F-35s with cruise missiles could pose threat to Shanghai from Japan: PLA war games
Chinese military researchers have simulated a scenario in which stealth fighter jets from Japan evade the country’s air defense system and attempt a bombing on Shanghai. The results of computer simulations, which were conducted over ten rounds, were mixed.
Researchers of the National Defence University’s College of Joint Operations, operated by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), determined that only a few land-based radars could detect stealth fighters from a distance of 110 miles. This implies that an F-22 or F-35 stealth fighter would likely be spotted before it reachs the 15-mile range required for precision-guided bomb attacks.
If the F-35 flies in ‘beast mode’ to utilize larger and longer-range missiles, it would lose its stealth capabilities and could be detected from much farther away.
The simulations indicated that the aircraft without stealth features could be detected from distances of up to 280 miles. However, F-35s can carry cruise missiles with a range of more than 560 miles while Japan, at its closest point, is just 497 miles from Shanghai.
Sensitive details not disclosed
The team led by project engineer Cao Wei presented its findings at the 36th China Simulation Conference in Yangzhou, Jiangsu, in October. This marks the first time the PLA has publicly shared results from war games focused on a major Chinese city, the South China Morning Post reported.
The researchers did not clarify who was operating the aircraft in the simulations, as both the US and Japanese armies have stealth jets deployed in the region. Information about stealth fighter jets is considered highly sensitive, and the US military has never revealed how close its F-22s and F-35s can approach a target without being detected.
To undertake computer simulations, Cao’s team created an algorithm that translated complex radar system data into the maximum distance for target detection and the corresponding warning time. They designed it to be visually user-friendly to help experimental warfare personnel better understand the detection effectiveness data, the team’s report stated.
Researchers noted that the simulation results might be conservative, as they were based on just three radars—some operating at average levels—to defend Shanghai.
Many Chinese naval vessels are equipped with stealth radars, and the air force employs powerful AWACS (airborne warning and control system) aircraft. Additionally, several Chinese Earth observation satellites in space can detect and track stealth fighter jets.
Growing concerns for Beijing
Beijing’s latest war games come as the US military expands its F-22 fleet in Japan, a strategic move that could aim high-value targets in China. This increased presence of F-22s near its borders may also intensify the Chinese military’s focus on eliminating hostile stealth fighters stationed on the ground.
In July, satellite images revealed full-scale models of US fighter jets, including F-35s and F-22s, on a runway in the Taklamakan Desert in China’s Xinjiang region. Some of the models appeared to be damaged, likely due to attacks by Chinese military aircraft.
Just a few months ago, the PLA launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean, marking the first ICBM test in over 40 years. These missiles have a range of more than 3,500 miles and are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Back then, Chinese authorities claimed that the test conducted by the PLA’s Space Force was ‘routine’ and part of their ‘annual practice’, and that all neighboring countries had been notified in advance about the missile launch.
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