China's military wants to target US undersea sensor network: Analysis
6 days ago
- #anti-submarine warfare
- #naval strategy
- #undersea surveillance
- Submarines are a key component of China's naval strategy, but U.S. underwater sensors pose a significant threat.
- Chinese naval officers advocate for destroying or disrupting the U.S. undersea sensor network in wartime, using countermeasures like drones and commercial fishing fleets.
- Chinese experts highlight vulnerabilities in the U.S. undersea surveillance system, which could be degraded to lose functionality.
- The U.S. and China have mirroring concerns: the U.S. worries about China's growing submarine fleet, while China fears U.S. anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities.
- China's submarine fleet includes nuclear and conventional subs, with advanced Yuan-class diesel-electric boats.
- Chinese military experts express concerns over U.S. ASW capabilities, which could detect and intercept Chinese subs near their ports and operating areas.
- The U.S. IUSS network and SURTASS ships have been effective in tracking submarines for decades.
- China is developing capabilities to disrupt U.S. ASW, including locating and destroying undersea sensors and using AI and unmanned underwater vehicles.
- Attacking U.S. ASW nodes like undersea cables and command-and-control systems is seen as a viable strategy by Chinese officers.
- The effectiveness of China's response to U.S. ASW depends on long-term planning and resource allocation.
- U.S. experts acknowledge vulnerabilities in their ASW network but question the ease with which China could exploit them.
- Chinese military recommendations may influence future naval strategies, urging U.S. Navy leaders to take them seriously.