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ORIGINAL: Dysta

ORIGINAL: FlyForLenin

Does this mean the DF-26 is a nuclear ASBM? Or are they referring to the other nuclear and conventional non-ASBM versions.

The latter. This is why Henri was quite hesitant to separate DF-26 designations. He want to name nuclear version as DF-26B. Other than that, both versions are having the same functionality, so PLARF can use DF-26 to nuke Nimitz if needed.

ORIGINAL: kevinkin

Iraq now into Syria with everyone else:

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/20 ... -syria-too

and just a collection of some recent videos of carrier ops inside the cockpit:

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/20 ... n-the-navy

ORIGINAL: Dysta

Some Chinese military forums suddenly circulate a rumor regarding the development of RASM -- an reentry variant of anti-ship missile. No, they're not talking about ASBM like DF-21D or DF-26.

It's a theoretical research report for weaponizing hypersonic vehicles, as US and Russia are pursuing at the same time. The difference from ASBM is not just the initial stage is much faster (around 7000m/s, nearly the LEO velocity, on par with ICBM), but also designed for one minute per launch in a single platform, which is impossible for a TEL launcher.

Also what differ from the lack of 'B' is the trajectory is not arched, because the missile altitude during the mid-stage is still within the thermosphere, around 120km or less. The deceleration to minimum 1000m/s is happened at the reentry stage, when its altitude is below 20km. What's more it is horizontally steerable in thermosphere, making it's flight pattern much more unpredictable than the traditional ballistic reentry.

Such trajectory was theorized already during the ASBM research, but only at the terminal stage is steerable, and its mid-stage is way above thermosphere like a normal ballistic missile. The RASM will have nearly the same range as ICBM, as some netizens dubbed it as "Anti-shipyard missile", because of the capability to attack surface vessels from homeland ports (unlike directly attacking the port or shipyard with very high MoA ballistic missile, it's aim for the ship only). Such attack is more likely possible because docking ships are not usually in full operation.

It's a huge doubt no matter how probable it is, but it isn't developed without a tangent -- China is heavily focusing C4ISR capability to integrate intel gathering by any mean necessary, including the increasingly deployed spy sats and ELINT sats. If RASM is developed into full fruition, it will be the weapon perfectly for preemptive strikes. And remember, it has a high rate of fire, so it is probably develop for VLS, which can also explain why PLAN would need a 850mm VLS diameter configuration.

https://lt.cjdby.net/forum.php?mod=view ... id=2073188 (simplified Chinese, with documents)
https://twitter.com/xinfengcao/status/9 ... 2439208960 (notice the altitude and the launch platform)

ORIGINAL: jtoatoktoe

Having a missile that mimics ICBM/SLBM is a good way to get nuked on accident. There is a reason the U.S.has stayed away from non nuclear ordinance.

ORIGINAL: Hongjian

The J-17 has been introduced into service, according to some aviation spotters in China.
https://www.weibo.com/2685677853/GdzdZb ... 4555661016

The J-17, also known previously as JD-15, is the electronic warfare version of the J-15 "Flying Shark" Sea-Flanker. It is basically the carrier-borne counterpart of the land-based JD-16 Sino-Growler electronic warfare plane.


Better pictures will follow soon, but at least the tail-art is confirmed.