Press Release
02 May 2008
Jane’s Reveals China’s New Nuclear Naval Base Through Satellite Photograph Analysis
Contact:
Mandy Castle
Jane’s Information Group
Press & PR Officer
+44 (0) 208 700 3745
For Immediate Release
Jane’s Reveals China’s New Nuclear Naval Base Through Satellite Photograph Analysis
LONDON (28 April 2008) -- Jane’s analysis of high-resolution commercially available satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe has allowed Jane’s to verify the existence of China’s new nuclear naval base.
The confirmation of these strategic developments demonstrates the satellite imagery analysis capability recently acquired by Jane’s. Utilising commercially available satellite imagery, Jane’s is able to combine imagery intelligence with its global network of contributors and in-house experts to offer unrivalled strategic and security analysis.
While China is displaying no overt aggression, Jane’s analysis of the DigitalGlobe satellite images shows that Beijing appears to be quietly building a major underground nuclear naval base, which could mean an increase in its strategic capability not only in the South China Sea, but also considerably further afield.
Jane’s can confirm that the satellite pictures show that China is constructing a major underground nuclear submarine base near Sanya, on Hainan Island off its southern coast. Although Asian military sources have disclosed this fact to Jane’s as far back as 2002, high-resolution commercially available satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe provides independent verification
The extent of construction indicates the Sanya base (also known as Yulin) could become a key future base for People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) aircraft carriers and other power-projection ships. In December 2007, perhaps in conjunction with a major PLAN exercise the previous month, the PLAN moved its first Type 094 second-generation nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) to Sanya.
This identification of an underground submarine base and the positioning of China’s most advanced sub-surface combatants at Sanya could have implications for China’s control of the South China Sea and the strategically vital straits in the area.
Further satellite imagery suggests the construction of Sanya has been supported by a gradual military build-up in the Paracel Islands over the last 20 years and the transformation of the Chinese-occupied features in the Spratly Island group into assets that could support a range of military operations.
Christian Le Miere, e ditor for Jane’s Intelligence Review , commented: “ China’s nuclear and naval build-up at Sanya underlines Beijing’s desire to assert tighter control over this region. China’s increasing dependence on imported petroleum and mineral resources has contributed to an intensified Chinese concern about defending its access to vital sea lanes, particularly to its south. It is this concern that in large part is driving China’s development of power-projection naval forces such as aircraft carriers and long-range nuclear submarines.”
China has pursued this build-up at Sanya with little fanfare, offering no public explanations regarding its plan to base nuclear weapons or advanced naval platforms there.
For both regional and extra-regional powers, it will be difficult to ignore that China is now building a major naval base at Sanya and may be preparing to house and protect a large proportion of its nuclear forces here and even operate them from this base. This development so close to the Southeast Asian sea lanes so vital to the economies of Asia can only cause concern far beyond these straits.
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Editor’s notes:
To speak to Christian Le Miere , Editor for Jane’s Intelligence Review, or for a full copy of the article please contact Mandy Castle, PR Manager, Jane's Information Group (contact details at top of page).
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About Jane’s Information Group
Jane’s, an IHS company (NYSE: IHS), is the leading open source information provider and conference organiser on defence, international risk and national security to governments, militaries, industries and academia around the globe. Jane’s is headquartered in London, and also has offices in Alexandria, Virginia; Singapore; Tokyo; Dubai; and Sydney, Australia. For more information, please visit our award-winning website, www.janes.com.
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