A Flight Over the Spratlys

It is daybreak, precisely 0600H on 17 January 2007 at Antonio Bautista Air Base, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. The 7^th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 5^th Fighter Wing, Philippine Air Force is up and ready to launch a flight of four (4) Multi-Role Fighters (MRF). The four MRFs are well aligned inside the Air Defense Alert hangar, all configured for a possible encounter over the Kalayaan Island Group. Each MRF carries two Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missiles in the outboards and two anti-ship missiles in the inboards. All have centerline fuel tanks for at least thirty minutes loiter time over Pag-asa Island. The pilots appear to be in high spirits as they perform the final check before taxiing to the active runway. The crew chiefs snappily raise their thumbs up signaling the aircraft free of its tire chocks, armaments ready to fire and the aircraft safe to go. At Runway 09, the aircraft are positioned directly in front of the rising sun in the east, roar and roll by two’s in formation, and disappear as swallowed by the brightness of the rising summer sun.

A highly reliable source of information revealed that the People’s Republic Of China (PROC) Central Military Commission has directed the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to proceed with the immediate occupation of the remaining islets, shoals and reefs in their claimed areas in the South China Sea. The rapid industrialization in Mainland China coupled with the incessant increase in population had severely depleted food and mineral resources particularly oil and natural gas that would sustain its highly industrialized economy. As of January 2005, PROC is importing an average of one million barrels of crude oil everyday. In order to promote rapid and sustained economic growth, it is now high time for the Chinese to aggressively pursue their territorial claims in the South China Sea to enable them to explore and extract the rich resources available thereat. Earlier, discreet surveys conducted by the Chinese revealed the presence of considerable amount of oil and natural gas deposits that could well support the mainland in pursuing its avowed goal of becoming a strong and wealthy nation that is respected as a great power in the world and as the preeminent power in Asia.

China has so far been successful in occupying strategic positions in the South China Sea amidst the constant protests of other claimant countries. The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and other regional bodies had been relatively successful in delaying the timetable of China. The Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, crafted shortly before the turn of the new millennium, had considerably slowed down the efforts of the PLA Navy (PLAN) in occupying the remaining reefs and shoals included in their list. The two structures in Mischief Reef, however, have posed a deterrent and prevented the other claimants from pursuing their own construction and other activities in the area. Moreover, they were able to utilize the facilities to expand fishing expeditions and other maritime activities that could economically and militarily benefit Mainland China. Unable to further occupy other reefs and shoals, the PLAN devoted its efforts in strengthening the facilities they have established in Johnson, Fiery Cross, and Subi, among others. As of the year 2006, all the Chinese facilities in their occupied islets, reefs and shoals are equipped with surface-to-air missiles (SAM) such as the SA-15. China has acquired a total of 135 SA-15 self-propelled SAM or the Tor M1. The missile has eight 9M331 SAMs capable of engaging targets traveling at a speed of up to 700m/s up to a maximum altitude of 6 km and out to maximum range of 12 km. China continues to purchase from Russia two variants of the SA-10 GRUMBLE long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system and has also developed a number of indigenous air defense systems including the HQ-9 advanced long-range SAM and the HQ-7 short-range tactical SAM. The HQ-9 is intended to counter high performance aircraft, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles. The HQ-7, also known as the FM-80, includes both land-based and naval variants.

Likewise, state-of-the-art communication systems and Electronic Warfare (EW) equipment can be found in almost all major facilities of PLA in the South China Sea. The PLA would employ EW assets to support all echelons through the use of electronic countermeasures (ECM) consisting of active and passive jamming of communications and non-communication targets, and electronic support measures (ESM) consisting of intercept and direction finding system and physical destruction of the enemy’s communication and non-communication systems. The PLA would use EW to support military operations by denying or degrading enemy use of radar and communications systems, as well as protecting friendly use of the electromagnetic spectrum. The three-dimensional long-range radar facility in Mischief Reef Site 3 can adequately monitor any object not less than one square meter and not lower than 5,000 feet above sea level up to a distance of 300 nautical miles. This means that all aircraft taking off from Puerto Princesa could be seen in the radar displays by weapons controllers of the PLA from Mischief Reef upon reaching an altitude of over 5,000 ft. Since the last decade of the last century, the PLA has continuously developed its military base in the Paracels. It is now capable of launching fighters, bombers and tankers for extended flight operations anywhere in the South China Sea and even up to the heartland of the Philippines when necessary.

The flight leader of the four MRFs, after establishing its course to Pag-asa, reports,

"Bulldog Flight, on radial 275 degrees, 12 miles out, maintaining 2,500 ft."

"Roger, Bulldog Flight, Puerto standing by,"

responds the Squadron Commander who is at the Control tower to personally supervise the air operations. Four other MRFs are airborne from Basa Air Base on its way to Antonio Bautista Air Base to augment the only flight deployed in this western frontier. The Western Command declared red alert as of 0400H and everyone in the camp is on their battle dress uniform. A Philippine Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) departed Ulugan Bay, Palawan at 0530H and is expected to be in Pag-asa by 0600H the following day. Everybody appears geared for a possible outbreak of battle in the Kalayaan Island Group after the Command received a message from the General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo regarding an intelligence report that the PLA will occupy and take control of Pag-asa Island not later than 0800H 17 January 2007. A Long Range Patrol Aircraft (LRPA) was dispatched earlier to conduct surveillance of the Kalayaan Island Group and had reported sightings of four frigates and a destroyer about 25 miles west of Pag-asa as of 0530H.

The PLAN has grown to be the most powerful navy in Asia. Beijing relies heavily on its naval force for effective active offshore defense capability and to enhance its military stature in the region. China considers the safeguarding of its sovereignty along coastal and offshore waters, to include the East and South China Sea, an essential component of its national security and intends to further improve the ability of its navy to exercise sovereignty rights throughout these waters. The Chinese navy is now fully capable to perform comprehensive sea denial operations in its coastal waters. The Chinese Navy maintains a lap inventory of naval mines and is capable of conducting operations within the country’s coastal seas as well as offshore areas. Most of China’s surface ships are equipped with mine tails and are capable of laying mines as a secondary mission. China has acquired advanced propelled-warhead mines as well as submarine-launched mobile bottom mines, expanding the Navy’s standoff mining capabilities.

There are approximately 70 submarines of all types in the Chinese naval inventory. The quality and capabilities of China’s submarine fleet has considerably improved since the start of the new millennium through the assistance of Russian experts. Individual submarines have become more difficult to detect and are better armed. China’s submarine force has improved its offensive anti-surface warfare capability with the deployment of submarine-launched cruise missiles. China’s indigenously built diesel attack submarine, the SONG-class, has incorporated a significant amount of foreign technology. China has also continued construction of MING-class submarine, maintaining a number in its inventory as the obsolete ROMEO-class boats are retired. Recently, Beijing has completed the construction of a new class of nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) and a new class of nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN). Beijing’s acquisition of four KILO-class attack submarines from Russia has provided Chinese engineers with sophisticated technology on selected subsystems for reverse engineering.

The PLA Navy ships have considerably improved its Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities after acquiring new technology from France and Russia. France delivered dipping sonar to China in 1997. Beijing acquired KA-28 KAMOV ASW helicopters as part of the SOVREMENNY destroyers’ deal with Russia. These helicopters are also seen on board the LUHU destroyers and JIANGWEI frigates. The KILO-class submarines acquired from Russia will have a secondary ASW mission. China has an ongoing indigenous ASW projects through reverse engineering of acquired ASW-related equipment from Russia and France.

The Rapid Reaction Forces (RRFs) is an important component of China’s military might. These forces are responsible for a variety of missions and tasks, many of which require that they possess the capability to mobilize and deploy quickly. Currently they comprise about 25 % of the total PLA strength. The 15^th Airborne Corps is the primary strategic level rapid reaction unit for deployment during national contingencies. It is organized into four airborne divisions subordinate to the Chinese Air Force but controlled operationally by the Central Military Commission. Each Airborne Division is supported by a dedicated and co-located military transport regiment composed of a wide variety of transport aircraft from the Air Force’s 13^th Transport Division. At present, this unit is capable of transporting 12,000 troops or four airborne regiments.

China is continuing to improve its capabilities to conduct amphibious operations within the region. China’s fleet of about 100 amphibious ships conducts regular training exercises in coastal regions and in Chinese occupied islets in the Spratlys and is capable of landing 4 infantry divisions, depending on the mix of equipment and stores for resupply. China has conducted a large-scale amphibious exercise fully coordinated with air support and airborne operations. In one of the exercises in the South China Sea, civilian merchant fleets are utilized, considerably increasing the number of forces. China’s naval marine force consists of one marine brigade numbering some 5,000 personnel based in South Sea Fleet. Certain regular ground force units appear tailored, equipped and trained for maritime operations and to augment the marine force as needed.

China’s military strategy has been preparing for potential military contingencies along its southeastern flank, especially in Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. Thus, the goal of China is to field forces capable of deploying rapidly to fight and win future regional wars under high-technology conditions. The Persian Gulf War and the air war in Kosovo underscored for Beijing the need to improve the PLA’s ability to fight against an adversary who possesses advanced information technologies and long range, precision guided weapons. Chinese perceptions of an emerging military-technological revolution in the last decade of the last century have increased the urgency of gaining the capability to fight a high technology war.

The flight of MRFs is halfway to Pag-asa. It has established contact with the Philippine Navy OPV, which is also on its way to the Kalayaan Island Group. The Long Range Patrol Aircraft still airborne at that time had established data link with the MRFs as well as the Air Defense Operation Center (ADOC) at Villamor Air Base. The Chief of Staff, AFP is watching the big screen in the ADOC where real time video of Pag-asa island and vicinity transmitted by the Long Range Patrol Aircraft can be monitored. The same picture is on the Multifunction Displays of the MRFs.

"Bulldog Flight, Eagle 331," blurts the pilot of the LRPA.

"Eagle 331, this is Bulldog Flight, go ahead." "Do you have tally with the targets in your screen?" asks the LRPA pilot.

"Roger, tally ho!"

The LRPA was successful in transmitting the coordinates of the SOVREMENNY destroyer and four frigates through Global Positioning System data link to the MRFs. The fighter pilots on flight were made aware of the position of the surface targets but how about airborne bogeys?

China has in its inventory more than 100 Su-27 fighters, a frontline long-range offensive and defensive counter-air capability. Along with the upgraded J-7E, the F-8IIM, the FC-1 light multirole fighter, the newly commissioned J-10 indigenous fourth generation fighter, the J-12 (XXJ) large multirole fighter, the PLA Air Force is a formidable enemy over the South China Sea. China has in its inventory, air-to-air missile (AAM) that could be used to counter special mission aircraft such as the Airborne Warning and Control System and even the Joint Tactical Surveillance Targeting and Reconnaissance System of the US. At least 30 B-6 bombers have been converted as air-to-air refueling tankers, which could enable PLA aircraft to operate over the South China Sea for an extended period of time. PLA Navy combat aircraft have self-protection jamming systems for use against enemy fire control radar and missile seekers. Some aircraft have been modified to conduct offensive Electronic Warfare missions.

"Bulldog Flight, Eagle 331."

"Eagle 331, Bulldog flight, go ahead."

"Over Pag-asa this time, heading 090, angels one-five. I have bogeys at six o’clock firing IR missiles."

The LRPA is being engaged by two Su-27s, firing air-to-air missiles but missed after the automatic flare dispenser of the LRPA was activated confusing and misleading the incoming missiles.

The flight lead, tracked and locked on one of the Su-27s with the right wingman locked on the second Su-27 in their respective fire control radar, fired the BVR air-to-air missiles at 25 miles away. Splashed! The two Su-27s are gone.

"Bulldog Lead, Three."

"Bulldog Three, go ahead."

"Bulldog Three locked on targets."

The number 3 aircraft has the SOVREMENNY destroyer and one of the frigates in its fire control radarscope at 28 miles away and locked on both targets, ready to launch its anti-ship missiles. The Chinese destroyer fired its first salvo targeting facilities at Pag-asa Island. The Chinese invasion of the Spratlys begins.

"Bulldog four, locked on targets." The fourth MRF tracks and locked on the other two Chinese frigates.

"Bulldog two, locked on target." The second MRF has in his radarscope the fourth frigate.

"Roger, standby and ready to fire," commanded the Flight Lead. " NOW!" The MRF flight, on a tactical formation, simultaneously releases a total of five sea skimming anti-ship missiles and heads back to home base.

ooOoo

Cavalier Jose Tony E. Villarete

tete@homemail.com