The task of countering foreign warships and landings in the coastal waters of the PRC and on the islands is entrusted to the Coastal Defense Forces of the PLA Navy and numerous missile boats. Each command of the fleet (Northern, Eastern and Southern) is operatively subordinate to the corresponding areas of coastal defense. The Coastal Defense Forces of the PRC Navy have 35 artillery and missile regiments, 20 separate missile divisions armed with anti-ship missile systems and 100 - 130 mm coastal guns.
Coastal anti-ship missile systems
Ten years ago, the coastal defense missile units were mainly armed with the HY-2 anti-ship missile system, which was developed in China on the basis of the Soviet P-15. Currently, this anti-ship missile is considered obsolete. The operation of the HY-2 anti-ship missile system is associated with great difficulties, since refueling the rocket with fuel and an oxidizer requires the use of special protective equipment by personnel.
Preparation of RCC HY-2
Despite the shortcomings, its design was quite simple, technologically advanced and understandable for Chinese specialists. But by the mid-80s, the noise immunity, range and flight speed of the rocket no longer met modern requirements.
The use of liquid-propellant rocket engines on the HY-2 anti-ship missile was a forced decision, since in the 60s and 70s in the PRC there were no other types of engines capable of providing the required data on the range and speed of flight. Further efforts were made to improve the HY-2. After the appearance of formulations for solid-fuel and the creation of compact turbojet engines with satisfactory characteristics, the production of rockets with liquid-propellant rocket engines, requiring rather laborious maintenance and a long preparation time for launch, was abandoned in China. In the second half of the 80s, deeply modernized modifications of anti-ship missiles with a solid-propellant - SY-2 and a turbojet engine - SY-4 with several variants of an active radar seeker were adopted.
In recent years, the missile units of the coastal defense forces of the PRC have been receiving more and more modern anti-ship complexes. This primarily applies to the YJ-8 anti-ship missiles. The first missiles of this type entered service with the PLA Navy in the late 80s, while their launch range did not exceed 65 km.
Coastal anti-ship missile systems YJ-8 at the parade in the PRC
Over the past 25 years, several versions of the YJ-8 family of anti-ship missiles have been created, in which the main combat characteristics have been consistently improved: launch range, noise immunity and the likelihood of hitting a target.
Launch of anti-ship missiles YJ-82
Surface ships, submarines and coastal missile systems are armed with various modifications of this missile. The latest missile options are similar in their characteristics to the early modifications of the American UGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile.
In 2004, the YJ-62 anti-ship missile entered service with the Chinese fleet. Its modification for coastal missile systems - YJ-62C, is installed in triple launchers, on a cross-country chassis.
Launch of anti-ship missiles YJ-62C
The YJ-62C anti-ship missile was created using elements of the Soviet X-55 received from Ukraine and the unexploded Tomahawk missile launchers, which were obtained by Chinese intelligence in Iraq.
The launch range of the YJ-62 reaches 400 km with a warhead weight of 300 kg. But its significant drawback is the relatively low flight speed - 0.9M. Not so long ago, the media leaked information about the development in the PRC on the basis of the YJ-62 of a new coastal missile system YJ-65. The new anti-ship missile system with a longer range will have supersonic speed in the final phase of the flight.
"Mosquito fleet
The PLA Navy has more than 100 missile boats of various types, and they carry about 20% of the anti-ship missiles of the Chinese fleet. The most modern are boats of the project 022 (of the "Hubei" type) with 2x4 launchers YJ-83 anti-ship missiles. They are replacing obsolete boats of the project 021 (of the Huangfeng type) in the PRC.
Missile boats pr. 022
Project 022 missile boats were built according to the original trimaran scheme. The architecture of the boat hull meets modern requirements for low visibility. Boats of this type are among the best in their class in terms of their combat qualities.
Launching anti-ship missiles from a missile boat pr. 022
The trimaran circuit provides good seaworthiness and smoothness of entering the wave, allows to develop a high full speed. At present, more than eighty RC project 022 have been built in the PRC.
From 1991 to 1999, the construction of missile boats of the project 037 / 037G1 / 037G2 was carried out on the basis of an anti-submarine boat of the pr. 037 type ("Hainan"). The boats were equipped with four YJ-82 anti-ship missiles. As of 2014, the PLA Navy had 29 such missile boats.
Naval strike aircraft
As of the end of 2014, the PRC naval aviation included 55 bombers, 132 fighters and attack aircraft, 15 reconnaissance aircraft, and 3 refueling aircraft. The share of carriers of naval aviation accounts for about 30% of the anti-ship missiles available in the fleet. More than half of China's hard-surfaced airfields are located along the coast at a depth of up to 700 km from the coastline.
Layout of airfields on the territory of the PRC
It is difficult to judge how reliable the information on the quantitative and qualitative composition of the aircraft of the Chinese fleet is, since many sources indicate that the N-5 bombers (the Chinese version of the Il-28) are still used as mine planners and torpedo bombers. Therefore, this section will focus on combat aircraft, the presence of which in naval aviation is beyond doubt.
Of the aircraft in service with the PLA naval aviation, the most dangerous for the American surface fleet are the Russian Su-30MK2 and their Chinese "clones" - J-16. The Su-30MK2 armament includes Russian supersonic anti-radar missiles Kh-31P with passive seeker, which can be used against radar stations of warships, as well as anti-ship Kh-31A with active radar seeker. The J-16 multipurpose heavy fighters are adapted for the use of aircraft versions of the YJ-8 family of missiles.
Fighter J-16
In 2012, the Chinese fleet received the Liaoning aircraft carrier. Its aviation group includes up to 24 J-15 carrier-based fighters. Initially, the purpose of completing the aircraft carrier received from Ukraine was the desire to increase the combat stability of the Chinese fleet when operating at a considerable distance from its shores. In contrast to the initial project, according to which the construction of the Varyag aircraft-carrying cruiser was carried out, the Chinese revised version is more suitable for the creation of an aircraft fighter "umbrella" of a ship formation operating autonomously in the oceanic zone. During construction, launchers for anti-ship missiles, RBUs and SAM launchers were dismantled from the Chinese aircraft carrier. The remaining weapons systems are designed to provide aircraft carrier air defense in the near zone. The vacated space of dismantled weapons systems uncharacteristic for an aircraft carrier was used to increase the number of aircraft based on the ship. In its current form "Liaoning" is a more balanced ship than its "relative" - the aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov". The tasks of anti-submarine and air defense are assigned to the escort ships.
The Chinese carrier-based fighter J-15 was pirately created on the basis of the Su-33 (T-10K), one copy of which was received from Ukraine in a non-flight condition.
Deck fighter J-15 with hanging anti-ship missiles YJ-83
In contrast to the Russian Su-33 aircraft, which cannot use guided anti-ship weapons, the Chinese J-15 decks provide for the use of the YJ-83 anti-ship missile, which significantly increases the strike capabilities of the Chinese aircraft carrier group.
RCC YJ-83
In the mid-90s, the JH-7 fighter-bomber entered service. This attack aircraft was created by order of the PLA Navy command. At one time, the Chinese admirals were greatly impressed by the American F-4 Phantom II multirole fighter, which they had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with during the Vietnam War. The JH-7 not only conceptually resembles the Phantom, but also partially uses some components, assemblies and avionics borrowed from the American fighter.
So the Chinese Type 232H radar was created on the basis of the American AN / APQ 120 station, several copies of which were removed from the F-4 shot down in Vietnam. Often the downed Phantoms fell in the coastal strip or on the crowns of trees, and their avionics did not receive fatal damage. Also on the Chinese JH-7 were used Rolls-Royce Spey Mk.202 engines, engines of this type were previously installed on the deck modification of the British F-4K.
Fighter-bomber JH-7
On the JH-7 naval strike aircraft, it is possible to suspend YJ-81 solid-propellant anti-ship missiles with a launch range of about 60 km. This missile is close to the French Exocet in terms of its capabilities.
Anti-ship missiles of the YJ-83 modification are armed with modernized JH-7A fighter-bombers. After the launch, the anti-ship missile is accelerated by a solid propellant booster, after which the main engine is started. In the middle section of the flight, control is carried out using an inertial system, with radio correction from the aircraft carrier. At the final section, an active radar seeker is switched on. The launch range of the YJ-83 aircraft version is 250 km, and the cruising speed of the missile is 0.9M. In the target area, the missile accelerates to a speed of about 2M.
Suspension of anti-ship missiles on the JH-7 fighter-bomber
As part of the naval aviation, there are also light single-engine fighters J-10A, which can also be used for strikes against naval targets using the YJ-81 anti-ship missiles. But due to the relatively small range of action, the J-10A is capable of operating only in coastal areas.
Fighter J-10
Since the beginning of the 60s, the long-range bomber H-6 (a copy of the Tu-16) has been in operation in the PRC. In addition to performing the tasks of nuclear deterrence, an anti-ship modification H-6D was built on the basis of this aircraft in the mid-80s, capable of striking with YJ-61 (S-601) anti-ship missiles. This missile was an aviation version of the liquid anti-ship missile HY-2.
RCC YJ-61 under the wing of the H-6D
After the creation and adoption of the YJ-82 and YJ-62 anti-ship missiles, they replaced the complex YJ-61 missiles on Chinese long-range bombers.
Bombers H-6 with anti-ship missiles YJ-62
The most modern modification of the H-6K with turbofan engines D-30KP2, which was put into service in 2011, has a combat radius of about 3000 km. For aircraft of earlier modifications operating in the anti-ship version, this figure was - 1600 km. Long-range N-6 bombers are theoretically capable of striking with anti-ship missiles in the oceanic zone at a considerable distance from the coast, at a distance exceeding the range of American carrier-based aircraft and Tomahawk cruise missiles. But at the same time, the bombers themselves are very vulnerable due to their subsonic flight speed and high RCS. And in a real combat situation, when fighting AUG, with a high degree of probability, they will be intercepted on the distant approaches to the launch line of their anti-ship missiles.
In terms of the number of attack aircraft of carrier-based aviation, the US Navy significantly exceeds the total number of aircraft of the PRC naval aviation. However, it should be understood that in the event of a conflict against the American AUG, Chinese front-line and long-range aircraft will operate from coastal airfields.
Numerous air defense systems of Chinese and Russian production deployed along the coastline and fighter-interceptors during the invasion of the airspace of the American attack carrier-based aircraft of the PRC are capable of inflicting heavy losses on it.
In these conditions, without American aviation gaining air superiority, we can only talk about strikes against Chinese coastal targets with long-range cruise missiles, which of course will not lead to the destruction of the entire military and industrial potential of the PRC and will cause harsh retaliatory measures, to which the Americans are unlikely to agree.
Reconnaissance, means of control and target designation
A significant number of long-range radar stations are deployed along the coast of the PRC and on the islands, which, together with coast guard ships, reliably control coastal waters. But the weak point of the PLA Navy is still the means of control in the oceanic zone.
The Chinese fleet has about 20 large reconnaissance ships capable of operating at a considerable distance from their shores. However, this number is clearly not enough to fully monitor the situation in the Pacific Ocean.
The most modern Chinese scouts of the ocean zone are the ships of the project 815G. Ships of the project 815 have been under construction since the mid-90s. Currently, the Chinese navy has three ships, pr. 815 and 815G.
Reconnaissance ship pr.815G
The purpose of the ships of the projects 815 and 815G is to monitor the actions of ships of foreign states and conduct electronic reconnaissance. It is known that in the near future the Chinese fleet will be replenished with several more reconnaissance ships of this type. But weakly armed and relatively slow-moving ships are an observing means of "peacetime". In the event of a real threat to the American AUG, they will be instantly neutralized.
In the interests of naval intelligence, there are two Chinese radio interception centers in Cuba. In the Cocos Islands, which belongs to Myanmar, several radio intelligence stations are deployed, which collect information about the situation in the Indian Ocean. Radio interception centers have recently been restored on Hainan Island in the South China Sea and Sop Hau near Laos.
The Sea Dragon coastal balloon reconnaissance systems capable of detecting and issuing target designations at sea and air targets at a distance of more than 200 nautical miles have been developed and put into operation.
Chinese patrol aircraft Y-8J flies over Marshal Shaposhnikov and Chinese destroyer Guangzhou during a joint Russian-Chinese exercise
Aerial reconnaissance using long-range surface target detection radar is carried out by Y-8J aircraft. The base for the Y-8J is the Y-8 transport, which in turn is a Chinese version of the Soviet An-12.
Patrol aircraft Y-8J
The radar of the Y-8J patrol aircraft can simultaneously track 32 sea surface targets at a distance of up to 250 km, including even such as the submarine's periscope.
Aircraft AWACS Y-8W
For these purposes, an AWACS aircraft Y-8W (KJ-200) can be used with a detection range of large surface targets up to 400 km.
The reconnaissance Tu-154MD (Tu-154R), built on the basis of a Soviet-made medium-range passenger airliner, which regularly flies over the sea, deserves a separate mention. In terms of its capabilities, the Tu-154MD is comparable to the American E-8 JSTARS aircraft.
Tu-154MD
The first aircraft was refitted in 1996. It retains the civilian markings and paintwork of the Chinese airline "China United Airlines". The reconnaissance Tu-154MD under the fuselage in a streamlined container carries a synthetic aperture search radar, and the aircraft also has powerful television and infrared cameras for visual reconnaissance.
Currently, the PRC has launched a large-scale program for the construction of several types of DROLO aircraft. Such as: JZY-01, KJ-500, KJ-2000. However, these planes, which are not yet numerous in the PRC, are too expensive and valuable to risk them on long-distance sea flights. The priority task of the Chinese radar patrol aircraft is to monitor the air situation, guide and control fighters.
In this situation, one should expect the appearance in the PRC of a specialized aircraft similar to the American P-8A Poseidon, capable of controlling the sea surface in the ocean. In the meantime, for these purposes, long-range H-6 bombers and SH-5 seaplanes are periodically involved.
The Chinese artificial satellite HY-1, launched in 2002, is designed to track the ocean expanses from space. On board there are optoelectronic cameras and equipment that transmits the resulting image in digital form. The next spacecraft for a similar purpose was the ZY-2. The resolution of the ZY-2 onboard photographic equipment is 50 m with a sufficiently wide field of view. Satellites of the ZY-2 series have the ability to perform an orbital maneuver. All this allows them to monitor the AUG. However, the Chinese representatives refute all assumptions regarding the military purpose of these spacecraft, claiming that they serve exclusively the peaceful purposes of the exploration of the world's oceans.
Modern opportunities and prospects
Already, combat aircraft based on coastal airfields, URO frigates, missile boats and anti-ship missile systems of coastal defense forces make it impossible for a hostile foreign fleet to be found in the coastal waters of the PRC.
Currently, China is actively building ocean-class ships. In addition to the three existing fleets in the PRC, in the near future, it is planned to create a fourth, capable of operating and conducting large-scale operations in the oceanic zone, outside coastal waters.
According to American naval analysts, in the near future, China will have the opportunity to form its own aviation strike group. In addition to the Liaoning aircraft carrier, this Chinese AUG can include a squadron of 6-8 frigates and destroyers. The following warships have the ability to accompany a Chinese aircraft carrier on a long voyage: FR URO pr 053, EM URO pr 051S, pr 052S, pr 052V, pr 956E and 956EM), pr 052, pr 051V and 2-3 multipurpose submarines, etc. 091 and etc. 093, as well as tankers and supply ships.
In this composition, the Chinese AUG may well play on an equal footing with the duty forces of the US 7th Fleet, which are permanently located in this region. But in the event of an escalation of tension and the pulling of other American aircraft carrier groups into the area, the superiority of the US Navy will be overwhelming, and the Chinese sailors will not be able to resist the Americans. In addition, American AUGs operating in the world's oceans due to the presence of aircraft on aircraft carriers, AWACS have a significant advantage in the timely detection of surface and air targets. This greatly devalues the many anti-ship missiles that Chinese warplanes and ships can carry. In addition, the anti-ship missiles of the PRC Navy with a firing range of about 300 km, for the most part, have a subsonic speed in the final section of the trajectory.
Performance characteristics of some Chinese anti-ship missiles
Under these conditions, along with increasing the numerical strength of its fleet and improving its anti-ship weapons, the PRC leadership took a number of "asymmetric" steps. First of all, this concerns the coastal complex of an anti-ship ballistic missile, which is created on the basis of the mobile MRBM DF-21.
IRBM DF-21С
It is assumed that anti-ship DF-21Ds with a launch range of more than 1,500 km will be equipped with a warhead maneuvering at the final section with an active radar seeker. Taking into account the fact that the warhead of the DF-21 ballistic missile moves at the final stage at hypersonic speed, in the case of salvo use, the fight against them will be a very difficult task for the air defense systems of the American squadron.
This is how a Chinese artist envisions an attack with the DF-21D of an American AUG
According to data published by the American intelligence services, the DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missiles are already being operated in the PRC in test mode. So far, they are limited by insufficient capabilities of reconnaissance and target designation systems. To remedy the situation in China on the coast, an over-the-horizon radar is under construction with a detection range of sea targets up to 3000 km, and a new generation of reconnaissance and target designation satellites is also planned.
As noted by many observers, the Chinese 5th generation J-20 aircraft with a supersonic cruising flight speed and low radar signature, for which a long-range anti-ship missile with a ramjet engine is being developed, is also aimed at solving anti-ship tasks.
If these plans are implemented, the strike capabilities of the Chinese aviation, fleet and coastal missile systems will be sufficient to keep the American AUG out of the combat range of existing cruise missiles and carrier-based aircraft in a strike configuration. This will untie the hands of the PRC and provide an opportunity for the military solution of territorial disputes with Japan and the "Taiwan question".
Publication of this series:
The capabilities of the PLA Navy to combat air strike groups. Part 1
