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China practices targeting US military ships in the desert

2021-11-15T05:33:07.450Z


Things are easy to hide in the desert that you don't want anyone to notice. But satellite technology makes them visible - like these systems of the Chinese army, which apparently trains attacks on US aircraft carriers.


Enlarge image

Outline of a US military ship in the Taklamakan Desert

Photo: Maxar Technologies / EPA

The Taklamakan Desert is far, very far. If you add up the areas of the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, you get roughly the size of the second largest sandy desert on earth: around 220,000 square kilometers. More than two million years ago there was a gigantic lake here, fed by the surrounding high mountain regions such as the Kunlun Shan, the Pamir and the Tian Shan. This is also where the sediments come from, the material of which forms the dunes in the region, some of which are more than 100 meters high.

In the vastness of the desert you can hide things that nobody should see. Or rather, you could - thanks to modern satellite technology, it is no longer that easy for secrets to really remain secret. This is also borne out by a recent discovery made by US military analysts. With the help of high-resolution satellite images from the private company Maxar, the company AllSource Analysis tracked down structures in the Taklamakan that are apparently used by the People's Army of China for target exercises. They are the shape and size of American warships.

The analysts identified, among other things, a structure with the dimensions of a US aircraft carrier in the images near the town of Ruoqiang. The outlines of guided missile destroyers of the Arleigh Burke class were also found. These ships are a good 150 meters long and would accompany an aircraft carrier in the event of a conflict. Above all, they would have to deal with air defense, but they could also attack land targets. Around 70 copies are in service with the US Navy.

At least one of the replicas found is mounted on a large rail system, so it can be moved.

Apparently a model of it was exhibited at the Zhuhai Airshow this year.

The experts found indications that the targets are or at least can be equipped with measuring devices.

What is not there in the pictures, however, are impact craters.

It cannot be taken for granted.

The region has been used for ballistic missile testing in the past, according to AllSource Analysis.

The structures that have now been discovered may be used to train target acquisition.

Dangerous Taiwan conflict

The analysis of older images showed that the replica aircraft carrier was created in spring 2019. However, it was later rebuilt and partially dismantled. He's been back since autumn. According to military experts, the facilities are intended to help China improve its ballistic missiles for use against ships. These can therefore already be fired from land or from airplanes.

In the conflict over Taiwan, which China sees as a breakaway province, the military capabilities of the People's Army play an important role. The USA sees itself as the protecting power of Taiwan. China recently deliberately sent signs of strength with gestures such as the entry of 38 jets and bombers into Taiwanese airspace. It has long been known that Chinese soldiers are also training to storm Taiwan's presidential palace with a one-to-one replica at a training site in Inner Mongolia. Incidentally, this structure could also be demonstrated on satellite images.

To recreate a huge US military ship as a training target - the Iranian military came up with this idea around eight years ago.

This example, which was intended to be simulated, was an aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class, albeit not in its original size, and even swam in the Persian Gulf.

After a simulated attack, however, the watercraft sank near the Bandar Abbas naval base last summer - but not as a result of a missile hit, but rather because of problems towing it back into port.

Source: spiegel

All tech articles on 2021-11-15

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