China and the US rattled sabers over Taiwan. Arguably, they smacked sheathed sabers. A US Navy ship, USS William P. Lawrence, sailed past one of China’s military-stocked man-made islands with two Chinese jet escorts chasing it away. Chinese and Washington generals want to increase freedom of navigation and communication. Washington wants Taiwan to spend more on asymmetric military defense against China.
The US is concerned about China’s missiles preventing it from intervening should China invade Taiwan. Guam and Okinawa are supposedly at risk and could be denied access to Taiwan’s defense. This concern has activated a strong response from the US and Taiwan to prepare responses. The new US electromagnetic railgun is approaching its days of early deployment and already has active prototypes. It can travel 7 times the speed of sound, uses no explosive propellants, costs less money, allows transporters to carry more ammunition, can penetrate steel “like a hot knife through butter”, receives satellite and other guidance, and can be used as both an assault and anti-missile defense system.
So it would seem, just as China claims freedom of navigation in the South China Sea has given Beijing reason to erect islands, China has given the US the excuse it needs to deploy technology that blurs the lines between science and science fiction.
Increase military spending, US says | Taipei Times
Beijing blasts Pentagon report on Chinese military as damaging trust | Reuters
US report on Chinese military damages trust: Beijing | Taipei Times
Chinese missiles could deny US crisis intervention: report | Taipei Times
China, US generals to work out mechanism for South China Sea | WA Post
S. Korea’s Air Quality, Worst in World | Seoul Times
Navy Unveils Prototype Railguns | YouTube – CW6 San Diego
General Atomics – Blitzer Railgun Land-Based Mobile Combat Simulation [360p] | YouTube – arronlee33