China promotes amphibious assault capacity, South China Sea poses more risks

Xinhua News Agency reported that China’s new configuration AG600 seaplane was successfully tested on May 31 in Guangdong. This is the type of amphibious aircraft that China strives to complete even in a difficult time due to the epidemic. Covid-19 cause. This test flight, the AG600 is said to have improved engine engineering to enhance operational efficiency.

Seaplane AG600 can help with emergency dispatch HCTB

Ambitious to deploy troops throughout the East Sea

As the world’s largest seaplane, the AG600 is capable of carrying about 30 soldiers and weapons, has a range of more than 4,000 km and a cruising speed of about 500 km/h, so it is considered an effective aircraft for landing. set from the sea.

Mid-2020, when AG600 tested at sea, Chinese media revealed that this aircraft could be put into operation by the Chinese military (PLA) in 2022. Not only that, the Global Times also commented that when it was equipped With the AG600, the PLA can easily access the islands in the South China Sea to protect what it calls its “core interest”. More specifically, from the base military Sanya on Hainan Island, the AG600 allows the PLA to quickly move troops to any island or feature in the South China Sea, by landing on the water so that the troops can land from the sea.

Commenting when answering Thanh Nien, Dr. Satoru Nagao (Hudson Research Institute, USA) analyzed: “Seaplanes are highly useful in the East Sea. During World War II, this was the type of vehicle used by both the US and Japan to patrol, transport troops and organize attacks to the islands without the need for an airport. “If China uses seaplanes, it can strengthen its ability to control many islands and features in the South China Sea, especially in military operations,” Nagao said.

Up to now, China has built airstrips at 3 reefs of Mischief, Subi and Fiery Cross that it is illegally occupying in the Spratly Islands under Vietnam’s sovereignty. However, there are no runways in many other entities in this region, so the AG600 is the solution for quick connectivity. Thus, the AG600 can not only help the PLA to land attacks on features controlled by other parties, but it can also send troops to illegally controlled reefs by China.

Type 071 amphibious ships during an exercise in the South China Sea Chinamil.com.cn

Many worrying developments

In addition, in March, the Global Times reported that the PLA Southern Theater Command had just held a training exercise in which the J-10 fighter jet conducted a flight lasting up to 24 hours. The report did not specify the training location of the J-10 fighter jet or the details of the 24-hour flight. However, the PLA’s Southern Theater Command has been assigned by Beijing to take charge of operations in the South China Sea.

Over the years, the PLA has continuously promoted long-range continuous flight capabilities for fighter pilots. In mid-2020, Global Times also reported that the PLA Southern War Zone dispatched Su-30 fighter jets to fly continuously for 10 hours in the South China Sea, the flight route extending to Subi Reef.

According to experts, long-term flying with bombers and transport aircraft is not too difficult, but it is a big challenge for fighter aircraft. If the fighter can also fly for a long time, it will be able to escort and support long-range bombers and transport aircraft. Therefore, increasing the fighter’s long-range operational capability can also support amphibious assault aircraft such as the AG600 in long-range attack campaigns.

The above-mentioned way helps to solve the situation of China is that even though it has an aircraft carrier, it is not possible to fully deploy aircraft carrier combat because the aircraft being used is too heavy and cannot carry many weapons. when taking off. In addition, along with conducting many activities that cause concern in the East Sea, the PLA has continuously increased amphibious warships of types such as Type 071, Type 075… Therefore, when China enhance the ability to attack by air and sea, the risk for East Sea becomes even bigger.