A Better Boomer?

(Image courtesy Jane's)

(Image courtesy Jane’s)

Uh-oh:

In a 15 April testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Admiral Samuel Locklear, Commander of US Pacific Command (PACOM), said China has three Type 094 (Jin-class) submarines in service already and may have eight in service by the end of the decade.

“The Jin-class submarine carries the JL-2 submarine launched ballistic missile [SLBM] with a range capable of reaching the US and will give China its first credible sea-based nuclear deterrent. Nuclear deterrence patrols will likely commence this year,” he said.

Adm Locklear’s comments mark an increase over previous US intelligence community estimates. In 2007 the US Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) estimated that up to five Type 094 SSBNs could be built, while the 2008 annual Pentagon report to US Congress on China’s military stated that up to five Type 094s could be built by 2010.

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The real question isn’t the number of boats, but if the boats are any good. Russia built about a jillion nuclear- and diesel-powered subs, most of which were about as stealthy as my nine-year-old hopped up on Halloween candy and with an air horn in each hand. The Chinese missile subs are so unreliable and so loud, our own Navy isn’t sure if they’ve engage in even one deterrence patrol in all these years.

I’m not worried — yet.

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