MILNET: Chinese Military Forces

2005 Update

Note:  Figures are estimates and are confirmed only "in the ballpark" by various unoffical sources.

Defense spending estimated at 9-10% or about $10 billion.  This year sources indicate China may spend up to 12% or $11 billion.

Estimated 2 million + members in the Chinea People's Liberation Army which encompasses all services including
the People's Armed Police, internal security and broder patrol.

Strategic Forces:  (100,000+)

Unknown number of  warheads, could be 1000+
Range: 8000 statute miles

Army: (2 million +)

Tanks: 8,400+  Soviet Design (local built) T-54 Tanks
In production are Type 85s, number scheduled is unknown

Light Tanks:  1200 Type 63 amphibious, 800 Type 62

APC:  5,000+  copies of Soviet BTR

Artillery:  Soviet built or local copies 125mm to 175, count is estimated in the 10,000s

Towed Artillery:  15,000 consisting of

• Mortars:  82mm, 100mm, 120mm, 160mm
• Rocket Launchers (MRL): 122mm, 130mm, 273mm
• Anti-Tank Weapons (ATW): Copy of Soviet Sagger-HJ73, JH-8
• Air Defense (AA):  23mm, 37mm, 57mm, 85mm, 100mm

Navy:  (250,000+)

Submarines:  Typically 533mm torpedo tubes

• Attack Submarines:  5 Han Class SSN, 3-4 Russian Kilo SSN
• SLBM:  1 Xia class nuclear sub with 12 Submarine Launched IRBM
• Diesel Attack: 1 ex-soviet Romeo with six C-801 sea-skimmer anti-ship missiles, 53 standard Romeo, unknown number of Ming Diesel Attack Sub Torp/ SLCM
• 1 Golf Missile Submarine SLCM, SSM (was active in 1994, may be still operable)

Surface Combatants:

• 18 Russian Ashan Gordy Class Destroyers
• 36  Jiagwei Class Frigates, small number have Dauphin (France) helicopters
• 800+ missile boats
• 120 mine layer/sweep boats
• 71 amphibious assault boats capable of lifting 1 or perhaps 2 divisions (typically Marines)
• The following ships were estimated in 1994, and may still be active:
• 10 Luda Kotlin GW Destroyers 2x3 HY-2 Hai Ying (Styx) SSM
• 17 Jianghu GW Frigate 2x2 HY-2
• 2 JiangDong Riga GW Frigate 2x2 SAM
• 4 ChengDu Riga GW Frigate 1x2 HY-2
• 5   Jiangnan Riga Frigate
• 116  Osa Huangfen FAC carrying 4 missiles
• 11 Osa Hola FAC carrying 2 missiles 
• 98 Osa Hoku FAC with 1 missiles 
• 1 Homa Hydrofoil FAC with 2 missiles 
• 10 Shanghai I FAC 
• 295 Shanghai II/III/IV/IV FAC 
• 3 Haikou FAC
• 30 Swatow FAC 
• 3 Shandong Hyrdrofoil FAC
• 140 Huchwan Hyrdofoil FAC 
• 7 P-6 FAC
• 80 P-4 FAC 
• T-43 Mine

Air Force: (450,000+)

Bombers:  Copies of Badger and Beagle bombers, however sources disagree on air-worthiness in combat.  Total number is insufficent and incapable of penetrating a major powers air defense however, could be used to bomb Taiwan, Pakistan, India, or Japan if flown under radar.

Fighters:  1 squadron of  Russian built SU-27, license to build others, several thousand F-7 variants, see the MILNET
fighter database for more information on Chinese fighters.

Sources:  AFI Research, Janes, MSNBC
 

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