YJ-12 missile close-up
DF-5 B strategic missile close up
70th VJ Parade Shows off the Latest in Chinese Military Technology, and a Big Job Cut
DF-21D. CCTV
The infamous DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile finally makes its
public debut... and gets overshadowed by its DF-26 big brother (see
below).
The numbers are in for China's big day. In memory of the 20 million
Chinese soldiers and civilians who died in World War II, 12,000 troops
(including 1,000 members of 17 foreign militaries), 500 military
vehicles and 200 aircraft marched across Tiananmen Square.
Honored Guests. South China Morning Post
President Xi, in a dark Mao suit, plays host to President Putin
of Russia and President Park of South Korea at the 70th VJ Day Parades.
Over thirty heads of state attended the parade and celebrations. The
most high profile guests were Russian President Vladimir Putin, UN
Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and South Korean President Park Geun Hye.
Park's attendance of Chinese victory celebrations is another symbol of
the two countries' improving relationship, driven by deteriorating ties
with both North Korea and Japan. Other heads of state included those of
Pakistan, South Africa, Sudan, Venezuela and Vietnam. Also notable was
the attendance of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and former
Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama. And among the visiting
militaries who provided honor guards were those of Afghanistan, Belarus,
Cambodia, Cuba, Egypt, Fiji, Kazakhstan, Krygzstan, Laos, Mexico,
Pakistan, Russia, Serbia, Tajikstan, Vanatau and Venezuela. American,
British and Russian WWII veterans were also honored (a delegation of
Japanese veterans also attended).
Big Guns
The 155mm PLZ-04 self propelled howitzer, seen here in desert camouflage, can fire boosted ammunition with a 100km range.
While it was a celebration of a past victory, the parade was more about
China's power today and tomorrow. The PLA displayed a wide range of
hardware, including Z-10 attack helicopters, ZTZ-99A main battle tanks,
ZDB-04 infantry fighting vehicles, PLA-04 self propelled howitzters and
ZBL-05 armored vehicles. Other pieces of equipment include combat
engineer vehicles, surface to air missile and air defense vehicles and
anti-tank missile launchers.
YJ-62. Chinese Internet
The YJ-62 is China's current heavy antiship missile, seen here on
8x8 all terrain TEL vehicles (it can also be launched from ships).
The PLAN contingent was restricted to displaying truck mounted YJ-83 and
YJ-12 antiship missiles, in addition to flights of J-15 carrier borne
fighters, special mission Y-8 aircraft and a Y-8Q anti-submarine warfare
plane.
Victory Colors
PLAAF J-10AY fighters fly alongside the KJ-2000 AEWC plane over
the skies of Beijing, letting off serious colored smoke in victory
celebrations.
The PLAAF was responsible for the vast majority of the 200 aircraft in
the massive fly by. Leading the formation was a KJ-2000 airborne
command plane, escorted by six J-10AY fighters from China's Baiyi
aerobatics team. Other modern aircraft, including J-10 and J-11
fighters, the H-6K bombers and H-6U aerial tankers. Trucks also carried
static models of Chinese UAVs, like the CH-3 UCAV and the Haiying
maritime surveillance drone.
DF-26. IHS Janes
The DF-26 IRBM, with its antiship capability, will take China's anti-access/area denial strategy out to the second island chain.
For many, though, Second Artillery's missiles were the stars of the
parade. As the Chinese service responsible for long range missiles, the
Second Artillery displayed the DF-31A ICBM and the older silo based
DF-3A ICBM (which had to be towed in a dissassembled state by trucks).
Also present was the first public debut of the "carrier killer" DF-21D
antiship ballistic missile, in the form of several transport erector
launch (TEL) vehicles, for all terrain mobility. Also on display were
new Chinese missiles, such as the 600km ranged DF-16 MRBM and the DF-26
intermediate range ballistic missiles, capable of hitting Guam or Tokyo
from central China. But most interestingly, the DF-26 is stated to have
an antiship capability, just like the DF-21D, meaning that enemy
aircraft carriers 3,500km away from the Chinese coastline are at risk.
Xi's Speech. CCTV
President Xi, with Presidents Karimov, Park and Putin in front of
him, gives a speech praising Chinese WWII veterans, China's peaceful
rise... and the elimination of 300,000 PLA uniformed billets.
The parade made news, though, for another big number. In the middle of
his address emphasizing "China's peaceful development", President Xi
Jinping made a surprise announcement during the parade, that the PLA
would decrease by 300,000 service members. this would be a 13% reduction
in uniformed headcount, to just 2 million active duty personnel.
Notably, however, just as with professionalization reforms that have
taken place in the past in nations that range from US to Russia, the
reduction is about raising the quality and effectiveness of a modern
military, rather than reducing its capability.
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