November 17, 2012: Chinese efforts to claim all of the South
China Sea and then keep all foreign naval forces out have
usually been explained in economic terms. There are a lot of
valuable fishing grounds in that area, not to mention oil and
gas deposits under the sea bed. But another benefit is to
provide secure patrol areas for its noisy (and thus easy for
nearby anti-submarine forces to detect) SSBNs (nuclear powered
ballistic missile carrying subs). While it is 13,000 kilometers
from the South China Sea to Washington, DC and the longest range
of SLBMs (submarine launched ballistic missiles) is 11,000
kilometers (for the American Trident missile), a longer range
SLBM could be built. That would be easier than mastering the
much more complex technology of making SSBNs quiet enough to
avoid detection by American subs and aircraft. While this sounds
like a desperate solution, China does not have too many other
good options. In the last year several Chinese JL (Julang) 2
SLBM (Sea Launched Ballistic Missile) we