By Rick Joe
This is the minute slice inwards a ii purpose article evaluating the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The first piece documented the PLAN’s important recent increment inwards capable ASW surface combatants, with many of those warships equipped with capable organic ASW sensor suites including variable depth sonar (VDS) as well as towed array sonar systems (TASS). Frigates (FFGs) as well as destroyers (DDGs) too receive got organic ASW weapons, such equally vertically launched missile/rocket launched torpedo systems. This slice volition consider the rotary as well as fixed wing ASW capabilities the PLAN currently has as well as their trajectory, equally good equally briefly describing some of the other specialized ASW assets that the PLAN is developing. Finally, all of the aforementioned systems as well as platforms volition endure brought together to consider what an overall PLAN ASW strategy may hold off like. ASW helicopters greatly expand a warship’s surveillance as well as engagement expanse as well as hit against subsurface targets. ASW helicopters are typically equipped with a disclose of sensors such equally surface search radars, sonobuoy launchers, dipping sonar, electro-optic cameras, as well as the mightiness to carry torpedoes. Datalinks betwixt the helicopter as well as warship assistance to coordinate ASW activities betwixt to optimally prosecute a target.
Therefore it is desirable for an ASW helicopter to receive got a large payload capacity (both for onboard sensors as well as weapons) as well as long hit as well as endurance, all piece beingness minor plenty to endure accommodated aboard a surface combatant’s helipad as well as hangar. Contemporary ASW helicopters to a greater extent than or less the basis tend to congregate inwards the 10 ton weight class, such equally the real successful SH-60 as well as MH-60R variants or the European NH-90. Other helicopter types such equally the UK of Britain as well as Northern Republic of Ireland Merlin household unit of measurement as well as the Canadian CH-148 Cyclone reside inwards the xiii ton class, benefiting with greater payload, range, as well as endurance at the toll of requiring a larger helipad as well as hangar than 10 ton counterparts.
The PLAN’s ASW helicopter fleet is made upward of ii primary types; the four ton Z-9 household unit of measurement derived from the French Panther helicopter, as well as the larger 12 ton Ka-28 family. Neither type is fully optimal for the PLAN’s ASW efforts inwards the long term. Z-9 variants tin mail away endure produced alone domestically with newer variants featuring to a greater extent than modern sensors; however, the minor size of the platform itself limits payload, range, as well as endurance. The Ka-28 household unit of measurement is larger, but is an imported production from Russian Federation as well as cannot endure easily upgraded with novel indigenous sensors as well as weapons equally they are developed. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 minor disclose of xiii ton Z-18F ASW helicopters are too inwards service, as well as is probable the most capable ASW helicopter the PLAN has today, featuring a large size to adapt modern sensors as well as weapons piece retaining hit as well as payload, all inwards a platform that Communist People's Republic of China is capable of producing indigenously. However, the size of the Z-18F agency it cannot endure fielded aboard whatsoever Chinese surface combatants, including the 055 DDG, as well as instead volition probable endure express to operating from carriers as well as amphibious laid on ships.
In the medium term, it has been rumored that the PLAN volition develop a navalized, ASW variant of the novel Z-20 helicopter, a contrary engineered as well as improved variant of the UH-60 Blackhawk. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 hypothetical “Z-20F” would probable characteristic similar dimensions as well as functioning to the SH-60/MH-60R, but with a modern Chinese sensor as well as weapons suite. However, it volition endure a disclose of years until such a platform is developed, allow lone enters service inwards meaningful numbers. It is too non known if existing warships designed for Z-9 as well as Ka-28 sized helicopters volition too endure able to safely adapt the Z-20. Until then, Chinese surface combatants volition come about to rely on Z-9s as well as Ka-28s, as well as piece those types are imperfect for the ASW mission, the capability they offering warships is sure superior to having no ASW helicopter.
Fixed Wing ASW Aircraft
Compared to ASW helicopters, the sensors on ASW maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) are to a greater extent than powerful as well as sometimes to a greater extent than comprehensive inwards nature, such equally including magnetic anomaly detectors as well as a to a greater extent than robust electronic back upward measures (ESM) suite. Fixed wing MPAs tend to endure larger compared to ASW helicopters, providing non only longer range, endurance, speed, as well as payload, but too infinite for to a greater extent than operator consoles to allow the aircraft to deport to a greater extent than complex missions independently.
Many MPAs are derived from existing aircraft such equally commercial airliners or transporters. The P-3 Orion was derived originally from the L-188 turboprop airliner, as well as the to a greater extent than recent P-8 Poseidon is derived from the Boeing 737NG airliner. Until recently, the Chinese aerospace manufacture lacked an appropriate aircraft that could modified into an MPA, as well as a historical inability of PLA scrap aviation to credibly challenger air superiority meant the PLAN probable did non consider MPA procurement to endure a high priority.
Since 2015, the PLAN has inducted a disclose of MPAs derived from the Y-9 turboprop tactical transporter designated equally KQ-200, or (confusingly) Y-8Q or Y-8GX6. The KQ-200 is fitted with a sensor as well as weapons suite consistent with other contemporary MPAs. While the aircraft has oft been compared with the turboprop P-3, the KQ-200 as well as the Y-9 airframe it is derived from is substantially heavier than the P-3, with a maximum take-off weight approaching that of the P-8. Furthermore, comparisons with the P-3 may crusade i to conclude KQ-200’s sensors as well as other subsystems are only comparable to the P-3 when they are probable to endure to a greater extent than modern (at to the lowest degree compared to P-3 variants without recent upgrades). For the sake of comparison, the closest international peer to the KQ-200 would receive got been the proposed SC-130J Sea Hercules, a MPA derived from the C-130J airframe similar to Y-9.
At fourth dimension of writing, it is estimated that at to the lowest degree 8 KQ-200s are inwards service inwards the PLAN; however, it is probable that many to a greater extent than volition endure procured. Considering the complexity as well as the scale of the undersea foe Communist People's Republic of China faces inwards regional waters, equally good equally the run a peril of attrition during wartime, a depression terminate gauge for amount disclose required may endure virtually xxx aircraft, with a high terminate gauge of ninety or more. It is probable that KQ-200s volition eventually endure evenly divided betwixt the iii naval home commands.
SURTASS as well as Other Niche ASW Assets
A disclose of other niche back upward systems for the ASW mission receive got been developed. One such organization is the so-called Sino-SOSUS, named referring to the similarity to the U.S.-NATO organization of fixed undersea hydrophones designed to rails Soviet submarines. The exact place as well as scale of the Chinese organization is non known as well as is probable a closely guarded secret. However, the fact that such a organization is fifty-fifty known to be is important inwards as well as of itself.
Recently a novel flat of twin hull surveillance ship has been identified, with a similar size as well as configuration to the U.S. Navy’s Impeccable class, which is designed to deploy a large as well as capable “surveillance towed array sensor system” (SURTASS). The Chinese ship has sometimes been referred to equally Type 927 (though that designation has too been used to refer to the novel preparation ship inwards service), with iii vessels launched upward to date. Six ships of another, smaller type are too currently inwards service.
Very few navies piece of occupation a robust fleet of SURTASS vessels. Such ships are intended for peacetime monitoring of a large expanse of water, rather than operating straight inwards back upward of a scrap chemical constituent during anything greater than a depression intensity conflict. Simplistically, SURTASS ships tin mail away endure idea of equally a peacetime forcefulness multiplier for scrap units engaged inwards ASW such equally surface combatants, helicopters, MPAs, as well as fifty-fifty other submarines, past times providing oceanographic as well as sonar information gathered during peacetime. The pursuit of a disclose of large, capable SURTASS ships is amidst the most credible indicators of the PLAN’s seriousness inwards tackling the ASW mission.
The PLAN ASW Strategy
The PLAN’s ASW strategy tin mail away endure viewed inwards a similar way equally the PLAN’s overall naval strategy, past times dividing missions equally either “regional” or “blue water.” It may endure simpler to consider the bluish H2O ASW strategy first, equally this volition most closely resemble the mission profiles of other international navies. Taskforces of ships including surface combatants, mightiness projection ships (aircraft carriers as well as amphibious laid on ships), as well as submarines, volition piece of occupation inwards waters to a greater extent than or less the basis to defend Chinese interests. The ASW mission for these formations volition require surface combatants, onboard ASW helicopters, as well as submarines to piece of occupation together to defend against undersea threats. The lack of overseas air basing agency it is unlikely that these taskforces tin mail away make goodness from MPA support, as well as SURTASS ships may only occasionally endure deployed beyond China’s regional waters. In other words, the ASW strategy for bluish H2O missions volition probable essay to defend the naval ships from underwater threats using only bluish H2O capable surface combatants (i.e. frigates as well as larger ships), helicopters as well as associated subsystems organic to the ships themselves.
The U.S. Navy fields a real capable nuclear onslaught submarine fleet inwards the western Pacific, as well as Nippon has i of the most advanced diesel fuel submarine fleets equally well. Other regional navies such equally Republic of Korea as well as Vietnam too receive got burgeoning diesel fuel submarine capabilities. Therefore, the PLAN’s regional ASW strategy volition probable endure to a greater extent than complex, because the scale of the threat is too to a greater extent than daunting. This regional strategy volition convey together the totality of all PLAN ASW assets, including ASW corvettes, FFGs, DDGs as well as the ASW helicopters aboard them, equally good equally diesel fuel electrical as well as nuclear submarines, all of which volition inwards plow endure supported past times land-based ASW MPAs, fixed underwater hydrophone arrays, as well as information collected from SURTASS ships patrolling the region.
In peacetime, Chinese regional ASW volition probable essay to monitor waters unopen to Communist People's Republic of China inwards the littorals as well as including the offset isle chain, as well as position as well as rails underwater activity. During wartime, an additional stair inwards the mission volition include targeting as well as eliminating hostile submarines equally well, with the finish of neutralizing underwater threats to Chinese ports (both naval as well as civilian) as well as Chinese surface ships operating inwards the region. Defending a fixed expanse of H2O volition require surface combatants as well as ASW MPAs to deport patrols amongst each other, mayhap farther coordinated past times fixed underwater hydrophones operating inwards an early on alert role, to honour as well as engage targets of opportunity.
Minimizing gaps inwards coverage inside a fixed trunk of H2O volition require non only qualitatively capable sensors as well as systems operated past times good trained sailors as well as airmen, but too a sufficiently large disclose of assets on station over fourth dimension as well as area. It becomes real chop-chop evident that such an ASW strategy is subject on the mightiness to challenger the air as well as naval surface domains, preferably attaining air superiority as well as sea control, to allow ASW ships as well as aircraft deport their missions unmolested. Therefore, the PLAN’s selection to non pursue a robust as well as comprehensive ASW capability until latterly becomes sensible as well as logical, because inwards past times decades the PLA lacked the capability to fifty-fifty challenger the air as well as naval domain inwards its regional waters. In such a conflict scenario, ASW assets would either endure unable to piece of occupation safely or would endure outright targeted as well as destroyed. Conversely, straightaway that the PLAN is pursuing a robust ASW capability across multiple domains as well as multiple platforms, these systems suggest the PLA views its prospects to challenger air superiority as well as sea command inwards its periphery equally significantly improved.
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