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Expect Pakistan's tests to follow?
China tests new land-attack cruise missile
JANE'S MISSILES AND ROCKETS - OCTOBER 01, 2004
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China tests new land-attack cruise missile
China has test-fired a new land attack cruise missile (LACM) designated Dong Hai-10 (DH-10), or East China Sea-10, writes Wendell Minnick. A US defence source identified the DH-10 as a ground-launched second-generation LACM with a range of more than 1,500km. He said it is likely to be equipped with an integrated inertial navigation system/Global Positioning System, supplemented by a terrain contour mapping system and digital scene-matching terminal-homing system able to provide a circular error probable (CEP) of 10m.
China is also expected to field a second LACM within the next few years. The Ying Ji-63 (YJ-63), or Strike Eagle-63, is described by the source as a first-generation LACM with a range of 400-500km and the ability to carry a 500kg high explosive warhead at a speed of Mach 0.68. The missile is believed to be fitted with combined inertial and GPS mid-course guidance, plus some form of electro-optical terminal guidance. The latter is expected to provide a CEP of 10-15m, but it will probably be limited by weather. If it is a TV homing system rather than an autonomous scene-matching sensor, this will require a line-of-sight communications link with the launch aircraft or another platform.
The US source further pointed out that Harpy unmanned aerial vehicles obtained by China from Israel in 2001 are now operational.
These three sophisticated weapons pose new challenges to Taiwan, which has been engaged in extended debate over the ballistic missile threat from China. "Taiwan has not met the growing LACM threat head on," the source complained.
The YJ-63 is likely to be launched from the Xian H-6 'Badger' bomber, a copy of the Tupolev Tu-16. The naval version of this aircraft already has two wing-mounts for anti-ship missiles, but China is experimenting with additional pylons. One H-6 (No. 81217) has already been modified to incorporate four wing-mounted cruise missile pylons.
Defence sources stated that China has the capability to convert up to 25 H-6 bombers, so it could eventually be able to add 100 air-launched cruise missiles to the force of 200-300 short-range ballistic missiles expected to form the first wave of missiles launched during any Chinese attack on Taiwan. "Before too long, there will also be ship and sub-launched cruise missiles," stated one source.
Some within the US Department of Defence argue that Taiwan should procure elevated sensors, such as tethered aerostats, to counter the LACM threat. The aerostat sensor could cue Taiwan's HAWKs. Taiwan could also acquire Surface-Launched AMRAAM.
"Taiwan's Patriots, both PAC-2 GEM and [the planned] PAC-3 can handle cruise missiles, but as long as you have got the sensors and early detection, HAWKs do just fine," the source said. Patriot missiles are too expensive for use against cruise missile targets, he added, and are more suited to engaging ballistic missiles.
The US source made no mention of Taiwan's alternative strategy of developing a limited strike capability, a policy not favoured by Washington.
The US is currently developing the Joint Land-Attack Cruise Missile Defence Elevated Netted Sensor system, which is due to be deployed in 2008-09. Other aerostats that could fulfil Taiwan's needs are available on a shorter timescale. These include the aerostat surveillance systems released to Kuwait and Pakistan. The Kuwaiti system is based on a modified APG-63 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, while the Pakistani system is equipped with the Lockheed Martin L-88(V)3 D-band surveillance radar.
China tests new land-attack cruise missile
JANE'S MISSILES AND ROCKETS - OCTOBER 01, 2004
-------------------------------------------------------------
China tests new land-attack cruise missile
China has test-fired a new land attack cruise missile (LACM) designated Dong Hai-10 (DH-10), or East China Sea-10, writes Wendell Minnick. A US defence source identified the DH-10 as a ground-launched second-generation LACM with a range of more than 1,500km. He said it is likely to be equipped with an integrated inertial navigation system/Global Positioning System, supplemented by a terrain contour mapping system and digital scene-matching terminal-homing system able to provide a circular error probable (CEP) of 10m.
China is also expected to field a second LACM within the next few years. The Ying Ji-63 (YJ-63), or Strike Eagle-63, is described by the source as a first-generation LACM with a range of 400-500km and the ability to carry a 500kg high explosive warhead at a speed of Mach 0.68. The missile is believed to be fitted with combined inertial and GPS mid-course guidance, plus some form of electro-optical terminal guidance. The latter is expected to provide a CEP of 10-15m, but it will probably be limited by weather. If it is a TV homing system rather than an autonomous scene-matching sensor, this will require a line-of-sight communications link with the launch aircraft or another platform.
The US source further pointed out that Harpy unmanned aerial vehicles obtained by China from Israel in 2001 are now operational.
These three sophisticated weapons pose new challenges to Taiwan, which has been engaged in extended debate over the ballistic missile threat from China. "Taiwan has not met the growing LACM threat head on," the source complained.
The YJ-63 is likely to be launched from the Xian H-6 'Badger' bomber, a copy of the Tupolev Tu-16. The naval version of this aircraft already has two wing-mounts for anti-ship missiles, but China is experimenting with additional pylons. One H-6 (No. 81217) has already been modified to incorporate four wing-mounted cruise missile pylons.
Defence sources stated that China has the capability to convert up to 25 H-6 bombers, so it could eventually be able to add 100 air-launched cruise missiles to the force of 200-300 short-range ballistic missiles expected to form the first wave of missiles launched during any Chinese attack on Taiwan. "Before too long, there will also be ship and sub-launched cruise missiles," stated one source.
Some within the US Department of Defence argue that Taiwan should procure elevated sensors, such as tethered aerostats, to counter the LACM threat. The aerostat sensor could cue Taiwan's HAWKs. Taiwan could also acquire Surface-Launched AMRAAM.
"Taiwan's Patriots, both PAC-2 GEM and [the planned] PAC-3 can handle cruise missiles, but as long as you have got the sensors and early detection, HAWKs do just fine," the source said. Patriot missiles are too expensive for use against cruise missile targets, he added, and are more suited to engaging ballistic missiles.
The US source made no mention of Taiwan's alternative strategy of developing a limited strike capability, a policy not favoured by Washington.
The US is currently developing the Joint Land-Attack Cruise Missile Defence Elevated Netted Sensor system, which is due to be deployed in 2008-09. Other aerostats that could fulfil Taiwan's needs are available on a shorter timescale. These include the aerostat surveillance systems released to Kuwait and Pakistan. The Kuwaiti system is based on a modified APG-63 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, while the Pakistani system is equipped with the Lockheed Martin L-88(V)3 D-band surveillance radar.