At Future Firepower we always keep the latest breaking news on the newest weaponry available to the United States Military and its allies. On top of following the technological advancements in weapons systems of the US, we also like to introduce the military capabilities of nations throughout the world. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has some very advanced weapons systems. Ballistic missiles and missile defense programs are paramount in Chinese military planning with the PLA carrying a number of advanced bombs and missiles. Everything from mobile artillery howitzers, to high-tech tanks such as the Type-99 and the lighter Type-96 as seen in the picture below can be found in the Chinese military.
On top of having an array of advanced ground vehicles, China also boasts an advanced naval force with large advanced submarines, and many worthy battleships but lacking aircraft carriers. The PLA also has a capable air-force, although it is nothing that could match the capabilities of NATO forces or the United States Military with the F-22 and many other reliable and proven fighters. The Jian-10, swept-wing fighter has been introduced by the Chinese air-force but the capabilities remain unclear.
There was speculation years back that the “star wars” program would spark a new weapons race and nothing could be more true as, once again, Russia, The US, and China are entering into a weapons space race. The United States militarization of space has caused uneasiness within China and Russia which has caused them to invest in their aerospace programs as well. One very frightening feat that China has been able to attain is the ability to destroy GPS and other military satellites owned by the US. China launched a vehicle into space intending to destroy an old weather satellite 500 miles in orbit and achieved their goal proving that they could indeed take out the ‘eyes’ of the United States military. The US military also admitted that China disabled a satellite while it orbited over China’s land mass using a directive energy weapon of some sort which produced a high power beam into the face of the satellite.
With China only spending 10% of what the United States does on military technology and expenditures, the PLA has some amazingly advanced technology. Some estimates say that Chinese military spending may spike to half that of the U.S in the foreseeable future. This would make the U.S government very uneasy.
Slideshow of Chine Military (PLA) weapons
Currently there is a weapons embargo between the European Union and the US with China. The Federation of American Scientists, a liberal group long known for its opposition to nuclear weapons, has come out against lifting the EU ban on arms sales to China.”Indeed, troubling transfers of Chinese military and dual-use equipment are numerous,” Matt Schroeder of the Federation of American Scientists, wrote recently.
26 Responses
China does NOT have aircraft carriers
Posted on February 4th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
The Americans and the EU will pay for their petty deed to obstruct the inevitable rise of a omnipower. China will rise, and the racists fools shall finally awaken to their pathetic destruction. Our power shall triumph and crush the infidels, and the milestone of our glory shall be the other’s downfall.
Posted on July 3rd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Ok… That seems just like fascist material that the nazis worked on in WWII.
Posted on July 10th, 2008 at 5:19 am
i agre samuel
Posted on July 20th, 2008 at 12:03 am
The US better know the PLA is not Iraq/Kosovo where US and Nato planes can roam at will. Yes in showdown with the US the Chinese will lose. there is no doubt about that. but is the US prepared to pay the price for regime change in Beijing?
Furthermore the ability of the PLA to inflict unacceptable damamge on the US i s growing every second.OK The the US can destroy China 100 times but the ability of the PLA to wreak
havoc on the US will increase from ,my projection ath moment,20% to 50% by 2010.
What the US want is China that is weak like in the korean war or in 1996 where the US can deploy its aircraft carriers.Then it ican force the Chinese to kowtow.
I believe the PLA has factored in X US carriers in a showdown over the Taiwan.I am confident if the US were to send ten ac into the Tiawan tsraits they will be burning hulk.
So the days when the Chinese are weak like in the opium war are over.
Posted on October 9th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I think this highlights the hypocrisy of the Americans. The Chinese are merely spending 10% of what US spends on military and yet it is the Chinese who are being painted as villains for even daring to think of upping its spending to half of what the US is spending.
Posted on November 14th, 2008 at 4:23 am
I’m sorry, we are the only current super power, people have already attacked for our ideals, we have had nothing but problems with communism in the past. Yeah your right, we should not worry when the only country in the world that can put forth a million man army increaseases enough defense funding to cover that. Idiot.
Posted on November 18th, 2008 at 12:14 am
If any American cares to turn back the pages of his history he will find out the US has been involved in most of the major wars since 1945. Korea,vietnam ,bosnia,Kosovo,Iraq to name those I know.Well the US didn’t get involved in the recent Georgia war because the logstics were not in their favour. Furhtermore it was Russia not a weak Middle East country like Iraq that can be pushed around. Of course if the US really want it could win but at the cost of a general war which is not worth the price.
If the American people are not careful,their leaders could suck them into war on the pretext of defending US armed forces.If readers care to read about the Tonkin incident they will find out it was manufactured to give Johnson the pretext to attack North vietna,m. 58000 US youth lost their lives.
I’m afraid that in the Taiwan scenario, an ac could be sacrificed to start a war with China. Just imagine 5000 innocent lives lost because the US president wants to destroy China.Of course it aint easy and straight forward. The PLA must be prepared and bf China is almost pulverised they inflict unacceptable damage on the US.
Fortuantely I believe that saner heads will prevail in the Pentagon and such a scenario is a remote possibility.The point is the US can’t attack China without being hit like in the 1954 and 1958 Taiwan crisis. Then Mao’s army was poorly equipped and at most could sink a few US ships. FF to 2008 it’s a different story and the amount of havoc the pla can wreak on the US homeland will increase even with the missile shield,Ineed not say China will be a pile smoke.
Posted on November 20th, 2008 at 11:08 am
China will not fight with America face-on since she realizes her weaknesses and shortcoming. In any way superiority in weaponry does not guarantee any country ultimate victory in a war. China will fight a asymmetrical warfare since the whole bulk of the Us weaponry depends on computer and computer-assisted guidance. She may launch cyber warfare, disrupt computer imaging, jamming IT related devices and of course, shoot against the GPS satellite to which bulk of American weapons great reliance at the little cost of both human and financial costs and also little international condemnation at time of war. She may even fight or frustrate America will on high moral grounds with little casualties inflicted on both side. The Chinese knowledge on computer related tools is increasing by the days and the days will the American dominate the world of IT and related technologies in the 60’s, 70’s or up to 90’s is a sheer dream away. Third World countries like India had grown leap and bound in this area. Further whether F 22 is that superior or not is yet to be seen. In a widely publicize “red-flag” mock-up battle, Indian-flew Su - 30MKI beat American F-15C in almost every aspects. In fact, on a questionaires survey, almost 80% voted Su- 30MKI would come out victorious as opposed to almost 20% votes goes to F-22 and the rest (a miserable 3%) give their vote to F - 15. Therefore the public is not easily fooled by the superiority of F- 22 as well. No wonder Congress had find it hard to approve the amount of number of the over-priced F-22 sought by the air-force, army and navy. Further with the current financial crunch in the US, it would sensible to think that the Us cannot afford to open up another war front with Iran, what more with China.
Posted on February 5th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Nicely said Joesph. However the questionaire is strange. Defeating an F-15 with a Su-27 variant is one thing. Having an aircraft with a huge RCS (MKI) vs one with a virtual non existant one (F-22) is definetly not a fair battle.
Red flags aren’t that definitive. :p
Posted on February 7th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
I am so glad that there are other more powerful than the West. When the West was powerful, they only look out for their own interest with total disregard for ALL non-Western countries. They are now on a road of economic imperialism. Instead of trying to invade country militarily, they are now trying to open up countries favorable to their racist corporations.
I am sick of Western racism and their white supremacism. If they go to war, they will suffer dearly. Since their lives have become too easy, they have forgotten what it feels like to have bombs dropping over their suburb.
Posted on March 15th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Everyone is so quick to judge the US in its power and position… whats with you guys…jealousy maybe? Well, let’s see, if China takes the place as number one in the world will we see millions upon millions of aid going to other countries to help starving people? Take a look at the figures, not just this year, but every year for decades, the US people have generously donated literally billions of their own money to help others. Now let’s see, is that what the oil rich mid eastern Islamics are doing…? Or how about the Chinese communists? You really think that when YOUR country needs help, that Iran, Pakastan, Russia, or China is going to dig deep down into the pockets of its citizens and send their money overseas? NOT.
When the US goes down, there will be no one to help others. The other countries aren’t doing much to help now, and that isn’t going to change because their societies are not based on giving. The reason that the people of the US give is because the primary religion of the US is based on giving, not on forcing people to accept some belief at the point of a sword, or throwing people in jail because they speak about a savior.
Posted on April 14th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
WILL YOU DO US ALL A FAVOUR,INVADE THE USA AND KICK THIER ARSE
THANK YOU
Posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 7:35 pm
What many of you fail to realize is the American people don’t always agree with our politicians plans on making War, We the people want peace not war. Even the wars we won we don’t stay and claim the land steal the treasures, no we win the peace make a new ally and leave. You all must remember this above all else America is were it is because of you or you’re ancestors and mine !
YOU ARE AMERICA AND WE ARE YOU
Posted on April 29th, 2009 at 12:39 am
America, my home country has a complicated history, both hypocritical with much racist policies before, but there are those who fought for a change here. the natives suffered deeply but now are doing much better and getting plenty of rights and self governance back. Finally we have a half black president showing we have progressed to a better democratic nation. I really hated bush’s policies but u cant put all the blame on america, china this past century has done terrible crimes i heard of but reading their history, they suffered bitterly at the hands of western powers and even recently from WW2 at the hands of the japanese. we have a right here to question our leaders and a right to believe in what we please without the threat of execution for it. Even with the wrongs commited here, i still love america and we do try and help others around the world. the wrongs done before are in the past, we should move forward
Posted on May 2nd, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Well said Michael, I totally agree. Folks, lets be HUMAN again. No differentiation in race, religion and gender. There’s only the good and the bad.
Posted on May 20th, 2009 at 4:18 am
true, they have no aircraft carriers (as stated in article), although they have carrier hulk bought from russia
source
http://www.naval-technology.com/features/feature2066/
Posted on May 23rd, 2009 at 7:17 pm
What little I see here is the need to realize that the objectives of wars have changed. No government fights wars to ‘destroy’ enemy country (aka. leave ‘pile of smoke’) with either conventional or unconventional weapons, or to even take their territory as their own. Economic supieriority and influence is all that matters, as whole world exists in one global economical net, objectives of war (or reasons to wage war) would be increasing welfare, econ. power of own country. This applies to Taiwan. China grew incredibly stronger over last decade without waging any war, and it is not in their interest to start. The importance of Taiwan is mere ideological, historical and prestigeous (it is a part of China after all, and thats it). I don’t know how reasonable or predictable Chineese officials are (from what I’ve seen I believe the new guy in charge is witty man), but there is little or none at all chance that they would invade the island, risking war and embargo from western powers (that would hurt us all, just open your electronic-to-clothes and read ‘made in china’ sign). Not to mention few years ago i remember chineese official stating that ‘Taiwan would peacefully return to China by 2020′. And if economical developement and prosperity would be followed by gradual political changes towards more democratic, that could mean unification of the split country, for simple reason, that Taiwan’s main enemy - ‘the evil galactic communists of China’ would be no more even if ‘communist’ (maoist) by name, while citizens of Taiwan could possibly want easier access to China’s markets.
Furthermore no sane major power government would lead its country to military conflict against other major power, because of their devastating firepower. That would do more damage to both sides than the game is worth. That is not the case with smaller country vs superpower wars, as full destruction of any side is not a threat (smaller can’t deliver it, larger can go without it). And some leaders today would wage those kind of wars for reasons ideological, economical (is that a word?;p) or political. Georgian-Russian, Iraq/Afghan wars are examples here. In first case, G. war capability was destroyed (though together with some questionable infrastructure bombardments), 2 countries split from G. (please don’t go political right-or-wrong here) while G. authorities were not ‘removed’, in the latter cases, A./I. government changes were objectives and took places. In all of the cases, smaller countries took the fight and lost, assuming correctly that total destruction of their nation will not happen, and either to defend their soveringty or to stay in charge, they took the fight.
I am writing this, because assumptions ‘who would kick whoose ass’ seem out of touch here and to be fair, kind of kindergarten-trash-talk.
Posted on May 23rd, 2009 at 8:11 pm
china will soon be the super power in asia
Posted on May 24th, 2009 at 4:50 am
I wonder if North Korea is the most powerful nation militarily? BTW, Samuel up there is a bit too Hitler-ish and I agree with Fred. Another BTW, I’m S. Korean. Don’t think I’m North.
Posted on May 29th, 2009 at 9:49 am
Samuel is a NERD.
Posted on May 29th, 2009 at 9:50 am
I IMAGINE THE CHINESE WOULD RELY ON SUPERIOR NUMBERS. OVERWHELMING AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY JUST AS IN THE KOREAN WAR. IN KOREA THE CHINESE COUNTER ATTACK WAS SO MASSIVE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE US HAD SUPERIOR WEAPONS THE US MARINES WERE STILL FORCED INTO A RETREAT. IT WAS SAID THAT THE ONLY THING THAT SLOWED THE CHINESE ADVANCE WAS THAT THEY WERE OUT RUNNING THEIR SUPPLY LINES.
Posted on June 1st, 2009 at 2:11 am
I have serious doubts that China will get attacked by the United States. There’s simply too much at stake. And to one degree or anothere I have serious doubts that China wants to attack the United States. The U.S. is already in debt to up to it’s eyeballs, and just afford to piss off the Chinese government. At the same time, China is pretty reliant on the U.S. to buy its products. If China sees a dramatic drop in the amount of exports to the U.S., they will start to see a breakdown of their fledgling middle class especially in places like Hong Kong, and the larger cities. Our two nations have become too economically intertwined that we’ve formed a symbiontic relationship, where if something happens to one, the other will suffer just as well as the other. So just cutting ties isn’t an option either. The Chinese Can’t afford to lose the United States as a primary customer of it’s goods, and the United States can’t afford make things domestically because it will cause rising labor costs, which in turn cause higher inflation. Simply put, it just doesn’t make good business sence to go to war. Even if China were to start losing money due a rise in U.S. Dollar inflation and treasury notes. China would still make a profit that happened.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Have you ever seen a Chinese person drive a car? Do you really think these people can fly an airplane? What a joke. As for the 10% of the US spending, you obviously don’t know we’re talking about a communist country. Even if they were spending the same amount of money on their military they would not divulge that information. They are surreptitiously building their arms since they know they can.
Posted on June 29th, 2009 at 6:19 am
Today’s PLA military is strictly a defense force, they wont occupy or attack any country outside Asia’s mainland and taiwan.
The only way China and the US will ever go to war is if the Korean War starts up again and Western forces threaten to take the whole Korean Peninsula. The last thing China wants is a Western power occupying a country next to theirs. The last thing the US wants is to go to war with their #1 buyer of government bonds, China.
A war between the US and China is impossible in this age.
Posted on June 30th, 2009 at 7:55 am
Is there ever a reason for war? Perhaps sometimes like if we are attacked first or for a just cause but have we had just causes in recent wars? I think Afghanistan was one as the taliban was harboring bin laden hwo attacked us, and now we must finish there, I never believed Iraq was a just cause as No WMD were found there and no evidence of Al-quada was there, i mean the conflict proved to be very bloody till this day and the suicide attacks and the deaths of all those innocent civilians there is saddening, so many of our troops died, but the nation appears to be stablizing, i hope it doesnt collapse in onto itself after we leave. I dont want america to go to war with china, both our contries can negotiate their differences, but over north korea? I doubt china will get involved over that country, i mean they became fed up with them during the recent talks and all, yet we still trying to get them back to the six party talks. I think war in this case must be a last option, yet south korea and japans security are threatened by N koreas actions. Nothing serious happened yet, but i dont believe we should be intimidated by their threats and if worse is to happen, i just hope it wont get out of hand. I think its unfair to demonize china simply because their a communist government, i mean is our democracy better? Mostly yeah but i tend to wonder that democratic nations as our own at times have political parties who represent the will of the select few rich at everyon elses expence. I think a major threat within america is from the stranglehold and influence multibillion dollar private coorporations have over our nations economy and politics, these would include the oil tycoons and large banks.
Posted on July 2nd, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Add A Comment