Photos from the Shanghai Museum of Navy, enjoy.

Address： No.68,Tanghou Road, Wusong Town, Baoshan District,ShanghaiShop hours：8:00~17:00Phone: 021 - 56163295/56564153http://shanghai.cultural-china.com/html/Arts---Culture/Museum/200810/22-436.htmlThe Shanghai Museum of Navy consists of 4 exhibition halls. The exhibition of the navy history: There are over 5,000 pictures and over 1,500 objects, describing the historical evolution of China's

"Civilian" mini F-22P frigate?

On March 2009, the PRC Administration of Fishery and Fishing Harbor Supervision (AFFHS) confirmed (here) that five "heavier than 3000-ton" class patrol ships with helicopter support platform were ordered to augment its law enforcement capabilities.This recently revealed mini-F-22P could be one of the five ordered by the AFFHS. Together with the transferred Type R22T Fuchi class AOR Fuxianhu

Speaking of a possible PLAN overseas naval base in Djibouti

Chinese missile frigate makes port call at Djibouti(Source: Xinhua) 2010-01-26　　DJIBOUTI, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese guided missile frigate has made a port call to Djibouti for re-supply after escort missions in the nearby Gulf of Eden and in the international waters off Somalia.　　It was the first time for Chinese naval vessels to have made port calls to the Horn of Africa country.　　The

China Suspends Military Exchanges With U.S.

Here is a bit of news that might calm the PRC leadership's "anger" (here) over the US planned arms sales to the ROC. The Sino-US military relations will likely return to "normal" in six months when the current theatrical-work ends.(here)U.S. May Lift Export Controls for Some Warfare Items (Update1)January 28, 2010, 06:28 PM ESThttp://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-28/

UNAMID

China to contribute 32 Type 05P (ZSL05) APC to the African Union-UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID). They are being shipped to Sudan from the Anhui Hubin Machinery Factory on January 28th (here).China-defense blog's entry on the Type05p/ZSL93/ZSL05WZ523 6x6 Armored Personnel Carrier.Monday, October 26, 2009ZSL93/WZ523 6x6 Armored Personnel Carrier.http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2009/

Shaanxi's Y9 still waiting on Chinese military to commit

DATE:29/01/10SOURCE:Flight InternationalShaanxi's Y9 still waiting on Chinese military to commitBy Leithen Francishttp://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/01/29/337807/shaanxis-y9-still-waiting-on-chinese-military-to-commit.htmlChina's state-owned Shaanxi Aircraft has frozen the design of its Y9 transport, but has yet to start building the aircraft due to a lack of orders.A source familiar with

China to lead SHADE's anti-piracy patrols off Somalia

In November 2009, China expressed interest in playing a “lead role” in the fight against Somali pirates. (here) They requested to co-chair SHADE (Shared Awareness and Deconfliction) jointly with the EU and US-led Combined Maritime Force, headquartered in Bahrain.After receiving support from the EU delegation, China is now approved to lead SHADE's anti-piracy patrols off Somalia. This effort

PLA's STUFT (Ships Taken Up From Trade)

A good follow up article from the PLAdaily to Stephen Miles' "PLA Experimentation with Armed Cargo Ships"http://www.china-defense.com/oped/armed_cargo_ships/armed_cargo_ships01.htmlContainer vessel modification injects vigor into maritime military transportability(Source: PLA Daily) 2010-01-28http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/news-channels/china-military-news/2010-01/28/content_4127965.htm　　Since

Cessna Skycatcher Flies (In China)

In case you were wondering what that Light Sport aircraft is from the "engine-less J-11B" post (here), it is a Cessna 162 Skycatcher. The aircraft will be shipped from the Shenyang Aircraft Company back to the U.S. where they will be reassembled.http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/cessna_skycatcher_first_flight_production_china_201174-1.html September 17, 2009Production Cessna Skycatcher Flies

EU presidency reconsidering China arms embargo

The consistent US arms sales to the ROC and the EU's perpetual "consideration" to lift the arms embargo to China have almost become ritualized. At the end of the day, despite all the diplomatic protest by the PRC, the US will sell most of the non-head line items to the ROC (here). And as a gesture to the PRC, the US will leave the big ticket items out, such as F-16s. The EU will continue to

Putonghua 101

Just your basic conversational Chinese, great for picking up girls!战略导弹武器系统生存能力 （survivability of strategic missile weapon system）zhanliie daodan wuqi xitong shengcun nengli战略导弹武器系统生存能力 （survivability of strategic missile weapon system）战略导弹武器系统遭核袭击后还具有的作战能力。通常用生存概率表示。它是衡量战略导弹武器系统作战能力的重要指标之一。战略导弹武器系统生存能力主要取决于导弹武器的反应时间和机动能力、伪装程度和被发现的概率、导弹数量和阵地配置密度、战略侦察和反导系统的防御能力，以及导弹武器和阵地加固水平等。提高生存能力的主要措施有：研制部署小型化高

Engine-less J-11B

The current issue of Aviation News (HangKong Bao) displays a dozen manufactured J11Bs sitting at SAC without engines. This highlights the problem the PLAAF faces due to Shanyang Liming Aircraft Engine company's inability to fulfill all FWS10A (Taihang) orders. As indicted by the SAC's press release on its 2009 performance, it said it had fulfilled its PLAAF contracts "fairly" well. Which is

Chinese underwater guns

The recently aired CCTV documentary has confirmed that the secretive Chinese underwater guns are based on the Russian designs*The Russian SPP-1 4.5mm underwater pistol can accommodate either a twin or quad-barrel arrangement with a cartridge in each which is inserted into the pistol's breech. The Chinese QSS-05 5.8mm adoption (or 山寨) has a tri-barrel pistol arrangement.The Chinese also "山寨-ed"

Naval power grows out of the barrel of a gun -- Mao Tse-Tung

The PLAN navy chased off four pirates on January 22nd in response to a distress callAfter a year of deployment to the Gulf of Aden, the PLAN has not resorted to the use of deadly force in its dealings with the pirates (here). Richard Weitz offers a possible explanation.Priorities and Challenges in China's Naval Deployment in the Horn of AfricaBy: Richard Weitzhttp://www.jamestown.org/programs/

Taiwanese delegations protected by the Chinese UN peacekeepers in Haiti

Taiwan wins respect through cooperation with China and Haiti : MaTaiwan News, Staff WriterPage 22010-01-21 12:00 AM http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1160516&lang=eng_news&cate_img=49.jpg&cate_rss=news_Society_TAIWANTaiwan had gained international respect through its relief work in Haiti and its cooperation with China, President Ma Ying-jeou said yesterday.His own aim was to turn

Please donate to the Haiti Earthquake appeal

China-Defense is asking for donations to Haiti to help with the relief efforts, together we can make a different.http://www.unicefusa.org/?gclid=CLrZpuLmuZ8CFQcQagodnC2y0Qhttp://www.oxfam.org/http://www.mercycorps.org/http://www.icrc.org/

China to send military medical team to quake-hit Haiti

China to send military medical team to quake-hit Haiti(Xinhua)Updated: 2010-01-23 01:09http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/2010-01/23/content_9365281.htmBEIJING: The Chinese government has decided to send a military medical team to quake-hit Haiti at the request of the United Nations, a Defense Ministry spokesperson said here Friday.China to send military medical team to quake-hit Haiti Major Earthquake

The decommissioned PLA Railway Engineering Corps.

As China unveils the world's fastest high speed train and its French designed railway terminals. (here), perhaps it is time to look back at PLA's long forgotten Railway Engineering Corps (REC).The Wuhan TerminalThe REC was commissioned in August 1948 and "civilianized" in 1982 (here) by merged into the Ministry of Railway. In the 1970s, the REC peaked at 15 divisions and a total of 400,000

The PLA’s Multiple Military Tasks: Prioritizing Combat Operations and Developing MOOTW Capabilities

The PLA’s Multiple Military Tasks: Prioritizing Combat Operations and Developing MOOTW CapabilitiesPublication: China Brief Volume: 10 Issue: 2January 21, 2010 02:42 PM Age: 2 hrsCategory: China Brief, Home Page, Foreign Policy, Military/Security, China and the Asia-PacificBy: Michael S. Chase, Kristen Gunnesshttp://www.jamestown.org/programs/chinabrief/single/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=35931&tx_ttnews[

First photo of the recently ordered Ka-28 in PLAN color

The first of the 9 Ka-28 ordered by the PLAN on October 11th 2009 has arrived (here)(here). Judging from the pennant number of 9234, this new Ka-28 has been assigned to PLAN's existing Ka-28 unit: the 4th Naval Independent Aviation Regiment. Since there was no sign of a new unit being created to accommodate this new addition, it can be assumed that the new birds would augment the existing

PLA Air Force pushes forward logistics training reform

Here is a follow-up to the 15th ABC mobility air assault military exercise from the PLA Daily. As a general rule, greater military capability requires even greater investment in logistics.Even the PLA Daily, a Chinese government mouthpiece, remembers the old military maxim -- Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics.PLA Air Force pushes forward logistics training reformhttp://

15th Airborne Corps (ABC) is testing their vertical envelopment/air mobility capability

The 15th ABC's organic helicopter regiment was first revealed during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake rescue work and then by a high profile fly-by during the 60th national day celebration.It is now time for the 15th to test its newly found air mobility assault capability in a large military exercise. The advantage of air mobile assault over airdrop are many: ranging from entire unit delivery in one

Know your Yun-7

Together with other Chinese civilian aviation products, the Y-7 Turboprop Transport Aircraft has an extensive military service history with both the PLAAF and the PLAN-AF. This light tactical transport was developed by the Xian Aircraft Industry Company (XAC) in 1966 based on the Soviet An-24, with maiden flight conducted on 1970.By 2006 all the original Y-7s has been withdrawn from civilian

8 Chinese peacekeepers buried in Haiti confirmed dead

(Xinhua)Updated: 2010-01-17 10:47http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-01/17/content_9331926.htmChinese rescuers mourn as bodies of buried Chinese peacekeepers in Haiti are retrieved from ruins, in Port-au-Prince on January 16, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]BEIJING: The bodies of all eight Chinese police officers buried under a collapsed building in the Haiti quake had been found as of early Sunday

Interview: Yang Guoxiang -- One of China's top test pilots recalls the H-Bomb that almost backfired.

http://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/70377662.htmlInterview: Yang GuoxiangOne of China's top test pilots recalls the H-Bomb that almost backfired.* By Bob Bergin* Air & Space Magazine, January 01, 2010When your assignment is to drop a live nuclear bomb, you’d better not return to base with it. But that’s just what happened in 1971 to Yang Guoxiang, a pilot with the People’s Liberation

Latest photo of Varyag's island.

Looking at this photo* of Vargag's remodeled island -- it seems to share a great deal of similarity with Type052C destroyer's phased array radar and radar mast arrangements. Therefore, it would not be a complete surprise to see a multifunction active phased array radar mounted on those "open slots" later.Type H/LJG-348 Phased Array Radar's slots and radar mast on the Type 052C destroyer during

Another view on the Chinese Anti-Ballistic Missile Test

Here is the most interesting statement from Bodeen's writeup "Other analysts, however, said U.S. officials had been monitoring preparations for the test at least as far back as September." This revelation seems to fit into Zhouyu2002's argument posted on the China Defense forum earlier:"While political prognosticators and Poli Sci types at Renmin University want to interpret this in purely

The Chinese Anti-Ballistic Missile Test and the Sino-US Relationship.

The recent Chinese anti ballistic missile test has drawn a muted response from the US government which marks a major departure from the heated exchanges between the Chinese and US governments after the 2007 anti-satellite missile test.If the Chinese leadership is using the anti-ballistic missile test (here) as a message to the US on the pending weapon sales to Taiwan, the US is not taking the

Research achievement in field of underwater sound environment wins first prize

It is still unclear which equipment won the State Scientific and Technological Award, but if there is one thing to be certain: The PLA Navy is investing heavily into underwater warfare systems.Research achievement in field of underwater sound environment wins first prize(Source: PLA Daily) 2010-01-12　 　At the prize conferring ceremony of China's 2009 State Scientific and Technological Award

8 Chinese peacekeepers buried, 10 missing in Haiti

Hopefully, the 50 Chinese rescuers will put the lessons learned during the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake to good use. 8 Chinese peacekeepers buried, 10 missing in Haiti15:40, January 13, 2010 http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/6867760.htmlA 7.3-magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti on Tuesday (local time) and is feared to have killed thousands of people in the capital, Port-au-Prince.Eight

Photos that might be related to China's Ground-based Missile Defence

Large phased array missile warning radar, the whole structure can rotate. Courtesy of "=GT"Cellphone images of the missile test.courtesy of "汉军威武" at fyjs:

Z-9WE Light Attack Helicopter

China Aviation Industry Corporation-owned Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Co. Ltd. has revealed that the Z-9WE light attack helicopter is available for export. (here)The Z-9WE is a militarized variant of the H425 civilian helicopter platform. The H425 was, in turn, developed as a civilian variant of the Z-9 military utility helicopter. The H425 is powered by a pair of Arriel-II turboshaft

China conducts test on ground-based midcourse missile interception

With this announcement, expect a sleuth of write-ups from the "usual suspects" Christopher BodeenBeijing — The Associated Press Published on Monday, Jan. 11, 2010 2:15PM ESThttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/china-says-missile-defence-test-a-success/article1427275/China announced that its military intercepted a missile in mid-flight Monday in a test of new technology that comes amid

First photo of K-8V in Flight Academy service released by the PLA Daily

First unveiled at 1998 Zhuhai Airshow, K-8V is the 2nd generation "variable stability aircraft and inflight simulation test aircraft" (IFSTA). Modified by CFTE from a single K-8 intermediate trainer (#203), it features a three-axial variable stability FBW system allowing it to simulate the flight characteristics of various aircraft, such as F-16, Mirage 2000, J-8 and Su-27, by loading various

Sure, they can build a pilotless super-tanker, but can they build an aircraft carrier?

Super-large oil tanker to make maiden voyage January 11, 2010http://www.china.org.cn/china/2010-01/11/content_19212816.htmThe photo shows the advanced super-large crude carrier 'Xin Buyang' in Guangzhou Zhongchuan Longxue Shipbuilding base. [File Photo: Lifeofguangzhou.com]The world's most advanced super-large crude oil tanker will make its maiden voyage from Guangzhou Zhongchuan Longxue

The Jiefang is dead, long live the Jiefang.

Oh, those unfiltered Jiefang diesel exhaust...... Kids, that was what the Proletarian Revolution smelled like. ¡Viva la revolución.SAF accelerates upgrading of general vehicles(Source: PLA Daily) 2010-01-08　　The Second Artillery Force (SAF) of the PLA has started the implementation of the vehicle allocation and support plan of 2010 since the beginning of the new year. According to the plan,

The New PLAAF Su-30MKK Flight Sim.

This first photo of the PLAAF Su-30MKK flight sim equipped with a suit of domestic instruments and avionics was released in the January 2010 issue of "China Air Force Monthly." Together with the J-11B program (here), the PLAAF is determined to provide a domestic upgrade path for its imported SUs. In 2005 Russia offered the Irbis-E phased array radar as a possible Su-30MK3 upgrade path for

Photos of the new Jiangnan Changxing shipyard

To quote Gabriel Collins and Michael Grubb*"The question of China's ability to rise again as a great sea power has been closely tied to its commercial shipbuilding development..... Already is demonstrating an ability to sustain its maritime influence that the Soviet Union and other land powers cum sea powers rarely or never did.....Yet China still has a long way to go if it hopes to become a

Brooms not Bombs.

The PLA is once again sending ill-equipped and ill-prepared troops to handle a natural disaster as was done during the Sichuan earthquake of 2008. Why send a couple snow plows when you have idle troops, brooms and shovels!While the following photo release by the PLA daily may be good for public relations, it's hardly good use of military might. However, brooms and shovels are preferred over

Two Z9WA Attack Helicopters delivered to Kenya on January 3, 2010.

According to the HKB, Hafei beats the deadline and delivered two Z9WA to Kenya on time*. The deal marks the first export success of the Z9WA Attack Helicopter that has been servicing the PLA Army Aviation and the 15th Airborne Corps since 2005.* Thank Huitong for the news. One of the two freshly painted Z9WA ready for Africa15th Airborne Corps' Z9WAAn unrelated news from today's BBC.http://

Scans from the current issue of "Modern Warship" "Warship Knowledge" and "Shipborne Weapons", enjoy.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is back on the OpEd page.

In the past few days, three OpEd's were published on the topic of the SCO and undoubtedly it is related to the recent completion of the gas pipeline between Turkmenistan and Xinjiang. This simple pipeline seems to have a profound impact on the regional security framework, Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The following are three examples of what they are saying on the street.First comes from

PLAAF 9th Air Division received its first J-10.

According to this PLA Daily news announcement (here), the PLAAF 9th Air (Fighter) Division, Guangzhou Air Force, received its first batch of four J-10s on December 21st 2009Back in October, there was speculation that the 5th J-10 line regiment was being formed (here) and the PLA daily announcement and publicly released photos confirmed it. This is the second upgrade the 9th has conducted during

China's Aircraft Carrier Ambitions -- An Update

Folks in China and elsewhere are having issues accessing the latest US Naval College Review write up by Nan Li and Christopher Weuve on "China's Aircraft Carrier Ambitions". I took the liberty to post the entire document here so they can read this insightful work.Here is the link to the original pdf as published by the US Naval College Review Issue: 2010 - Winter http://www.usnwc.edu/

New Chinese PDW in 4.6mm Micro-Caliber

Another Chinese PDW. - This one is in 4.6mm micro-caliber. Don't know how long is the case.  - The weapon is essentially an updated Type 79 submachine gun with gas operation and closed bolt w/ rotating-bolt lock. - 30-rd magazine  - Rate of fire: Single, 400 rpm and 600 rpm. Probably with the help of the adjustable pneumatic buffer system. - Flat-top receiver with MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail.  -

Backtrack on the PLAN's overseas naval base already?

China rules out overseas naval base nowBy Zhang Haizhou (China Daily)Updated: 2010-01-01 08:23http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-01/01/content_9254142.htmChina will stick to its current supply regime to support anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday, responding to an admiral's suggestion that Beijing set up a permanent base in the region.Experts