, not having the surveillance capabilities to cover all the locations where there is Chinese national interest just to know what is going on, never mind doing something about it.

Besides from expanding/improving Chinese satellite coverage, I think another good takeaway for China is how a LHD would be handy right now in searching the southern Indian Ocean. With a LHD the vessel would have more space for SAR tasks than a carrier, and also more air and naval assets based on a single vessel than any other ship. This is a scenario where a LHD is a perfect fit.

Re: Malaysia Airlines Plane is Missing

PLAN and China in general has been known to quickly adapt to any gaps they may experienced especially one due to 'real life lessons learned'. I wonder with all the assets being congregated in the South Indian Ocean especially the Orions, Poseidons and Bombardiars aircrafts PLAN/China will divert more resources into building more of these type of assets.

Being that majority of the planes passengers/victims are Chinese citizens I wonder if they feel some sense of 'inadequacy' for not having the right equipment with extreme long legs to conduct effective S&R as much as they like to in that part of the world.

Re: Malaysia Airlines Plane is Missing

I'm kinda pessimistic about if they will ever find the plane now.

Re: Malaysia Airlines Plane is Missing

I don't know what China can do. Australia being the closest country to the search zone and the base for P-3s and P-8s takes more time getting to and going back from the search zone than spending time actually searching.

Re: Malaysia Airlines Plane is Missing

AssassinsMace said:

I don't know what China can do. Australia being the closest country to the search zone and the base for P-3s and P-8s takes more time getting to and going back from the search zone than spending time actually searching.

Click to expand...

All pointing to the fact that China can use a LHD or two!

Re: Malaysia Airlines Plane is Missing

PanAsian said:

All pointing to the fact that China can use a LHD or two!

Click to expand...

That's the danger for the China alarmists I've been hearing trying to get a dig at pointing out what China can't do. But even if China builds them and they're based in Hainan it'll take them a while to get down to like the southern Indian Ocean. China doesn't have overseas bases all over the world.

Re: Malaysia Airlines Plane is Missing



two Il-76 and one Y-8 going to Australia to join the search.



New satellite data



Haixun 01, Nanhaijiu 101, three warships (the 071 group) racing south. Xuelong leaving Perth also joining the search (it has been busy).

Re: Malaysia Airlines Plane is Missing



BY ALASTAIR JAMIESON AND ERIC BACULINAO
advertisement

advertisement

The Chinese government has spotted possible debris in a satellite image of the southern search corridor and is sending ships to investigate, Malaysia’s transport minister said Saturday.

An object measuring 22 meters by 13 meters [72 feet by 42 feet] was seen by a Chinese satellite, Hishamuddin Hussein told reporters at the daily news briefing in Kuala Lumpur on the two-week-long search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

Local reports in China said the satellite images showed the object about 74 miles southwest of the possible debris that was revealed by Australian authorities on Thursday. The China satellite image was taken on Tuesday, while the images from Australia were taken on Sunday.


China was sending ships to the area to investigate and would be giving more information later, Hishamuddin said.

The development was revealed in a dramatic fashion at the end of an otherwise routine media briefing, when Hishamuddin was passed a note by an official. “All I know is what is in this note,” he said, holding up the scrap of paper.

Chinese state television posted a picture on Twitter of a satellite image that it said showed the object. The image could not immediately be verified by NBC News.

Chinese online news site, PeopleNet, says the object was found south latitude 44.57 degrees, east longitude 90.13 degress, quoting the the State Science and Technology Industry Commission for National Defense which controls China's satellites.

The development came as the third day of air and sea search 1,4000 miles southwest off Perth, Australia ended without success.

Searches by more than two dozen countries have so far turned up little but frustration and fresh questions about Flight MH370.

Re: Malaysia Airlines Plane is Missing

AssassinsMace said:

That's the danger for the China alarmists I've been hearing trying to get a dig at pointing out what China can't do. But even if China builds them and they're based in Hainan it'll take them a while to get down to like the southern Indian Ocean. China doesn't have overseas bases all over the world.

Click to expand...

I think you are completely missing the point I made. I pointed out that this situation proves that China has a need that is best served by a LHD, because a LHD has the space, the mission flexibility (better than a carrier), the higher number of air and naval assets all on one vessel (better than a LPD) than any other ship type. This is an objective analysis, not a dig.

China alarmists have nothing to go on, and instead can be discredited based on facts highlighted by this event, because not only is China working with other countries (some of whom China has territorial disputes with) and following their lead in their jurisdictions as it should, it is also sharing in the burden of the search by deploying the best assets it can, yet all of which shows China's limitations in diplomacy (military to military relationships), surveillance, and actual reach on the ground/sea/air.

P.S. just a note that if you've read my posts in these forums over the years I have been a long time believer in China needing LHDs (even as a higher priority than carriers) especially for MOOTW, so this is a chance to bolster my case!