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China and Russia conducted military exercises in August for a week to
practice bringing peace and stability to a fictional third country.
Code named 'Peace Mission 2005' the Chinese generals were at pains to
emphasize that the exercises have been run according to 'goals and
principles of the UN' and are not directed against third country and
do not concern the interests of other countries. These were first ever
joint and combined exercises where all the three Services of the two
countries took part. The total strength of troops taking part was
placed as ten thousand troops with 1800 troops being Russian.
The military exercises were conducted in three stages; first stage
consisted of a sea battle for a day which was followed by amphibious
landings in the second stage and in the third stage 'forced isolation
drill' including attainment of the final objectives were practiced.
During first stage Chinese and Russians carried out maritime blockade
drill in sea area South East of Shandong peninsula. Chinese fighter
aircrafts provided air cover for a formation of Chinese and Russian
warships. Chinese fighters also engaged the enemy in the air. They
blocked the enemy planes with air to air missiles and provided air
domination over the sea. The joint naval formation sank enemy
submarines with anti-submarine helicopters and depth charges. Russian
early warning (EW) plane A-50 and patrol planes guided the joint fleet
to attack and destroy the enemy ships. Precision attacks were launched
by Russian and Chinese destroyers against enemy targets using data
from A-50 and patrol planes. Ships to air missiles and anti-aircraft
guns were also used to engage the enemy aircrafts. Enemy missiles were
interfered with using infra red, photoelectric and other devices to
confuse the incoming missiles. Russian anti-submarine destroyer, a
missile destroyer, shipboard helicopters and A-50 EW plane from
Russian Pacific Fleet took part. Chinese contingent included three
frigates, two attack submarines and 20 aircrafts.
The second stage commenced with launch of air strikes against enemy's
military installations on the shore. Joint aircraft formation covered
by fighters carried out saturation bombing of enemy artillery and
targets in depth including enemy's missile launchers. Helicopters from
the ship were also used to support the marines while naval gunfire
support was provided by the ships for amphibious landings. Armored
landing vehicles carrying marines assaulted the beach accompanied by
amphibious tanks and helicopters providing fire support. Paratroopers
carried by three transport aircrafts were inserted deep inside the
enemy territory. Special Forces were transported in 18 helicopters to
enemy's flank and rear. The assault on beach consisted of 12 armed
helicopters, one Russian Marine Company, one Chinese Amphibious
Battalion and over 40 landing vehicles. After securing the forward
positions, a second wave consisting of 3 landing crafts and 32 Armored
Personnel Carriers carrying infantry troops came in to consolidate the
positions secured by Marines. The operation was over within an hour of
its commencement.
In the third stage two Russian Tu-95MS, one A-50 and four Tu-22M3(long
range supersonic bomber) entered the exercise zone and launched
attacks on the airport of enemy troops. A formation of 18 jet fighters
in nine waves attacked enemy's command posts and defences in depth.
Artillery bombardment commenced after the air attacks. Propaganda
leaflets were fired over enemy area as part of psychological
operations. Thereafter, enemy troops were depicted to have retreated
to key positions in depth. Later, ten IL-76 Russian transport
aircrafts carrying Chinese and Russian paratroopers arrived in the
combat zone covered by electronic jamming planes and fighter
aircrafts. IL-76 planes dropped 24 combat vehicles first and then
paratroopers were dropped. After reorganization on landing
paratroopers launched attack and captured the enemy airport thereby
cutting off enemy's air link. Transport helicopters with troops under
air cover were then sent to flank and rear of the enemy to cut off his
sea link. Enemy's main defence lines were breached by joint
Sino-Russian forces and tank columns thereafter sped towards depth
areas causing disruption amongst the enemy. The exercise was
terminated after declaring successful accomplishment of the mission.
The highlights of the exercise was use of live ammunition during the
three stages, firing of a newly developed Chinese air to ground
missile and air to air refueling practiced by two Chinese aircrafts
(of Russian origin i.e. Su-30MKK) with IL-78 Russian tanker aircraft.
After the conclusion of the exercise a defence exhibition of Russian
equipment mainly of Russian strategic bombers and Sukhoi-27 jet
fighters was organized.
The use of live ammunition and participation of Chinese and Russian
forces using diverse media and a wide variety of weapon platforms
indicate a certain degree of organizational and coordinating capacity
which points towards a growing military potential of the Chinese.
Though, it can also be said that live firings were more of a fire
power demonstration which would have been stage managed because of
compulsions of safety as well as for depicting a successful outcome of
the exercise yet both the military value and worth of the exercises as
well as the larger strategic underpinnings of the joint exercises can
not be over looked. The joint and combined military exercises have an
idiom of their own and other than testing the interoperability between
the militaries of the nations involved they also point towards
mutuality of security interests of the nations involved.
The military concepts exhibited in the joint exercises were
traditional tri-Service concepts of the past along with some new
elements of the post industrial era especially the use of new
technologies. The air to air refueling, use of long range strategic
bombers and airborne troops indicate China's capabilities to go for
out of area contingencies and its increased power projection
capabilities. It was also emphasized that Russian strategic bombers
like Tu-95MS and Tu-160 could also carry high grade precision weapons
suitable for anti-terrorism tasks. The firing of precision weapons,
developing of a new air to ground missile, use of electronic jamming
and a wide variety of devices to confuse the incoming missiles and
dropping of leaflets indicate that the Chinese military is speeding up
its RMA with Chinese characteristics i.e. 'informationalisation' as
outlined in their White Paper on ' China's National Defense in 2004'.
The exercise also indicates that PLA, earlier a reticent and secretive
in nature as for as its activities were concerned has become media
savvy and understands the power of media. It has used the media to
project its capabilities including its new equipment and its firing
prowess in engaging diverse nature of targets with vide variety of
weapon systems. Russian military used this opportunity to showcase
their defence equipment to Chinese for eventual purchase by them.
China has been the largest buyer of defence equipment in the world
with purchases totaling 10.3 billion dollars from years 2001 to 2004.
Russia has been the main supplier to China. Accelerating the
modernization of weapons and equipment and joint training are two of
the key objectives of Chinese RMA. Chinese used this opportunity to
show case new amphibious tanks and APC's given to its amphibious and
marine units which point towards increased capabilities for an
amphibious assault.
In the over all setting of the exercise the goal was to have a joint
approach towards preventing, terrorism, 'separatism and extremism'.
However, the military exercises signify the larger strategic
objectives of Russia and China to define the world in multi polar
terms as both have commonality of approach on their concerns about a
unipolar world dominated by the US. It also has implications for the
US- Japan security alliance in East Asia and the security architecture
there. The exercises have come at a time when the US forces are over
stretched and will be hard put to meet a contingency in, say, Korean
peninsula thus emphasizing the limits of US power. During the
exercises Defence Ministers of Central Asian countries who are members
SCO were also present. Therefore, the exercise was also an attempt to
exhibit Russian and Chinese military strength and a willingness to
contribute to security in Central Asia. This is in spite of the fact
that Chinese remain obsessed with retaking Taiwan and if required with
force but that may not have been the only reason for conducting the
exercise. Chinese were keen to conduct the exercises closer towards
Taiwan rather than Shandong peninsula but Russians probably had other
reasons in mind.
Are these early indications of China moving towards an "assertive
strategy" rather than following its oft stated policy of "peaceful
rise"? It could be so or perhaps it is too early to make a
determination. Chinese Defence Minister considered the joint military
exercises held as a good practice and promotion of the new concept of
security being advocated by China i.e. mutual trust, mutual benefit,
equality and cooperation. (This mantra of new security concept is
repeated at most of the conferences and seminars attended by the
Chinese.) While China demonstrated its political will to take Taiwan
through a military operation if so required and protect itself against
terrorist and separatist tendencies, Russian objectives were focused
more on its strategic interests in former Soviet Republics of East
Europe and Central Asia where it is facing troubling times. There is a
general perception that growing western and American influence in
former Soviet Republics would work against the Russian interests,
especially when it is seen in context fall of a number of pro Russian
regimes in this region through colored revolutions i.e. Orange, Rose
or Tulip revolutions in countries of this region.
Both Russia and China dominate the SCO grouping which, though not a
military grouping may have its role changed. Russia appears to be more
focused in this area for an enhanced role of the Shanghai Cooperative
Organization. After termination of the exercises, Russian Defence
Minister has announced that next time the military exercises may also
include SCO member countries and even observer countries like India,
Iran, Pakistan and Mongolia. This only indicates Russia's attempt to
reshape the security structure in Central Asia where it was supreme
once. This also points towards Russia's desire of evolving a Russia
-China- Russian strategic triangle which in general is not shared by
the other two countries. In July 2005, SCO had asked the US to set a
timeframe for withdrawal of bases from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Uzbekistan has asked the US troops to leave in six months and
Kyrgyzstan has allowed the continuation of Manas airbase to the US for
the time being.
The military exercises have generated a lot of interest and
speculation and the American Pacific Command had been monitoring the
exercises through its sensors and surveillance devices especially the
interoperability levels attained by the joint forces, the command and
control arrangements, organizational structures used in the exercise,
the effectiveness of various weapon systems, their electronic
signatures and other military parameters to assess the capabilities
especially of the Chinese military. It is certain that with rise of
China's economic potential, its military potential would also grow and
China's neighbors and others have to find their own equations in the
evolving world and regional security order.
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