Helicopters in the rescue efforts

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So, the recent tragic events in the Sichuan region has touched many of us. It has also revealed one of the weakest part of China and PLA's modernization. The SAR and transport fleet for PLA is really lacking. More importantly, China still does not have enough helicopters. The following excerpts in Chinese give a good idea of what PLA is contributing:

昌飞公司全力以赴保障抗灾救灾直升机使用

来　　源：
责任编辑：古新萍

2008年05月14日 【字体大小：大 中 小】


5月12日四川汶川地震灾害发生后，13日上午，昌飞公司接到驻厂空军代表室通知，南空8架直8K型直升机、十五军4架直8KA型直升机己经进入应急救援待命状态。昌飞公司领导立即召开了抗灾救灾应急救援直升机保障会议，当前一切工作以保障抗灾抢险为中心，对即将执行任务的12架搜救和运输直升机从人力资源、备件以及技术支持等方面做好了充分的安排，全力保障机队应急救援任务的完成，坚决做好售后服务和保障工作，履行军工企业服务国家、服务社会、服务人民的神圣职责，完成党和国家交给的抗灾抢险任务。（许国荣）

8K！

我航空救生部队首次参加抗震救灾

特约记者 伍轶 记者 谭洁
2008-05-16 20:07:15 来源：中国军网

我航空救生部队形成战斗力后首次在抗震救灾一线亮相，便以其高超的专业技能和先进的搜救装备大展身手，迅速搭建起抢救生命的空中通道。今天下午，记者登上某型专业搜救直升机，紧急飞赴地震重灾区绵竹运送物资和抢运伤员。

起飞！直升机拔地而起。"看，我们正在沿着这条红线飞。"
领航员段延超指着驾驶舱右下方的多普勒导航计算机告诉记者，陌生空域和航线都难不住他们，只要将着陆点的经纬度输入，沿着电子地图上的航线飞。

一望无际的云海、座座高山翠绿的褶皱间，直升机灵活地钻着山沟。这时，透过舷窗望去，白茫茫一片，能见度越来越低。"我们有明亮的眼睛--气象雷达，能显示一两百公里以外的气象情况。气象条件再恶劣也有充足的时间避开危险区域。专业搜救直升机上的应急飘浮系统，还可以使飞机出现险情后在水面上飘浮半小时。"团长李春辉镇定自若地说。

没有地面引导，没有对空指挥，茫茫大山中，如何保持信息畅通、准确搜索目标、确定机降位置？空中机械师张世峰不慌不忙在"对空广播"上插上话筒，开始向地面广播和喊话。"先进通信手段还有不少，紧急情况下可以用救生电台保持空地联络。"
他同时启动红外成像设备上下左右360度旋转搜索目标。"发现目标，准备降落！"

直升机平稳降落在重灾区的一块平地上，旋翼飞转，掀起阵阵旋风……等候已久的灾区群众马上聚集上来，开始紧张工作，随即，飞机盘旋升空，翻越一座座山岭，直飞成都。

截至目前，该团分布在2个机场4个机型战机已经出动23个架次，运送16名医护人员到灾区，成功运出58名受伤群众，给灾区带去了近10吨药品和食品等物资。

（中国军网成都5月16日电）

总参增调90余架直升机往灾区救援
因为天气转好，而且由于现场的道路情况短时间内无法改善，无论救援人员物资的的运送还是重伤员的转移，直升机都是最好的工具，因此总参从各军区调配90余架直升机，加上民航调派的估计有100多架直升机会加入救灾行列。

希望这次灾难能让我军及民航能更加的重视直升机建设，更多！更快！更强！

米-26今晨南下入川救灾
超大型直升机出动救灾http://www.huanqiu.com 来源：哈尔滨新闻网
正在加格达奇执行任务的国内目前唯一一架世界最大的直升机——米26直升机于昨晚返哈，经过短暂的检修维护后，今晨起程南下

哈尔滨新闻网讯（吴庆梅 黄丽娟 记者
王方遒）昨天下午2时许，两架直9直升机从哈飞机场腾空而起，奔赴4000多公里之外的四川地震灾区。作为哈尔滨飞机工业集团赴四川抗震救灾机队的"先行官"，它们将与其他5位"同门兄弟"一起投身抗震救灾战斗。

根据中国民航局部署，哈飞将派出7架（首批派出4架）直升机赴川接受国家抗震救灾指挥部调遣。

14日下午接到民航局调度命令后，哈飞立即决定由集团所属飞龙专业航空公司执行这一任务。昨天中午11时30分，7110号直9直升机从内蒙古扎兰屯赶回。维修和检修后，就同另一架直9紧急南飞。

同日下午，飞龙公司一架正在吉林执行任务的小松鼠直升机已直接赶往四川广汉机场。正在加格达奇执行任务的国内目前唯一一架世界最大的直升机——米26直升机于昨晚返哈，经过短暂的检修维护后，将于今晨起程南下。南下"第二梯队"也将在最快的时间集结到位，飞赴抗震救灾第一线。

另悉，目前有多架哈飞生产的飞机、直升机和三角翼飞行器奋战在四川抗震救灾一线。除直9系列直升机积极参与人员、物资运送外，运12系列通用飞机和三角翼飞行器也参与了空中遥感和观测等任务，为抗震救灾指挥安上了"千里眼"。

全军就12个陆航团，除去轻型直升机这次家底也抽的差不多了
南空搜救团和15军直8KA也已经上了

一、征用以下单位的部分直升机参加抗震救灾行动：东方通用航空公司米171、S76 或S92 等型直升机共计6架；江苏华宇通用航空公司A119、米171 等型直升机2 架；中信海洋直升机股份有限公司AS332、EC155、EC225、S365等型直升机12 架（其中备份1 架）；南航珠海直升机分公司S76型直升机6 架（其中备份1 架）；哈尔滨飞龙专业航空公司米8、米26、直九等型直升机6 架（其中备份2 架）；新疆开元通用航空公司米8 直升机2 架，共征用30 架，备份4 架原地待命。

You can see that PLA is sending 8 Z-8K from the 26th division and 4 Z-8KA from the 15th army over. Z-8K serves the role of SAR in PLAAF, whereas Z-8KA seems like heavy transports(don't have the SAR equipments). From what I can see, Z-8K series seems to be the domestic extension of Z-8F. Although not mentioned in the above quote, they sent out many of their Mi-8, Mi-171 and S-70 for this rescue mission. HAMC even sent a couple of their Z-9s + China's only Mi-26 over their to do relief. Including the 30 SAR helicopters of civilian ministries, 1/5 of all Chinese helicopters have been sent to disaster relief. Even so, they only have about 110 helicopters in the area and the sortie rate according to most people isn't so great. And worst of all, some of these helicopters, including Mi-26, are not even flown by Chinese. This disaster in many ways really have shown the weakness in PLA's helicopter force. PLAAF certainly needs to not only build up its helicopter force but also train the pilots needed to operate them.

With Mi-171 being so prominent in the recent rescue efforts, it really shows that China made a good decision in getting the local assembly for the helicopter. I suppose they will continue to build Z-8Ks, but it really doesn't make too much sense in the future to have both platforms unless Z-8s are specifically built for PLAN.

Aside of that, just some of the pictures from the past week. The third hull of Yuan is now in sea trials. Here are some of the photos for it.



And here are some pictures of 810, the minesweeper


And finally, 774 might be coming back to service soon.
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Updates from the past week

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Before we start going through some of the news from the past week, I'd first like to send my prayers and condolences to the victims of cyclone in Myanmar and the victims of the huge earthquake in Sichuan province.

Today, we just heard about the Mi-171 deal concluding with a company in Sichuan doing the assembly. As we mentioned in this blog, we first about this plan in one of the posters of this company. We also saw a picture of the first assembled Mi-171 on a Kanwa article last year. At the time, Kanwa was speculating that this deal may not go through because Russians are fearful that China would create another J-11B situation. However, from this report, it's clear that China has received a Z-9 type of deal where it could the rights to eventually produce everything locally and exporting the planes to third countries. The company that's doing the assembly was already doing maintenance and repairs for Mi-8/17 helicopters in PLA. Therefore, it shouldn't be a surprise it can raise the production to 20 for this year. The IL-76 problem didn't affect this deal, because China is still importing this under the civilian guise. China had been importing civilian Mi-17 variants and converting them to military version for the past few batches. They will probably still be getting the "civilian kits" (whatever that means) and modifying it to be able to fire rockets and such. If the production rate of Mi-171 does eventually reach 80, it certainly would represent quite an enhancement to PLA aviation. This deal probably also means that new Z-8 units will mostly be used for the navy. Recently, we had a picture of 920 medical ship with Z-8, so it seems like many of the large newly built ships will be getting new Z-8Ks. Therefore, this deal should also help the helicopter shortage situation with PLAN aviation. This deal also reminds me the recent Sokol helicopter deal, because of the way foreign helicopters were favored over domestic helicopters. In both cases, the foreign helicopter (Mi-171) got a huge local production contract due to their much lower cost rather than their technology level. Of course, the local helicopters in both cases are more expensive, because they were originally French helicopters. As mentioned in the past, Kazan/Ulan-Ude have basically cornered China's medium to super heavy transport helicopter market with Mi-17, Mi-26 and possibly Mi-38. The super light to medium helicopter market are all West assisted/inspired design or local production of Western designs. (including S-300, EC-120, Z-11, Sokol, CA-109, Z-9, Z-10, Z-15, 10 ton helicopter). We certainly have a clearer view of future of helicopter in PLA than we did a couple years ago. The only projects that I'm waiting for are Z-15, 10 ton helicopter and Mi-38.

Another interesting piece of news that came out today is the sale of K-8 to Venezuela. We also heard recently that China sold 12 K-8s to Zimbabwe and 6 already arrived in the country. K-8 has certainly become of one of China's leading export items. I guess it provides some hope for the L-15 project, because K-8 started out without any contract from China or Pakistan. Maybe in a couple of years, Hongdu will be able to win over the PLA brass with L-15 as it did with K-8. Countries like Venezuela, Egypt and Pakistan will certainly be more likely to buy L-15 after inducting K-8s.

The other big news is that SAC guarantees the large transport will have first flight by 2012. From all sources I have went through recently, it seems like this will be the domestic version of IL-76. There have been some speculations about transport with 60 ton capacity like C-17. It seems like SAC may have more than one project going. A Chinese IL-76 is the safe design that will be able to go in service relatively quickly (probably before 2015). They are also working on another design that will be more advanced, but probably would not go in service until 2020. From the numerous sources that I read, it seems like they are not only familiar with IL-76 design (after using it and maintaining it for so long), but also have the blue prints, some of the personnel and the necessary technology needed to set up production in SAC. In fact, one of the big shrimps on Chinese bbs recently said that the IL-76 factory in Kazakhstan provided this to China as a response to what they view as Russia trying to squeeze them out of IL-76 production (by moving all production to Russia). The large bypass turbofan engine project based on WS-10A is not that far away from completing and should be better than D-30 series (probably at PS-90 level).

The other engine news coming out recently is that WS-13 finished long duration test last year. It will probably take off with JF-17 this year and achieve design certification by 2009. Once it gets the production certification, China will have no more need/headache for RD-93. Note, they also have the WS-12 project ongoing which is in the same weight class, but a completely new design.

On the naval side of things, we saw some new pictures of F-22P coming out recently. It only confirmed the previous notion that FM-90N is the SAM for F-22P. We can see the launchers and the FCR for it installed since the last set of photos.



The more interesting news that came out is with regards to the new 130 MM naval gun. People often saying that China is not open enough, but this one is an example of how a yet to be seen weapon system is mentioned in an official source.

Zhou Bingwu (left) studying together with other technical personnel on compatible fire plans of naval gun.
　　The reporters learnt recently from a military representative office of the Armament Department of the PLA Navy that Zhou Bingwu, a senior engineer of this office, has tackled problems in key technologies, such as shell cases got jammed in gun barrel, and enabled one naval gun barrel to fire different types of artillery shells with different calibers, and realized automatic loading of separate-loading ammunition. At the end of April, this achievement passed the technical evaluation after it was put to test in a live ammunition range practice.

　　The naval gun experts at the range located at the northern foot of the Yin Mountain were amazed at this achievement, and they held that this achievement would turn naval gun into a multifunctional launching platform and make the gun be able to launch precise attack against long- and middle-distance targets automatically and from multi-directions, thus it is going to bring new life to naval guns. Cai Yuquan, leader of the naval gun expert team excitedly said, "This achievement has filled a technical blank in naval gun's firing field." At present, this achievement is in the process of applying for national scientific and technological innovation award.

　　Zhou Bingwu is over 50 years of age now and he started to carry out research on naval gun in 1993. Fiver years ago, he went to Beijing to report to the higher level on his research program of firing multi-types of shells with a single naval gun. In early 2005, the application for the development of a new type of large caliber ship-gun was approved, and a military-civilian joint research task force was established accordingly.

　　By Deng Xianwei and Jiang Ming

　　(May 8, PLA Daily) Editor: Fan Aifeng

The Chinese version of this article is similar, but also mentions that the shells are guided. It seems like this gun is being prepared for the new generation of destroyers that will start production in the near future. It will certainly be superior to the 100 mm and the 76 mm currently serving on the newer ships. It should be superior to existing PLAN guns in anti-surface warfare, land attack and also serve as CIWS in front of Type 730s. I have also read about the development of a 155 mm naval gun similar to the AGS (advance gun system) of DDG-1000.

And finally, we read about HH-9 and RIF-M engaging in training exercises recently. RIF-M hit all 6 targets in the test trial. The description of HH-9 tests were harder to decipher, but it seems like HH-9 was able to hit sea-skimming targets, BVR targets and concurrent engagements. The sea-skimming test was especially interesting, because the drone was wobbling (after loosing control of itself) toward the sea and HH-9 missile struck it as it entered the water. It stated the FCR tracked it, suddenly lost the track, tracked it again and then fired the missile to hit it. Apparently, this entire sequence from the tracking to destroying the targets took 10 to 20 seconds (he actually stated 1x seconds). If the entire process took closer to the 10 second marks, then I would think that is very good time for tracking, reacting, launching preparation, firing off and flight to the target. The Chinese are generally very pleased with the performance of HH-9. Like? Updates from the past week for wallpaper? Shar this image to Updates from the past week for your friend.

Thinking outside the box

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I think I'm going to talk about something a little different today. As we know, China has often been listed as America's most likely adversary in the future. I have often regarded military technology as the least of America's problems when considering China's new found economic strength.

The one threat that people have always brought up as China's leverage against America is the vast holding of gov't and agency bonds that China has invested in America. I think we've also heard about their investment into Black Rock (which has been a horrible investment) and Morgan Stanley. And with the currency appreciation being far more than the coupon rates, the actual rate of return is actually in the negatives. So, there is no question that Chinese sovereign fund would do a lot better buying Euros, Yens, minerals and other assets that are relatively liquid. People have called the threat of selling the holdings as a "financial/money nuke" against America as the biggest economic threat. Some have even advocated the idea of just voiding any of the holdings that China has in America. I disagree with both ideas and I will explain why. As anyone that deals with Fixed Income would know, there is a rating system by S&P and Moody for all bonds. US Treasury bonds is rated as AAA, because it is thought to be the safest of all investments. Consider this, UK treasury is AA rated despite also being considered risk free (I could be wrong on this). Either way, such a huge cancellation of bonds will certainly drop the rating of US Treasury bonds. With such a move, any financial firm in America that deals with bonds would have to re-engineer many models of programs that are predicated on the assumption US Treasury is AAA rated. A trouble in the ratings of US treasury bonds would immediately hit the values of any currently held US treasuries. The largest problem probably resides in the fact that the coupon rates for US Treasury would have to be raised (in general, yield is determined by the liquidity and risk factor of a bond) due to the higher risk factor. At the same time, with the loss of one of the biggest holders, the liquidity of US Treasury would also go down by a bit. The net result of cancellation of 300 billion USD worth of bond would be having to offer higher coupon rates (by maybe 50 to 100 basis point?) for the near future. Considering how much Treasury is in circulation to cover the US national debt (10 trillion). having to pay 4.5 or 5% instead of 4% would increase the value of coupon payments by over 10%. That would be an extra 50 to 100 billion in coupon payments per year. Over the long run, it's simply a loosing proposition to make such a move. Having covered that, let's look at the even bigger issue.

I know a lot of people think Ron Paul is crazy, but working in the financial field for the past year and half have made me realize a lot of stuff he says is actually valid. I think we all know about the huge national debt and the operating deficit of America. A typical excuse I often hear is that America was okay in the Regan years despite having higher operating deficit to GDP ratio. However, there is also the problem of paying for the social security program and retired gov't workers that people seem to ignore. If you divide that cost amongst average American families, you'd know how much money we each owe. So, the only way to possibly get past this is further debasing the currency by injecting more liquidity (printing money out of the thin air as Ron Paul calls). What people don't realize is that the money supply in America is expanding at a much faster rate than the productivity. So, that's why you see this huge devaluation in the currency and the inflation in food and gas. US Dollar became the dominant currency after WWII because it was the only currency tied to Gold. All the European countries also tied their currency to USD, so it would in effect also be tied to gold. Let's face it, how do you trust a piece of paper that your gov't forces you to use if there is nothing behind it? As a side note, if you collect all of your wealth in Nickels and melt that, you would actually end up with more money from selling the metals making up the nickels. (yep, each nickel is worth around 7 cent. So the treasury is spending more money to make less money, go figure that out) Aside from my snide comments, the strength of a currency is always weakened when the good/mineral backing the currency is weakened. This normally happens in wartime when the gov't needs to deflate the money to pay for debts. So, what happened to the link to the gold standard? Up until 1971, central banks traded gold amongst themselves at the value of $35 an ounce. Since this was not market based (not traded amongst the public), we got a problem where the liquidity in market far exceeded the amount of Fed holdings of gold x $35/ounce. So when the French came in 1971 and demanded gold for $35/ounce, Nixon simply said we don't have that much gold. The gold standard was dropped, so there really is nothing behind USD at the moment. Now, we can see from the history that many countries rose to prominence with the usage of gold or other rare-mineral to back their currency. This was true in the case of Persian empire, Alexander the Great, the Romans, British Empire and America. So, you might have asked by now how this has anything to do with China? Well, the reason is that some people are speculating a move by China toward gold standard. Of course, it doesn't seem to conform with the official policy of keeping currency lower for more exports. We do know that China has been a huge buyer of gold recently and that it has also become the world's top producer of gold (even more than South Africa). One might think that China is doing this as a better investment (and that's true), but you cannot think about what might happen if an economy as influential as the Chinese one is linked to the gold standard. Of note, it's generally believed that the official gold reserves reported by China is vastly less than what it actually has. Then, it would not be too much of a surprise that Yuan might surpass USD and Euro as the dominant currency in the future. I don't think one can underestimate such financial power.

I know this is an interesting change of topic for this blog, but I thought it might be a good time to change the focus a little bit and look at things from different angle. Of course, I'm not a financial expert by any stretch of imagination, so I'm sure a lot of you would disagree with what I wrote. Well, I will go back to my regular military stuff in the near future. Like? Thinking outside the box for wallpaper? Shar this image to Thinking outside the box for your friend.