Beijing building deep-sea naval might

China soon will receive a new Kilo submarine from Russia, part of a naval buildup of modern warships and submarines that has triggered new fears for U.S. military planners.

The Kilo is on its way to China aboard a freighter from a shipyard in St. Petersburg and is expected to arrive next month, according to defense officials.

It is the first of eight advanced Kilos that China is acquiring, and intelligence officials say the submarine will be outfitted with advanced SS-N-27 cruise missiles, which are capable of attacking U.S. warships.

The new submarine will augment four older, less-capable Kilos in the Chinese navy.

The Chinese navy also has been rapidly building submarines, key weapons that would be useful in both a conflict with Taiwan and for power projection globally, according to intelligence officials.

Since 2002, China has built 14 submarines, including a new Yuan submarine that was unknown to U.S. intelligence until photos of it appeared on the Internet last year. Other submarines in development include the Type 094 ballistic-missile submarine, known as the Jin class.

At least two Type O93 attack submarines are under construction, as well as additional Jin, Song, Yuan and Shang submarines, the officials said. Other new submarines include one Ming submarine, 10 Song submarines and one Shang class.

“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,” the intelligence official said.

China’s surface-to-surface missile forces also are increasing, including new short- and long-range missiles, along with a new warhead that can maneuver to avoid missile defenses.

“If you take a step back and look at the entire array of Chinese weapons, the Kilos, the Songs, the Yuans, the ballistic missiles, this [maneuverable warhead] capability, more surface ships with anti-ship cruise missiles, these are all things that are going to give you capability to deal with any kind of naval force that comes toward you,” the intelligence official said.

Beyond warships armed with missiles, the building and deployment of amphibious lift ships is one of the clearest signs of what U.S. defense officials say are Beijing’s intentions to attack Taiwan, located about 100 miles from the Chinese mainland.

In the past three years, China has more than doubled its fleet of amphibious landing and troop-carrying ships, a key indicator of such an assault, said officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

For example, intelligence officials told The Washington Times that since 2002, China has deployed at least eight tank-carrying Yuting II LST transport ships, at least 10 Yunshu LSM ships and at least five Yubei LSU ships.

“These are all of fairly decent capability,” a defense intelligence official said.

The rapid deployment contrasts sharply with past Chinese weapons-development efforts, which produced small numbers of ships years apart, the officials said.

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