Jim Benway
November 21st 06, 03:15 AM
China sub stalked U.S. fleet
By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published November 13, 2006
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Chinese submarine stalked a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in
the Pacific last month and surfaced within firing range of its
torpedoes and missiles before being detected, The Washington Times has
learned.
The surprise encounter highlights China's continuing efforts to
prepare for a future conflict with the U.S., despite Pentagon efforts
to try to boost relations with Beijing's communist-ruled military.
The submarine encounter with the USS Kitty Hawk and its
accompanying warships also is an embarrassment to the commander of
U.S. forces in the Pacific, Adm. William J. Fallon, who is engaged in
an ambitious military exchange program with China aimed at improving
relations between the two nations' militaries.
Disclosure of the incident comes as Adm. Gary Roughead, commander
of the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet, is making his first visit to China.
The four-star admiral was scheduled to meet senior Chinese military
leaders during the weeklong visit, which began over the weekend.
According to the defense officials, the Chinese Song-class
diesel-powered attack submarine shadowed the Kitty Hawk undetected and
surfaced within five miles of the carrier Oct. 26.
The surfaced submarine was spotted by a routine surveillance
flight by one of the carrier group's planes.
The Kitty Hawk battle group includes an attack submarine and
anti-submarine helicopters that are charged with protecting the
warships from submarine attack.
According to the officials, the submarine is equipped with
Russian-made wake-homing torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles.
The Kitty Hawk and several other warships were deployed in ocean
waters near Okinawa at the time, as part of a routine fall deployment
program. The officials said Chinese submarines rarely have operated in
deep water far from Chinese shores or shadowed U.S. vessels.
A Pacific Command spokesman declined to comment on the incident,
saying details were classified. Pentagon spokesmen also declined to
comment.
The incident is a setback for the aggressive U.S.-China military
exchange program being promoted by Adm. Fallon, who has made several
visits to China in recent months in an attempt to develop closer ties.
However, critics of the program in the Pentagon say China has not
reciprocated and continues to deny U.S. military visitors access to
key facilities, including a Beijing command center.
In contrast, Chinese military visitors have been invited to
military exercises and sensitive U.S. facilities. Additionally,
military intelligence officials said Adm. Fallon has restricted U.S.
intelligence-gathering activities against China, fearing that
disclosure of the activities would upset relations with Beijing.
The restrictions are hindering efforts to know more about China's
military buildup, the officials said. "This is a harbinger of a
stronger Chinese reaction to America's military presence in East
Asia," said Richard Fisher, a Chinese military specialist with the
International Assessment and Strategy Center, who called the submarine
incident alarming.
"Given the long range of new Chinese sub-launched anti-ship
missiles and those purchased from Russia, this incident is very
serious," he said. "It will likely happen again, only because Chinese
submarine captains of 40 to 50 new modern submarines entering their
navy will want to test their mettle against the 7th Fleet."
Pentagon intelligence officials say China's military buildup in
recent years has produced large numbers of submarines and surface
ships, seeking to control larger portions of international waters in
Asia, a move U.S. officials fear could restrict the flow of oil from
the Middle East to Asia in the future.
Between 2002 and last year, China built 14 new submarines,
including new Song-class vessels and several other types, both diesel-
and nuclear-powered.
Since 1996, when the United States dispatched two aircraft carrier
battle groups to waters near Taiwan in a show of force, Beijing also
has bought and built weapons designed specifically to attack U.S.
aircraft carriers and other warships. "The Chinese have made it clear
that they understand the importance of the submarine in any kind of
offensive or defensive strategy to deal with a military conflict," an
intelligence official said recently.
In late 2004, China dispatched a Han-class submarine to waters
near Guam, Taiwan and Japan. Japan's military went on emergency alert
after the submarine surfaced in Japanese waters.
Beijing apologized for the incursion. The Pentagon's latest annual
report on Chinese military power stated that China is investing
heavily in weapons designed "to interdict, at long ranges, aircraft
carrier and expeditionary strike groups that might deploy to the
western Pacific."
It could not be learned whether the U.S. government lodged a
protest with China's government over the incident or otherwise raised
the matter in official channels.
By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published November 13, 2006
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Chinese submarine stalked a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in
the Pacific last month and surfaced within firing range of its
torpedoes and missiles before being detected, The Washington Times has
learned.
The surprise encounter highlights China's continuing efforts to
prepare for a future conflict with the U.S., despite Pentagon efforts
to try to boost relations with Beijing's communist-ruled military.
The submarine encounter with the USS Kitty Hawk and its
accompanying warships also is an embarrassment to the commander of
U.S. forces in the Pacific, Adm. William J. Fallon, who is engaged in
an ambitious military exchange program with China aimed at improving
relations between the two nations' militaries.
Disclosure of the incident comes as Adm. Gary Roughead, commander
of the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet, is making his first visit to China.
The four-star admiral was scheduled to meet senior Chinese military
leaders during the weeklong visit, which began over the weekend.
According to the defense officials, the Chinese Song-class
diesel-powered attack submarine shadowed the Kitty Hawk undetected and
surfaced within five miles of the carrier Oct. 26.
The surfaced submarine was spotted by a routine surveillance
flight by one of the carrier group's planes.
The Kitty Hawk battle group includes an attack submarine and
anti-submarine helicopters that are charged with protecting the
warships from submarine attack.
According to the officials, the submarine is equipped with
Russian-made wake-homing torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles.
The Kitty Hawk and several other warships were deployed in ocean
waters near Okinawa at the time, as part of a routine fall deployment
program. The officials said Chinese submarines rarely have operated in
deep water far from Chinese shores or shadowed U.S. vessels.
A Pacific Command spokesman declined to comment on the incident,
saying details were classified. Pentagon spokesmen also declined to
comment.
The incident is a setback for the aggressive U.S.-China military
exchange program being promoted by Adm. Fallon, who has made several
visits to China in recent months in an attempt to develop closer ties.
However, critics of the program in the Pentagon say China has not
reciprocated and continues to deny U.S. military visitors access to
key facilities, including a Beijing command center.
In contrast, Chinese military visitors have been invited to
military exercises and sensitive U.S. facilities. Additionally,
military intelligence officials said Adm. Fallon has restricted U.S.
intelligence-gathering activities against China, fearing that
disclosure of the activities would upset relations with Beijing.
The restrictions are hindering efforts to know more about China's
military buildup, the officials said. "This is a harbinger of a
stronger Chinese reaction to America's military presence in East
Asia," said Richard Fisher, a Chinese military specialist with the
International Assessment and Strategy Center, who called the submarine
incident alarming.
"Given the long range of new Chinese sub-launched anti-ship
missiles and those purchased from Russia, this incident is very
serious," he said. "It will likely happen again, only because Chinese
submarine captains of 40 to 50 new modern submarines entering their
navy will want to test their mettle against the 7th Fleet."
Pentagon intelligence officials say China's military buildup in
recent years has produced large numbers of submarines and surface
ships, seeking to control larger portions of international waters in
Asia, a move U.S. officials fear could restrict the flow of oil from
the Middle East to Asia in the future.
Between 2002 and last year, China built 14 new submarines,
including new Song-class vessels and several other types, both diesel-
and nuclear-powered.
Since 1996, when the United States dispatched two aircraft carrier
battle groups to waters near Taiwan in a show of force, Beijing also
has bought and built weapons designed specifically to attack U.S.
aircraft carriers and other warships. "The Chinese have made it clear
that they understand the importance of the submarine in any kind of
offensive or defensive strategy to deal with a military conflict," an
intelligence official said recently.
In late 2004, China dispatched a Han-class submarine to waters
near Guam, Taiwan and Japan. Japan's military went on emergency alert
after the submarine surfaced in Japanese waters.
Beijing apologized for the incursion. The Pentagon's latest annual
report on Chinese military power stated that China is investing
heavily in weapons designed "to interdict, at long ranges, aircraft
carrier and expeditionary strike groups that might deploy to the
western Pacific."
It could not be learned whether the U.S. government lodged a
protest with China's government over the incident or otherwise raised
the matter in official channels.