PLAN SCS Bases/Islands/Vessels (Not a Strategy Page)
- Thread starter lilzz
- Start date
joshuatree
Captain
Couple these helipads with 056s out in those waters and helos can easily provide large swaths of coverage.
Geographer
Junior Member
This is the first time I've seen the Vietnamese-controlled islands with so much reclamation. Does anyone have additional, recent photographs of the Vietnamese projects?
Some pictures of purported HQ-9 SAM on Yongxing Island.
Picture taken from BBC which shows the purported HQ-9 SAM location(s).
On Feb 3, the beach was empty but on Feb 14, you can see the HQ-9 SAM.
More details of the SAM.
My observations:-
- the beach is fairly new, not much preparation has been done so the earth may not be hardened enough. It is adjacent to a lot of temporary construction buildings.
- the range of HQ-9 is 200 km, this will cover the entire Paracels. Triton is furthest away from Yongxing, and it is 170 km.
>>> Removed Political Statement/Comment <<<
Some more pictures of Yongxing Island. I have added in my captions.
In 2012, in response to Vietnam passing a law claiming sovereignty, China established the city of Sansha on Yongxing Island to administer the whole South China Sea.
Civilian facilities on the island includes a school, a hospital, a library, government services/building. It has 2,000 people made up of mainly fishermen, soldiers and construction workers.
It also has an airport, port and mobile phone coverage. There is regular ferry service from Hainan Island carrying supplies and tourists. In February 2016, China has started regular civilian flights from Hainan Island too.
Picture taken from BBC which shows the purported HQ-9 SAM location(s).
On Feb 3, the beach was empty but on Feb 14, you can see the HQ-9 SAM.
More details of the SAM.
My observations:-
- the beach is fairly new, not much preparation has been done so the earth may not be hardened enough. It is adjacent to a lot of temporary construction buildings.
- the range of HQ-9 is 200 km, this will cover the entire Paracels. Triton is furthest away from Yongxing, and it is 170 km.
>>> Removed Political Statement/Comment <<<
Some more pictures of Yongxing Island. I have added in my captions.
In 2012, in response to Vietnam passing a law claiming sovereignty, China established the city of Sansha on Yongxing Island to administer the whole South China Sea.
Civilian facilities on the island includes a school, a hospital, a library, government services/building. It has 2,000 people made up of mainly fishermen, soldiers and construction workers.
It also has an airport, port and mobile phone coverage. There is regular ferry service from Hainan Island carrying supplies and tourists. In February 2016, China has started regular civilian flights from Hainan Island too.
Last edited by a moderator:
antiterror13
Brigadier
wowww, I counted at least 8 HQ-9 launchers with 4 missiles each ... total 32 HQ-9 missiles!. Not many countries have more than 32 effective LR SAM, certainly not ASEAN (apart from Vietnam maybe). I expect it will end up at least 2 battalion of HQ-9 or 12 launchers
These could be original HQ-9 (not HQ-9A/B) that PLA no longer used, so better used in the island
These could be original HQ-9 (not HQ-9A/B) that PLA no longer used, so better used in the island
SinoSoldier
Colonel
I'm surprised they deployed their frontline HQ-9s.
I had thought a SAM system in the league of the KS-1 or HQ-16 would suffice for a political message.
I had thought a SAM system in the league of the KS-1 or HQ-16 would suffice for a political message.
antiterror13
Brigadier
The range of HQ-16 is only 70 kms, not enough. HQ-9 is more appropriate, but I suspect it is the original HQ-9 which no longer used by PLA. But I'd bet it will never be used anyway, just for deterrent, like most of the weapon systems
SinoSoldier
Colonel
The range of HQ-16 is only 70 kms, not enough. HQ-9 is more appropriate, but I suspect it is the original HQ-9 which no longer used by PLA. But I'd bet it will never be used anyway, just for deterrent, like most of the weapon systems
There are multiple iterations of the HQ-9? I thought the HQ-9C hasn't been developed yet.