China and Taiwan sign agreements

BEIJING - China and Taiwan signed three agreements Sunday that will enhance economic ties between the rivals and increase the frequency of flights, amid efforts by Taiwan's president to improve relations with Beijing.
One agreement, signed at a meeting in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing, sets the stage for financial services firms to open branches in each other's territory, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency.
A separate agreement will increase the number of direct flights between the two and open new routes to the Chinese mainland.
Taiwan and the mainland split in 1949 and have no formal ties, but investment and indirect trade have flourished since Taiwan eased its ban on contacts with China in the 1990s. The Taiwanese have long feared that China could gain control of its economy, but the current economic slowdown has forced the island to take bold market-opening measures.
Chen Yunlin, head of Beijing's semiofficial Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait, said Sunday that the strengthening cooperation will help the two sides cope with the global economic downturn, which has severely hit both economies.
"The mainland will buy more products from Taiwan and send more tourists to the island, while encouraging more Taiwan enterprises to set up on the mainland to maintain stable development," Chen said.
Sunday's pact will enable financial services firms to establish branches in each other's territory and allows for the creation of a currency-clearing mechanism, Xinhua said.
The two sides also agreed to increase the frequency of direct flights from 108 to 270 flights a week and open new routes to Taiwan from six mainland cities. A third agreement was signed to permit cooperation in criminal investigations.
Taiwan limits direct travel and shipping links for fear of domination by its giant neighbor. Beijing claims the democratic island as part of its territory and has threatened repeatedly to invade if it tries to make its de facto independence permanent or delays talks on uniting the two sides.
Negotiators also started to pave the way for investment by mainland companies to be allowed in the island, with Taiwan saying it would announce related guidelines and measures. Taiwanese officials say any investment agreement is likely to bar Chinese access to sectors deemed critical to the island's security.
The talks were the third round of high-level negotiations between China and Taiwan since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou took office last May. In the earlier rounds, they agreed to begin daily charter flights and direct sea and postal service and to increase the number of Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan. The next round of meetings is scheduled to be held in Taipei in the latter half of the year.
Ma is pushing for an agreement to ease trade barriers, which he says is needed to keep Taiwan competitive.
Taiwanese companies have invested more than $100 billion in the mainland and business leaders complain they are hurt by restrictions on finance and trade.
(AP)

Pratt & Whitney Begins Production of the Next Generation of F100 Series Engines

Pratt & Whitney, maker of the F100 engine family that powers the F-16 and F-15 military fighter jets operated by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and the Air Forces of 22 allied nations, have begun production of the first F100-PW-229 Engine Enhancement Package (EEP) engines. The F100-PW-229 EEP represents the latest evolution in the F100 series of engines, recognized worldwide for its safety, reliability and cost effective operation."The F100-PW-229 EEP is another example of Pratt & Whitney's pioneering work in fighter engine technology," said Warren Boley, Vice President of Pratt & Whitney Military Programs and Customer Support. "Not only does it offer superior performance capabilities for our armed forces, it reduces maintenance and life cycle costs at a time when value and efficiency are top priorities on the nation's agenda."The F100-PW-229 EEP incorporates groundbreaking technology developed for the F135 and F119 propulsion systems, the world's only fifth-generation fighter jet engines. The F100-229 EEP will provide advanced, dependable power for F-16 and F-15 aircraft around the world. In response to strong customer demand, the first engines will begin delivery of the new configuration in October of this year.The F100-PW-229 EEP was created to dramatically decrease the cost of ownership without impacting performance. This was accomplished by increasing the engine depot inspection interval from 4,300 to 6,000 cycles and increasing durability of key components while maintaining the 29,100 pound thrust rating. The inspection interval increase extends the amount of time between scheduled depot maintenance from the average of 7-9 years to over 10-14 years depending on utilization rates. This increase consequently should reduce life cycle costs by 30 percent over the life of the engine. The F100-PW-229 EEP continues to be the only fighter engine funded and qualified by the U.S. Air Force to the 6,000 cycle capability.Pratt & Whitney will offer customers the option to purchase the F100-PW-229 EEP as a complete engine or as an upgrade kit that will be made available to all -229 operators near the end of 2010."The U.S. Air Force and several other operators of the P&W F100-PW-229 engine have expressed interest in having upgrade kits to modify their existing engines, so we're working diligently to provide this capability for our customers," Boley said.Initially, 74 F100-PW-229 EEP engines have been ordered, with the first delivery set for Republic of Korea. Additional deliveries will be headed to Morocco and Pakistan in early 2010.Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in government procurement priorities and practices or in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corporation's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.


Source: http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/industrials/pratt--whitney-begins-production-generation-f-series-engines/

China Navy Influence

China Navy patrols in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden is intended to extend China's naval role and presence far from its shores while demonstrating, under United Nations rules of engagement, a capability to conduct complex operations in distant waters.
Taking on pirates under the placard of internationalism offers China a welcome opportunity to add force to its global power ambitions. The anti piracy plank earlier made it handy for Beijing to agree to joint patrols with other countries in the Arabian Sea and extend cooperation to international anti piracy mission. Another China objective is to chip away at US maritime dominance in the Region a theater critical to fashioning a China-centric Asia. If China can assert naval power in the Gulf of Aden to expand its influence over the regional waterways and states, it will emerge as the preeminent Asian power.
The geopolitical importance of the Gulf of Aden today is beginning to rival that of the Pacific. Much of the global oil-export supply passes through the Indian Ocean region, particularly through two constricted passageways — the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, and the piracy-plagued Strait of Malacca.
Asserting naval presence in the Gulf of Aden and expanding maritime power in the Pacific are part of the high-stakes game of maritime chess China is now ready to play. Its buildup of naval forces directly challenges U.S. navel activities.

China, under girding its larger geostrategic motives, says it is considering adding to its navy fleet a first aircraft carrier — a symbol of a nation's comprehensive power.
China navy modernization. Since 2000 alone, China has built at least 60 warships. Its navy now has a fleet of 860 vessels, including 60 submarines.
There is a clear strategic shift under way in China navy planning. Historically a major land power, China is now putting the accent on building long-range maritime power to help underpin geopolitical interests, including winning new allies and safeguarding its energy and economic investments in distant lands. China has been in the lead in avariciously acquiring energy and mineral assets in Sudan, Nigeria, Iran, Venezuela, Myanmar, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and other states. Through naval power-projection capability.
More significantly, rising naval power arms China with the heft to pursue mercantilist efforts to lock up long-term energy supplies, assert control over transport routes, and assemble a form of listening posts and special naval-access arrangements along the great trade arteries.
China naval power is set to grow exponentially. This will become evident as Beijing accelerates its construction of warships and begins to deploy naval assets far from its exclusive economic zone. In fact, China warships inducted in recent years have already been geared for blue-sea fleet operations. China is on track to deploy a fleet of nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarines (known as SSBNs). It has already developed its new Jin-class (Type 094) SSBN prototype, with satellite pictures showing one such submarine at the new China naval base at Sanya, on the southern coast of Hainan Island. Within the next 10 years, China could have more nuclear submarines and warships at sea in the future.
China Navy is extending its operations to a crucial international passageway the Indian Ocean. China indeed has moved in recent years to build ports in the Indian Ocean, including in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar. China has sought naval links with the Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar.

SU-33 FIGHTER AND CHINA

LATEST DEVELOPMENT OF SU-33 FIGHTER AND CHINA

After the recent air show in Zhuhai, some Western media reported that China was negotiating with SUKHOI on the procurement of 14 Su33 ship-borne fighters, claiming that the contract on the deal will be signed very soon. On this particular issue, KDR interviewed Boris D. Bregman, the First Deputy General Director of SUKHOI Aircraft Company. He said that the talks with China were all at consultation stage and no official negotiation had been initiated so far. Of course, contacts between the two sides are still underway.The speculation that China intends to import 14 Su33 fighters comes from the Russian military industry delegation attending the Zhuhai Air Show. On this issue, Kanwa had interviews with several of the Russian delegates related to this system. The situation is summarized as follows: other sources from the Russian military industry said that China told them in the first place that they would eventually need approximately 50 Su33 fighters to arm several aircraft carrier battle groups. By the way, the news that China will build aircraft carriers was publicized in Russia sometime before, and China will very likely imitate the Russian aircraft on the foundation of the two Su33 they purchase. Later, China told them that after careful assessment, China would need at least 14 Su33 fighters in the first phase, which would be imported in form of 7 plus 7. Russian side refused this proposal. The source believes that the production of only 7 in the first batch is obviously too small in scale and as a result cannot offset the cost of constructing the production facilities as the production of Su33 fighters has already suspended.What type of Su33 will be likely exported to China? Mr. Bregman told Kanwa that they could be any upgraded variant of the fighter. Determined by the specific request from the clients, Su33 can undergo substantial upgrades. Earlier, Western report said that Su33K (referring to Su33 fighters specifically designed for China) could be upgraded to the standard of Su30MK2 or even fitted with IRBIS or BARS phased array radar. The former is currently installed on Su35 fighters. However, Kanwa believes such report is clearly wrong. IRBIS’s maximum power output is 20kW, and therefore Su33’s power supply is far from enough. As to the BARS passive phased array radar, it is mainly employed on the Su30MKM/MKI fighters of the Malaysian Air Force and the Indian Air Force. Whether this radar could be exported to China has not yet been officially approved by the Russian Defense Ministry. The above testaments indicate that at least by the end of 2008, China and Russia has not yet been able to reach agreement on the procurement of Su33 fighters, and the negotiations on the deal are still in the start-up stage. In that event, the priority for China in 2009 will be the construction of aircraft carrier, while at the same time attention will be placed on the selection of exact types of ship-borne fighters. Due to the fact that the cycle of aircraft carrier construction is at least 5 to 6 years, it is not impossible that China may develop the ship-borne variant of J10A and J11BH fighters during that period. The possibility of restarting the Su33 production line eventually does exist, however. This is mainly because the Russian Navy is about to resume its own “Grand Aircraft Carrier Program”. Aviation weapon observers based in Moscow say that a more realistic purchase order of Su33 fighter is 24 so as to make the restarting of the production line cost effective.

Russia's submarine fleet has 60 vessels in active service

19/03/2009 16:23 MOSCOW, March 19 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Navy maintains a fleet of about 60 nuclear-powered and diesel-electric submarines, a seniorNavy official said on Thursday."These 60 vessels include 10 nuclear-powered strategic submarines, over 30 nuclear-powered attack submarines, diesel-electric submarines and special-purpose subs," the source said.Delta-IV and Delta-III class subs form the backbone of Russia's strategic submarine fleet. They each carry 16 ballistic missiles with multiple warheads, and feature advanced electronics and noise reduction."The world's largest Typhoon-class submarines also remain in service with the Russian Navy," the official said.The Dmitry Donskoy submarine has been modernized as a test platform for Russia's new Bulava missile. Two other subs, the Arkhangelsk and the Severstal, remain in reserve at a naval base in Severodvinsk in north Russia."They will most likely be modernized to carry new-generation sea-based cruise missiles to match the U.S. Ohio class submarines," he said.Russia has started mooring trials of the first Borey class nuclear-powered strategic submarine, which will be equipped with Bulava sea-based ballistic missiles.The Yury Dolgoruky submarine, built at the Sevmash plant in northern Russia, was taken out of dry dock in April 2007.The vessel is 170 meters (580 feet) long, has a hull diameter of 13 meters (42 feet), a crew of 107, including 55 officers, maximum depth of 450 meters (about1,500 feet) and a submerged speed of about 29 knots. It can carry up to 16 ballistic missiles and torpedoes.Two other Borey class nuclear submarines, the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh, are currently under construction at the Sevmash shipyard and areexpected to be completed in 2009 and 2011. Russia is planning to build a total of eight submarines of this class by 2015.Russia's nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet comprises vessels of the Oscar II and Akula class. Each sub is equipped with 24 SS-N-19 Shipwreck long-range anti-ship cruise missiles.A fourth-generation Graney class nuclear-powered attack submarine will be delivered to the Russian Navy in 2010-2011. The Severodvinsk submarine combines the ability to launch a variety of long-range cruise missiles (up to 3,100 miles) with nuclear warheads, and effectively engage hostile submarines and surface warships."The tests of the cruise missile for the submarine are under way," the source said.Diesel-electric submarines in the Russian Navy are represented by Kilo class vessels. They will be gradually replaced by Project 667 Lada class submarines. The sub features a new anti-sonar coating for its hull, an extended cruising range, and advanced anti-ship and anti-submarine weaponry, including Club-S cruise missile systems.The first submarine of the Lada class, named the St. Petersburg, is undergoing sea trials and may enter service with the Russian Navy this year.A second Lada class submarine, the Kronshtadt, which is the first in the production series, is also being built at St. Petersburg's Admiralty Shipyards and will be commissioned in 2009.A third submarine, whose keel was laid in November 2006, is named after a city associated with Russian naval glory - Sevastopol - and is expected to be launched in 2010.The source also said the Russian Navy has several 'special purpose' submarines designed for testing of new technologies and weaponry. Some open sources earlierreported the existence of Project 20120 B-90 Sarov diesel-electric submarine, which has a nuclear reactor as a supplementary power generator.The vessel was commissioned in 2007 and according to some reports may be used by Russia's Northern Fleet as a spy vessel in northern waters.4shared.com - document sharing - download Russia's submarine fleet has 60 vessels in active service. PDF

China Arms Exports Since 2000

Year Country Description2000 - Egypt Co-production of 80 Hongdu K-8E trainers in Egypt. The package including building an aircraft assembly line as well as providing necessary technical assistance and post-sale services. All 80 aircraft were completed by 2005.
2000 Pakistan 57 Chengdu F-7PG fighters and 9 Guizhou FT-7PG fighter-trainers.2002 Pakistan 11 Chengdu F-7PG fighters2005 Egypt Kits to build an additional 40 Hongdu K-8E trainers2005 Pakistan 27 Hongdu K-8P jet trainers. 16 delivered by January 2009.
2006 Ghana 4 Hongdu K-8P jet trainers. The first pair were delivered in Mar 2007 and the second pair in Mar 2008.
2006 Bangladesh 12 Chengdu F-7BG fighters and 4 Guizhou FT-7BG fighter-trainers.
2006 Namibia 12 Chengdu F-7NG fighters and Guizhou FT-7NG fighter-trainers2006.
Nigeria 12 Chengdu F-7NI fighters and Guizhou FT-7NI fighter-trainers.
2007 Pakistan 6 Harbin Z-9EC naval helicopters.
2007 Pakistan 16 JF-17 fighters. Jointly developed by Chengdu and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex for the Pakistani Air Force. A total of 150 may be required
2008 Sri Lanka 6 Chengdu F-7G fighters.
2008 Pakistan 4 F-22P frigates. The first hull was delivered in 2008.
2008 Saudi Arabia 54 PLZ-45 155mm self-propelled howitzer systemsLast update: 9 February 2009 SinoDefence.com - The Chinese Military in the 21st Century

China and India spur defense spending in Asia Pacific

Region’s military expenditure rises from $220 billion in 2008 to $239 billion in 2009SINGAPORE: Increased military spending by China and India is forcing other Asia-Pacific countries to modernize their armed forces despite the severe impact of the global financial crisis, experts say.Data from defense research firm Jane's Information Group estimates total military spending in the region rising year-on-year - from about 220 billion dollars in 2008 to 239 billion dollars this year and higher still in 2010. Those figures include external defense and homeland security and cover a region stretching from Central Asia to Australia."India and China are forcing the countries to think very hard strategically about their defense capabilities," Jon Grevatt, a regional defense specialist with Jane's, told AFP from Bangkok. He said that although money is tight across the region, "the pressure of not spending on defense is very high due to the considerable military influence that China and India are assuming in this part of the world." Even countries not bordering China and India are upgrading their arsenals.Singapore, despite suffering its worst-ever economic slowdown, will increase its defense spending by an annual 6.0 percent to 7.53 billion dollars in the new fiscal year starting April, the government says. The city-state's immediate neighbors, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are all poised to follow suit, Grevatt said. "What you can see in Southeast Asia is something like a mini arms race with capabilities such as submarines and armored vehicles being acquired," Grevatt added.Richard Bitzinger, a senior fellow with the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said spending across Asia "reflects long-term goals and ambitions that they have that are not going to be affected by short-term concerns in the economy." Research by Jane's confirms other figures showing China is now the number one military spender in the region, surpassing Japan for the first time in 2008, when Beijing allocated almost 59 billion dollars for its defense needs.China and India have both amassed wealth after years of rapid economic growth. "They want to use that wealth to develop and procure military capability so that they are perceived as a country that can defend their assets," said Jane's Grevatt. Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said the military needed modernization "across the board" as a proposed 15.3 percent rise in defence spending to 69 billion dollars for 2009 was unveiled by Beijing."China has not really made any real attempt to articulate these increases," said Alan Dupont, from the Centre for International Security Studies, at the University of Sydney. He said Beijing "should not be criticized for doing exactly what Washington has done, which is to modernize its forces and increase its spending on defence." India is also splashing out despite the global economic slowdown, with its defense budget increasing by 24 percent to 29.4 billion dollars for the fiscal year beginning April 1, the steepest rise since independence in 1947.The bulk of that money will go towards modernizing its military - the world's fourth largest. The country's 1.2-million-strong army is shopping for helicopters, artillery, armour and infantry gear while its air force is expected to hand out a 126-aircraft contract worth almost 12 billion dollars. "We think the Mumbai attacks (in November 2008) sounded alarm bells across Asia about maritime security vulnerabilities," said Bob Nugent, vice-president for advisory services with US-based AMI International, a naval research agency."The immediate reaction in India has been to reorganize the military and related structures that provide maritime security," he said. Source: AFP

China developed an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM)

After years of conjecture, details have begun to emerge of an anti-ship ballistic missile developed by the China to target and destroy large vessels.
First posted on a Chinese blog viewed as credible by military analysts and then translated by the naval affairs blog Information Dissemination, a recent report provides a description of an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) that can strike carriers and other vessels at a range of 2000km.
The range of the modified Dong Feng 21 missile is significant in that it covers the areas that are likely hot zones. The size of the missile enables it to carry a warhead big enough to inflict significant damage on a large vessel, providing the China the capability of destroying carriers and large vessels in one strike.
Because the missile employs a complex guidance system, low radar signature and a maneuverability that makes its flight path unpredictable, the odds that it can evade tracking systems to reach its target are increased. It is estimated that the missile can travel at mach 10 and reach its maximum range of 2000km in less than 12 minutes.
Supporting the missile is a network of satellites, radar and unmanned aerial vehicles that can locate ships and then guide the weapon, enabling it to hit moving targets. The anti-ship ballistic missile is said to be a modified DF-21.

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/china-defence/24609-report-chinese-develop-special-kill-weapon-destroy-u-s-aircraft-carriers.html

Russia-China military exercises to be held in China in summer

Russia-China military exercises dubbed Peace Mission 2009 will be held in the summer in northeastern China, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday. The first bilateral counterterrorist exercises Peace Mission were held in Russia and the eastern Chinese province of Shandong in August 2005, involving warships, aviation, and over 10,000 servicemen including marines and paratroopers. "The final decision on the date, venue, name and forces involved will be made at bilateral consultations to be held in the last 10 days of March," a ministry source said. The Chinese Defense Ministry said Tuesday that joint maneuvers were aimed at developing a strategic partnership between Russia and China. The agreement to hold the exercises was reached at last year's meeting between the two countries' defense ministers.

From: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090318/120624128.html

US Congress may prohibit spending on Pak F-16 jets

The US Congress is moving toward imposing benchmarks for providing the Pakistani government with billions of dollars of U.S. military assistance, among them being prohibiting additional U.S. spending on Pakistan's F-16 jet fighter fleet, which the Bush administration agreed to upgrade. Lawmakers have argued that the planes are part of Pakistan's defense strategy against neighboring India but that they have little use in counter-insurgency efforts against Terrorists. The proposed restrictions, introduced in House legislation Thursday, have made both the White House and the Pakistani government uneasy. The bill sponsored by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard L. Berman (Democrat-California) would authorize three billion dollars in aid to train and equip the Pakistani military over the next five years, along with 7.5 billion dollars in economic and development assistance. It would also limit the kinds of military equipment Pakistan could receive and the ways in which it could be used, and require regular audits and presidential certification of counterinsurgency progress. A bill with similar aid amounts is being drafted in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, although Senate discussions with the White House on benchmark provisions are ongoing. Introduction of that legislation is not planned until after the two-week congressional recess. The bill would set up a program to monitor Pakistani progress in a number of areas, including defeating extremists and protecting human rights, and require Obama to provide specifics underlying his own assessments. President Obama has said that the United States must "demonstrate through deeds as well as words a commitment [to Pakistan] that is enduring." He has called on Congress to pass the still-unseen Senate bill. The same time, Obama pledged, there would be no "blank check." Recalling "mixed results" from previous billions in aid, he said that "Pakistan must demonstrate its commitment to rooting out Terrorists and the violent extremists within its borders." But the White House and U.S. military commanders, citing Pakistani political sensitivities and the need for flexibility, would like to set their own metrics
Source: http://www.karachinews.net/story/485812

North Korea 'has launched rocket'

Officials from Japan, South Korea and the US confirmed lift-off at 0230 GMT. The rocket appeared to have passed over Japan to the Pacific, Tokyo said.
North Korea says it is sending a satellite into orbit, but its neighbors suspect the launch could be a cover for a long-range missile test.
The US called it "provocative", while Japan said it was "regrettable".
The South Korean government said it would "deal firmly and resolutely" with Pyongyang.
The rocket blasted off just before midday on Sunday from the Musudan-ri launch pad in the north-east of North Korea.
"The projectile launched from North Korea today appears to have passed over towards the Pacific," the Japanese prime minister's office said in a statement.
The US State Department and South Korea's presidential office also confirmed the launch.
Japan said it did not try to intercept the rocket, as it had indicated that it would if its territory was threatened.
North Korea's neighbors say the launch violates United Nations resolutions.

Russia and China to help Pakistan to build Nuclear power plants

The Russian Federation and Peoples Republic of China have decided to bail out Pakistan from the constraints, relating to establishing the new nuclear power plants, for meeting the country’s pressing energy needs.The Nation has learnt reliably from diplomatic sources that Moscow and Beijing have decided to offer its cooperation to Islamabad in setting up new nuclear power plants to meet Pakistan’s growing energy needs. The sources also said that Russia-China offer contains the conditions that the nuclear power plants, offered to Pakistan, should be set up under the supervision and in collaboration with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).The offer, the sources said, would help Pakistan seek technical cooperation from the world’s nuclear supplier groups on the pattern of Indo-US cooperation that gave New Delhi freedom to seek help from international nuclear suppliers in the recent past.

Source: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/28-Mar-2009/Russia-to-help-Pakistan-build-Npower-plants

China offers HQ-9 SAM for exports

Hong Kong, China — China has put its HQ-9 surface-to-air missile on the export market, under the name FD-2000. Brochures advertising China’s latest missile appeared at the most recent African Ground Force Equipment Exhibition in Cape Town, South Africa and also at the Defense Exhibition in Karachi, Pakistan last November. The China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation is the exporter of the long-range SAM. The name FD-2000 was first revealed by the Kanwa Information Center in 1998 as the export name of the HQ-9; more than 10 years later China has finally introduced this missile system to the international market.The PLA Air Force has already deployed the HQ-9 at its bases in Xi’an and Lanzhou. The HQ-9/FD-2000 unveiled at those exhibitions included its guidance radar. A model of this phased array guidance radar was put on display at the PLA Equipment Exhibition in Hong Kong last summer. The four-celled HQ-9 launcher is very similar to that of the Russian S-300 SAM. The Chinese introductory brochure says that the missile’s range for aircraft targets is 7-125 kilometers, much lower than the 150-kilometer range of the Russian S-300 PMU1. This is the main reason China continues to import Russia’s S300 PMU2, which has a range of 200 kilometers. The HD-9/FD-2000’s firing altitude is 0.025-27 kilometers.The HQ-9’s range for missile targets, or air-to-ground missiles, is 7-50 kilometers, with a firing altitude of 1-18 kilometers. Its range for cruise missiles is 7-15 kilometers, at a firing altitude of 0.025 kilometers. The range for ballistic missiles is 7-25 kilometers at a firing altitude of 2-15 kilometers.The HQ-9’s guidance system is composed of inertia plus uplink and active radar terminal guidance systems. The manufacturer claims that its response time is 15 seconds and it is capable of dealing with 48 targets simultaneously. The brigade-level combat system is composed of one command vehicle, six control vehicles, six track-radar vehicles, six search-radar vehicles, 48 missile-launch vehicles and 192 rounds of missiles. In addition, there is one positioning vehicle, one communications vehicle, one power supply vehicle and one support vehicle. The composition of the combat system indicates that one HQ-9 battalion is equipped with eight missile launch vehicles, which is consistent with what satellite photos of the system have shown. One industry source said that China has also developed a new version of the HQ-9/FD-2000 for naval ships, which can be installed on the export versions of combat ships. However, the source did not disclose the firing rate of the HQ-9. A careful comparison of the Chinese FT-2000 anti-radiation missile and the FD-2000 launch system reveals that the transport vehicles of the two missile systems are quite different in exterior structures. Nonetheless, both have 8x8 wheels, and their launch tubes both have 11 reinforcing bands. The FT-2000 has a maximum range of 12-100 kilometers, a firing altitude of 3-20 kilometers, a missile length of 6.8 meters and a diameter of 466 millimeters.These figures indicate that the FT-2000 and FD-2000 use different types of missiles. At present, only Pakistan is believed to have expressed an interest in purchasing the FT-2000. But according to a source from Islamabad, even Pakistan is not considering importing the missile system at this stage. The FD-2000 may be able to compete with the Russian S300 PMU SAM, which has only a 90-kilometer range, on the international market, due to the lower cost of the China-made missile. But the effective ranges alone show that a substantial technological gap must be overcome before the HQ-9 can replace the S300 PMU2. Nonetheless, the Chinese designers claim that in terms of the technological standard of its computer design and display and control systems, the HQ-9 is superior to the Russian S300 PMU1. Given the fact that the HQ-9 has already been approved for export sales, there is a possibility that China has upgraded the missile system on the foundation of the original, bringing it closer to the standard of its Russian competitor. Source: http://www.upiasia.com/Security/2009...r_export/6690/