The 2014 Pentagon Report on China

choi

Annual Report to Congress; Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2014. US Department of Defense, June 6, 2014.
www.defense.gov/pubs/2014_DoD_China_Report.pdf

Quote:

(a) "The LIAONING continued flight integration training throughout 2013, but it is not expected to embark an operational air wing until 2015 or later."  p 7

"China is fielding a limited but growing number of conventionally armed medium- range ballistic missiles, including the CSS-5 Mod 5 (DF-21D) anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM). The CSS-5 Mod 5 gives the PLA the capability to attack large ships, including aircraft carriers, in the western Pacific Ocean. The CSS-5 Mod 5 has a range exceeding 1,500 km and is armed with a maneuverable warhead."  p 7

"The JIN-class SSBN will eventually carry the JL-2 SLBM with an estimated range of 7,400 km."  p 30


"China is working on a range of technologies to attempt to counter U.S. and other countries’ ballistic missile defense systems, including MIRVs, decoys, chaff, jamming, and thermal shielding."  p 30

"As recently as ten years ago, several hundred short-range ballistic missiles might have ranged targets in Taiwan, but China effectively had no capability to strike many other locations in or beyond the first island chain (such as U.S. bases in Okinawa or Guam). Today, however, China has more than 1,000 conventionally armed ballistic missiles. U.S. bases on Okinawa are in range of a growing number of Chinese MRBMs, and Guam could potentially be reached by air-launched cruise missiles."  p 31

"China’s first fifth-generation fighter, the multi-role J-20, is not expected to enter service prior to 2018, and China faces numerous challenges to achieving full operational capability, including developing high-performance jet engines. China’s second fifth-generation fighter, the smaller but likely also multi-role, J-31, conducted its first flight in October 2012."  p 67

"The J-15, a carrier-based fighter modeled after the Russian Su-33, conducted its first takeoffs and landings from the LIAONING on November 26, 2012. By September 2013, J-15s were conducting full-stops and takeoffs with weapon loads at full maximum gross weights. Additional full-stop landings, ramp takeoffs, and storage of aircraft in the hangar bay below the flight deck continued in October. Although the J-15 has a land-based combat radius of 1,200 km, the aircraft will be limited in range and armament when operating from the carrier, because the ski-jump design does not provide as much airspeed and, therefore, lift at takeoff as a catapult design."  p 68

(b) "In recent years, the road-mobile, solid-propellant CSS-10 Mod 2 (DF-31A) ICBM has entered service. The CSS-10 Mod 2, with a range in excess of 11,200 km, can reach most locations within the continental United States. China also is developing a new road- mobile ICBM known as the Dong Feng-41 (DF-41), possibly capable of carrying multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV)."  p 7

"Within two years of the J-20 stealth fighter’s first flight in January 2011, China tested a second next-generation fighter prototype. The prototype, referred to as the J-31, is similar in size to a U.S. F-35 fighter and appears to incorporate design characteristics similar to the J-20. It conducted its first flight on October 31, 2012. At present, it is unclear if the J-31 is being developed for the PLAAF or the PLA Navy Air Force, or as an export platform to compete with the U.S. F-35."  p 9

My comment:
(a) According to the report, China seems to stand still in military capacities. The quotations in (a) are identical to last years, as far as I can recall. For example, China has not developed DF-31A, JL-1 or -2 missile for submarines, MIRV (standing for "multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle"), etc.
(b) At most the minor improvements are shown in (b). Again I can not recall what the 2013 report said about DF-41.
(c) Nothing in the report about Taiwan is new.