China is building nuclear submarines at the fastest pace in history, putting the US Navy in a dire situation

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

中国、原子力潜水艦を史上最速のペースで建造　米海軍の状況は深刻

2026.02.17 Tue posted at 16:31 JST

 （CNN） 中国は過去5年間で原子力潜水艦の生産を増強し、米国よりも速いペースで進水させている。この動きは、長らく米国が保持してきた海軍力の優位性を覆す脅威となっていると、英シンクタンク「国際戦略研究所（IISS）」の新たな報告書が指摘した。

 報告書によると、この人民解放軍海軍の増強には、弾道ミサイル原潜と攻撃型原潜の両方が含まれている。

 2021年から25年にかけて建造された中国の原潜は、進水数（10隻対7隻）、排水量（7万9000トン対5万5500トン）ともに米国を上回るという。報告書は、造船所の衛星画像を用いて中国の建造量を推定している。

 中国政府は艦隊数を公表していない。

 IISSは、中国が排水量2万3000トンの原潜3隻を増備したに過ぎなかった16年から20年とは著しい変化だと分析する。米海軍は同時期に5万5500トンを7隻増備した。

 これらの数字は、進水した潜水艦を示しているのであって、必ずしも完成しているわけではなく、現役艦隊に追加されたわけでもない。現役艦隊では依然として米国が大きな優位性を維持している。

 IISSの「ミリタリー・バランス2025」によると、25年初頭時点で中国は12隻の原潜を運用しており、6隻が弾道ミサイル原潜、6隻が誘導ミサイルまたは攻撃型原潜。米国は合計65隻を保有しており、そのうち14隻が弾道ミサイル原潜だ。

 中国は大規模な通常動力潜水艦隊も保有しており、その数は46隻に上る。

 一方で米国は通常動力潜水艦を保有していない。通常動力型は定期的な燃料補給が必要となる。

 中国政府は原潜艦隊を増強するため、同国北部にある渤海船舶重工の葫芦島造船所を大幅に拡張したという。

 これに先立ち、議会調査局（CRS）は先月議会に提出した報告書で、米海軍はバージニア級攻撃型原潜を年間2隻建造するという目標から大きく遅れており、22年以降、米国の造船所は年間1.1～1.2隻しか納入していないと指摘していた。

 「海上に潜水艦が多数存在する状況は、（米国や他の西側諸国が）自国の生産量増加に苦慮する中で、ますます大きな課題となっている」とIISSの報告書は述べている。

 報告書は、葫芦島の造船所で進水した094型弾道ミサイル原潜（SSBN）2隻を取り上げている。核弾頭搭載弾道ミサイルの発射能力を備えた094型は、拡大する中国の三元戦略核戦力を構成する大陸間弾道ミサイル（ICBM）と爆撃機を強化するものだとIISSは指摘する。

 中国はさらに優れた096型SSBNも開発中だという。

 一方で報告書は、「中国の設計は、品質の面で米国や欧州の潜水艦にほぼ確実に後れをとっている」とも述べている。

 中国の最新鋭潜水艦は米国製ほど静粛性が高くないと見られており、ステルス性という点では米海軍が優位に立っている。

 それでも専門家は、海戦では大軍が勝利するのが通例だと指摘する。そして中国はすでに駆逐艦、フリゲート艦、水上戦闘艦からなる世界最大の艦隊を保有している。

 フェラン米海軍長官は昨夏、下院の公聴会で、海軍の建造状況は深刻だと述べ、最善の計画でさえ6カ月遅れで予算を57%超過していると証言した。

 CRSの報告書は今後5年間の潜水艦数について、老朽化したロサンゼルス級攻撃型原潜の退役に伴い、米国の攻撃型の数は30年に「谷底」の47隻に落ち込むとしている。

 今後の潜水艦戦力の「谷」は、「SSN（攻撃型原潜）部隊の運用上の負担が増大し、中国などの潜在的敵対国に対する通常抑止が弱まる時期につながる可能性がある」と報告書は指摘している。

Translation

China is building nuclear submarines at the fastest pace in history, putting the US Navy in a dire situation.

(CNN) China had ramped up nuclear submarine production over the past five years, launching them at a faster pace than the United States. This move threatened to overturn the US's long-held naval superiority, according to a new report from a British think tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

 The report noted that the People's Liberation Army Navy's expansion included both ballistic missile and attack submarines.

 Between 2021 and 2025 China's nuclear submarines building surpassed those of the United States in both launch numbers (10 vs. 7) and displacement (79,000 tons vs. 55,500 tons). The report used satellite imagery of shipyards to estimate China's construction volume.

The Chinese government had not publicly released the size of its fleet.

The IISS analyzed that this was a significant change compared with from 2016 to 2020 when China added only three 23,000-ton nuclear submarines. The U.S. Navy added seven 55,500-ton submarines during the same period.

 These figures represented submarines launched, not necessarily completed or added to the active fleet. The U.S. still maintained a significant advantage in the active fleet.

 According to the IISS's Military Balance 2025 report, as of early 2025, China operated 12 nuclear submarines: six ballistic missile submarines and six guided missile or attack submarines. The United States had a total of 65 submarines, 14 of which were ballistic missile submarines.

 China also had a large conventional submarine fleet, numbering 46.

 The United States, on the other hand, did not operate conventional submarines, which require regular refueling.

 The Chinese government had reportedly significantly expanded the Bohai (渤海) Shipbuilding Industry Co.'s Huludao (葫芦島) Shipyard in northern China in order to strengthen its nuclear submarine fleet.

 Prior to that, in a report submitted to a Congressional meeting last month, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) noted that the U.S. Navy was falling far behind its goal in building two Virginia-class attack submarines per year, with U.S. shipyards only delivering 1.1 to 1.2 submarines per year since 2022.

 The IISS report stated that "The presence of a large number of submarines at sea is becoming an increasingly big issue as the countries (the United States and other Western countries) are struggling to increase its own production. "

The report highlighted two Type 094 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) launched at the Huludao shipyard. The IISS noted that the Type 094s that was capable of launching nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles would enhance China's expanding strategic nuclear triad of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and bombers.

 China was also reportedly developing the even more advanced Type 096 SSBN.

 However, the report also stated that "Chinese designs and in terms of quality are almost certainly lagging behind the U.S. and European submarines.”

 China's most advanced submarines were not believed to be as quiet as U.S.-made ones and in terms of stealth, the US Navy had the upper hand.

 Still, experts pointed out that larger forces usually win naval battles. And China already possesses the world's largest fleet of destroyers, frigates, and surface combatants.

 Last summer, U.S. Navy Secretary Phelan testified at a House of Representatives hearing to say that the Navy's construction situation was dire, with even the best-laid plans it was six months behind schedule and 57% over budget.

 Regarding submarine numbers over the next five years, the CRS report predicted that the number of U.S. attack submarines would fall to a "nadir" of 47 by 2030 as the aging Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarines were to retire.

The report said that the upcoming submarine force " nadir " could "lead to a period of increased operational strain on the SSN (nuclear attack submarine) force and weakened conventional deterrence against potential adversaries such as China".

              So, China has ramped up nuclear submarine production over the past five years, launching them at a faster pace than the United States. Apparently, this move will threaten to overturn the US's long-held naval superiority and weaken conventional deterrence against potential adversaries such as China.

Note:

1. An SSN is a nuclear-powered general-purpose attack submarine. SSN is the US Navy hull classification symbol for such vessels. SS means "Submarine, General" according to the NATO Standard Ship Designator System (STANAG 1166) with SSN referring to a "Submarine Attack Nuclear" vessel. The "SS" designator is consistent with other examples of STANAG 1166 using double letter referring to a type of vessel – for example, "BB" designates a Battleships, "DD" is a Destroyer, "CC" a Cruiser, "FF" a Frigate, and so on. (Wikipedia)

中國深山之中，一個核武復興正在成形（2/2）

Recently the New York Times reported the following:

China Nuclear Site (Credit: The NYT)

Deep in China’s Mountains, a Nuclear Revival Takes Shape (2/2)

Satellite imagery of secretive nuclear facilities reveals Beijing’s efforts to expand its arsenal, just as the last global guardrails on nuclear weapons vanish

The NYT - By Chris Buckley and Agnes Chang

 Feb. 15, 2026

(continue)

The sites in Sichuan were built six decades ago as part of Mao Zedong’s “Third Front,” a project to shield China’s nuclear weapons production labs and plants from strikes by the United States or the Soviet Union.

Tens of thousands of scientists, engineers and workers labored in secret to carve into the mountainous interior what Danny B. Stillman, an American nuclear scientist who visited the area, later called, in a coauthored book, “an inland nuclear empire.”

When China’s tensions with Washington and Moscow subsided in the 1980s, many “Third Front” nuclear facilities closed or shrank, and often their scientists moved to a new weapons lab in the nearby city of Mianyang. Sites like Pingtong and Zitong continued operating, but change in the years that followed was piecemeal, reflecting China’s policy then of keeping a relatively small nuclear arsenal, said Dr. Babiarz.

That era of restraint faded from about seven years ago. China began rapidly building or upgrading many nuclear weapons facilities, and construction at the sites in Sichuan also accelerated, Dr. Babiarz said. The buildup includes a vast laser ignition lab in Mianyang that could be used to study nuclear warheads without detonating actual weapons.

The design of the Pingtong complex suggests that it is being used to make the pits of nuclear warheads — the metal core, usually containing plutonium — according to Dr. Babiarz. He noted that its architecture was similar to that of pit making facilities in other countries, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States.

In Zitong, the new bunkers and ramparts are likely being used to test “high explosives,” experts say, referring to the chemical compounds that detonate to create the conditions for a chain reaction in nuclear materials.

“You have a layer of high explosives and the shock wave at the same time implodes into the center. This needs blast tests to perfect them,” said Hui Zhang, a physicist who researches China’s nuclear programs at the Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University, who examined Dr. Babiarz’s findings.

The complex includes an oval area about the size of 10 basketball courts.

The precise objective of these upgrades remains a subject of debate. Dr. Zhang said satellite imagery alone offers limited information. “We don’t know how many warheads have been produced, but we just see the plant expansion,” he said.

Some of the recent changes may simply reflect upgrades for safety, said Dr. Zhang, the author of a new book, ‘The Untold Story of China’s Nuclear Weapon Development and Testing.’ Chinese nuclear engineers may also need more facilities and test areas at Zitong to modify warhead designs for new weapons, such as submarine-launched missiles, he said.

One major concern for Washington is how this larger, more modern arsenal might change China’s behavior in a crisis, particularly over Taiwan.

China wants to be “in the position where they believe they’re largely immune from nuclear coercion by the United States,” said Michael S. Chase, a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for China who is now a senior political scientist at RAND. “I think they probably judge that could come into play in a conventional conflict over Taiwan.”

Translation

中國深山之中，一個核武復興正在成形（2/2）

衛星影像顯示，北京正試圖擴充其核武庫，此時，全球核武的最後一道阻止欄已不復存在。

（繼續）

四川的這些設施建於六十年前，是毛澤東「第三戰線」計劃的一部分，旨在保護中國的核武生產實驗室和工廠免受美國或蘇聯的打擊。

數萬名科學家、工程師和工人秘密地在四川山區開墾出一片土地，正如曾到訪該地區的美國核科學家Danny B. Stillman後來在與人合著的一本書中所說的 “內陸核帝國” 。

Babiarz博士說，1980年代，隨著中國與華盛頓和莫斯科的緊張關係緩和，許多「第三戰線」的核設施關閉或縮減規模，其科學家通常被轉移到附近Mianyang市新建的武器實驗室。Pingtong和Zitong等設施繼續運行，但隨後幾年的變化是零星的，這反映了當時中國保持相對較小的核武庫的政策。

這種克制的時代大約在七年前結束。Babiarz博士表示，中國已開始快速建造或升級眾多核武設施，四川的建設速度也顯著加快。這些設施包括Mianyang一座規模龐大的雷射點火實驗室，該實驗室可用於在不引爆實際武器的情況下研究核彈頭。

Babiarz博士指出，Pingtong綜合設施的設計表明，它正被用於製造核彈頭的彈芯 - 通常含有鈽的金屬核心。他提到該設施的建築結構與其他國家的彈芯製造設施類似，包括美國洛斯阿拉莫斯國家實驗室。

專家表示，在Zitong，新建的掩體和圍牆很可能用於測試“高爆炸藥”，這裡指的是能夠在核材料中引爆以產生連鎖反應條件的化學化合物。

曾審閱Babiarz博士的研究成果的哈佛大學甘迺迪政府學院的研究中國核子計劃的物理學家Hui Zhang說道:「核彈頭有一層高爆炸藥，衝擊波同時會向中心內爆。這需要透過爆炸試驗來完善」。

該設施包括一個橢圓形區域，面積約相當於10個籃球場。

這些升級的具體目的仍有爭議。Zhang博士表示，因只有衛星影像故提供的資訊有限。 他說:「我們不知道已經生產了多少枚核彈頭，我們只看到工廠在擴建中」。

Zhang博士是新書《中國核武研發與實驗秘史》的作者，他表示，最近的一些變化可能只是反影為了提高安全性。他還說，中國核子工程師可能還需要在Zitong建造更多的設施和試驗場地，以便改善新型武器例如潛射飛彈的彈頭設計。

華盛頓的主要擔憂之一是，中國擁有規模更大、更現代化的核武庫，這可能會在危機發生時，尤其是在台灣問題上，改變中國的行為。

RAND高級政治學家、前美國國防部負責中國事務的副助理部長Michael S. Chase表示，中國希望「讓自己相信已處於一種基本不受美國核脅迫的位置」; 「我認為他們可能認為，在圍繞台灣的常規衝突中這會發揮作用」。

So, in valleys of southwest China is accelerating its nuclear buildup. One such valley is known as Zitong while the other valley is Pingtong. The precise objective of these upgrades remains a subject of debate. One major concern for Washington is how this larger, more modern arsenal might change China’s behavior in a crisis, particularly over Taiwan. Some US experts think China wants to be in the position where they believe they’re largely immune from nuclear coercion by the United States, and believes that position could come into play during a conventional conflict over Taiwan. Apparently, China is updating its nuclear arsenal.

中國深山之中，一個核武復興正在成形（1/2）

Recently the New York Times reported the following:

Zitong Nuclear site compared (Credit: the NYT)

Deep in China’s Mountains, a Nuclear Revival Takes Shape (1/2)

Satellite imagery of secretive nuclear facilities reveals Beijing’s efforts to expand its arsenal, just as the last global guardrails on nuclear weapons vanish.

The NYT - By Chris Buckley and Agnes Chang

 Feb. 15, 2026

In the lush, misty valleys of southwest China, satellite imagery reveals the country’s accelerating nuclear buildup, a force designed for a new age of superpower rivalry.

One such valley is known as Zitong, in Sichuan Province, where engineers have been building new bunkers and ramparts. A new complex bristles with pipes, suggesting the facility handles highly hazardous materials.

Another valley is home to a double-fenced facility known as Pingtong, where experts believe China is making plutonium-packed cores of nuclear warheads. The main structure, dominated by a 360-foot-high ventilation stack, has been refurbished in recent years with new vents and heat dispersers. More construction is underway next to it.

Above the Pingtong facility entrance, a hallmark exhortation of China’s leader, Xi Jinping, appears in characters so large they are visible from space: “Stay true to the founding cause and always remember our mission.”

These are among several secretive nuclear-related sites in Sichuan Province that have expanded and undergone upgrades in recent years.

China’s buildup complicates efforts to revive global arms controls after the expiration of the final remaining nuclear arms treaty between the United States and Russia. Washington argues that any successor agreements must also bind China, but Beijing has shown no interest.

“The changes we see on the ground at these sites align with China’s broader goals of becoming a global superpower. Nuclear weapons are an integral part of that,” said Renny Babiarz, a geospatial intelligence expert who has analyzed satellite images and other visual evidence of the sites and shared his findings with The New York Times.

He likened each nuclear location across China to a piece of a mosaic that, seen as a whole, shows a pattern of rapid growth. “There’s been evolution at all of these sites, but broadly speaking, that change accelerated starting from 2019,” he said.

China’s nuclear expansion has been a growing source of tension with the United States. Thomas G. DiNanno, the State Department’s under secretary for arms control and international security, this month publicly accused China of secretly conducting “nuclear explosive tests” in contravention of a global moratorium. Beijing has rejected the claim as untrue, and experts have debated how strong the evidence is for Mr. DiNanno’s assertions.

China had more than 600 nuclear warheads by the end of 2024 and is on track to have 1,000 by 2030, according to the Pentagon’s latest annual estimate. China’s stockpile is much smaller than the many thousands held by the United States and Russia, but its growth is still troublesome, said Matthew Sharp, a former State Department official who is now a senior fellow at the Center for Nuclear Security Policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“I think without a real dialogue on these topics, which we lack, it’s really hard to say where it’s going, and that, for me, is dangerous,” he said, “because now we’re forced to react and plan around the worst-case interpretation of a concerning trend line.”

(to be continued)

Translation

中國深山之中，一個核武復興正在成形（1/2）

衛星影像顯示，北京正試圖擴充其核武庫，此時，全球核武的最後一道阻止欄已不復存在。

在中國西南部翠綠、霧氣繚繞的山谷中，衛星圖像揭示了中國正在加速推進的核武庫建設，這股力量旨在應對新時代的超級大國競爭。

四川省的Zitong谷便是其中之一，工程師們正在那裡建造新的掩體和防禦工事。一個新建築群內部管道密佈，顯示該設施正在處理高危險物質。

另一個山谷中坐落著一座名為Pingtong的有雙層圍欄設施，專家認為中國正在那裡製造裝有鈽的核彈頭核心。這座以高達360英尺（約110公尺）的通風煙囪為主體的設施，近年來經過翻新，增設了新的通風口和散熱裝置。其旁邊正在進行更多建設。

在Pingtong設施入口上方，赫然醒目地鎘刻著中國領導人習近平的一句標誌性訓誡：「不忘初心，不忘使命」， 其字號之大，甚至從太空都能清晰可見。

這些設施只是四川省近年來擴建和升級的眾多秘密核子設施之一。

隨著美俄之間僅存的核武條約到期，中國的核武庫建設使得重啟全球軍控的努力變得更加複雜。華盛頓方面認為，任何後續協議都必須對中國具有約束力，但北京方面對此毫無興趣。

地理空間情報專家Renny Babiarz說道:「我們在這些地點觀察到的實際情況與中國成為全球超級大國的宏偉目標相符。核武是其中不可或缺的一部分」。他分析了衛星影像和其他相關視覺證據，並將研究結果分享給《紐約時報》。

他將中國各地的核設施比喻為合組成的圖案中的一塊，整體來看，呈現出快速發展的模式。 他說:「所有這些地點都在不斷演變，但總的來說，這種變化從2019年開始加速」。

中國的核子擴張已成為中美關係日益緊張的根源。本月，美國國務院負責軍控和國際安全的副國務卿Thomas G. DiNanno公開指責中國違反全球暫停核試驗協議，秘密進行「核爆試驗」。北京方面否認了這項指控，專家們也對DiNanno先生的說法究竟有多少證據支持展開了辯論。

根據五角大廈最新的年度估算，到2024年底，中國將擁有超過600枚核彈頭，預計在2030年達到1,000枚。麻省理工學院核安政策中心高級研究員、前國務院官員Matthew Sharp表示，中國的核武庫規模遠小於美國和俄羅斯數以千計的核彈頭，但其成長速度仍令人擔憂。

他說道:“我認為，如果我們缺乏就這些議題展開真正的對話（而這正是我們所欠缺的），就很難預測事態的發展方向，而這對我來說是危險的”，“因為現在我們不得不根據令人擔憂的趨勢線的最壞情況來做出反應和製定計劃。”

（待續）

目前哪些國家擁有核武？

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Which countries currently have nuclear weapons?

The Canadian Press - The Associated Press

Tue, June 17, 2025 at 6:30 a.m. PDT·1 min read

 Nine countries currently either say they have nuclear weapons or are believed to possess them.

The first to have nuclear arms were the five original nuclear weapons states — the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom.

All five are signatories to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which commits countries that don't have nuclear arms not to build or obtain them, and those that do to “pursue negotiations in good faith” aimed at nuclear disarmament.

Rivals India and Pakistan, which haven't signed the NPT, have built up their nuclear arsenals over the years. India was the first to conduct a nuclear test in 1974, followed by another in 1998. Pakistan followed with its own nuclear tests just a few weeks later.

Israel, which also hasn't signed the NPT, has never acknowledged having nuclear weapons but is widely believed to.

North Korea joined the NPT in 1985 but announced its withdrawal from the treaty in 2003, citing what it called U.S. aggression. Since 2006, it has conducted a string of nuclear tests.

Iran long has insisted its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only and U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing the bomb now. But it has in recent years been enriching uranium to up to 60% purity — near weapons-grade levels of 90%.

In an annual assessment released this week, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimated that the nine countries had the following stockpiles of military nuclear warheads as of January:

Russia: 4,309

United States: 3,700

China: 600

France: 290

United Kingdom: 225

India: 180

Pakistan: 170

Israel: 90

North Korea: 50

 

Translation

目前哪些國家擁有核武？

目前有九個國家聲稱擁有核武或被認為擁有核武。

最早擁有核武的是五個最原本的核武國家－美國、俄羅斯、中國、法國和英國。

這五個國家都是《核不擴散條約》的締約國，該條約要求沒有核武器的國家不製造或獲得核武器，而擁有核武器的國家則 “真誠地進行談判” ， 以實現核裁軍。

尚未簽署《核不擴散條約》的競爭對手 - 印度和巴基斯坦多年來一直在不斷增強其核武庫。印度於1974年率先進行核子試驗，隨後於1998年進行了第二次核子試驗。巴基斯坦在幾週後也進行了核子試驗。

以色列同樣沒有簽署《核不擴散條約》，從未承認擁有核武器，但外界普遍認為它擁有核武。

北韓於1985年加入《核不擴散條約》，但於2003年宣布退出條約，理由是其所謂的美國侵略行為。自2006年以來，北韓進行了一系列核試驗。

伊朗長期以來堅稱其核計劃僅用於和平目的，美國情報機構評估認為，德黑蘭目前並未積極尋求核彈。但近年來，伊朗一直在將鈾濃縮至純度高達60% - 接近武器級的 90%水平。

斯德哥爾摩國際和平研究所本週發布的年度評估報告估計，截至今年1月，這九個國家的軍用核彈頭庫存如下：

俄羅斯：4309枚

美國：3700枚

中國：600枚

法國：290枚

英國：225枚

印度：180枚

巴基斯坦：170枚

以色列：90枚

北韓：50枚

So, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that nine countries have military nuclear warheads. I am wondering which other countries will try to obtain nuclear weapon in the coming decades for self defense as the balance of power is shifting globally, for example South Korea or Japan in response to North Korean nuclear threats in Asia, and Germany or Ukraine against Russia in Europe.

以色列使用 F-35I「阿迪爾」隱形戰鬥機打擊伊朗核計劃，其每小時飛行成本高達4.4萬美元 (2/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Israel targeted Iran's nuclear program with F-35I Adir stealth fighter jets that cost $44,000 per hour to fly (2/2)

Business Insider - Talia Lakritz

Fri, June 13, 2025 at 9:04 a.m. PDT·7 min read

(continue)

In November 2023, Israel's F-35I Adir fighter jets took down a missile fired by an Iran-backed group in Yemen, according to the IDF.

It was the first known intercept of a cruise missile by an F-35 plane.

The Israeli Air Force released footage of the encounter on X, writing in Hebrew that its personnel are "preoccupied at every moment with planning and managing the defense response and are prepared for any threat in any area."

Iran appeared to target the Nevatim air base, which houses Israel's fleet of F-35I jets, during an attack in April 2024.

Out of the over 350 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles, launched at Israel by Iran and its proxies in Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon, around 99% were intercepted by Israel and its allies. The IDF released photos showing minor damage near a runway at the Nevatim Airbase and to a road in Hermon caused by the few projectiles that landed.

The missiles appeared to target Israel's Nevatim Airbase in the Negev desert, which houses its fleet of F-35I stealth fighter jets. The base remained operational throughout the attack, according to the IDF, with the Adir fighter jets aiding the defensive mission.

"Iran thought it would be able to paralyze the base and thus damage our air capabilities, but it failed," IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a statement.

On Thursday, the Israeli Air Force launched over 200 fighter jets, including F-35I planes, in a preemptive strike targeting Iran's nuclear program.

An IDF spokesperson said that Israeli fighter jets struck over 100 sites across Iran on Thursday to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon, including military targets and its largest uranium enrichment site in Natanz.

The IDF said that Iran's nuclear program has "accelerated significantly" in recent months and called it "clear evidence that the Iranian regime is operating to obtain a nuclear weapon." Iran maintains that its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes.

"This is a critical operation to prevent an existential threat by an enemy who is intent on destroying us," Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the IDF's Chief of the General Staff, said in a statement.

The IDF released photos showing planes used in the large-scale operation, including F-35I jets.

Iran launched a retaliatory attack with over 100 drones on Friday morning, which were mostly intercepted by Israeli forces, the IDF said.

The ongoing war in Gaza has prompted new scrutiny of US military aid to Israel.

The October 7 terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas killed around 1,200 Israelis and captured over 240. Around 53 hostages remain in Gaza, though it is unknown how many are still alive.

Israel's counteroffensive airstrikes and military actions in Gaza have resulted in over 55,000 Palestinian fatalities, according to figures provided to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs by the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza. The IDF reports that 17,000 of these fatalities were Hamas militants.

According to the United Nationals Relief and Works Agency, over 1.9 million Gazans, around 90% of the population, have been displaced by the war.

The devastating human toll of the war in Gaza with US-funded planes like the F-35I has prompted new scrutiny of US aid to Israel, with some lawmakers in Congress raising the possibility of conditioning military and economic aid.

Translation

以色列使用 F-35I「阿迪爾」隱形戰鬥機打擊伊朗核計劃，其每小時飛行成本高達4.4萬美元 (2/2)

（繼續）

據以色列國防軍 (IDF)稱，2023年11月，以色列的F-35I「阿迪爾」戰鬥機在也門擊落了一枚由伊朗支持的組織發射的飛彈。

這是已知的F-35戰機首次攔截巡航飛彈。

以色列空軍在X頻道發布了這次遭遇戰的錄像，並用希伯來語寫道，其人員「時刻專注於規劃和管理防禦響應，並做好了應對任何地區的任何威脅」。

2024年4月，伊朗似乎將以色列安置 F-35I 戰鬥機機隊的 Nevatim 空軍基地作為攻擊目標。

伊朗及其在伊拉克、葉門和黎巴嫩的代理人向以色列發射了350多枚彈道飛彈、巡航飛彈和無人機，其中約99%被以色列及其盟友攔截。以色列國防軍公佈的照片顯示，有少量落下的發射物體對Nevatim 空軍基地的一條跑道, 以及對在Hermon的一條道路造成了輕微損壞。

這些飛彈似乎瞄準了位於 Negev 沙漠的以色列 Nevatim 空軍基地，該基地駐紮著以色列的F-35I隱形戰鬥機機隊。據以色列國防軍稱，該基地在整個攻擊過程中保持運作，阿迪爾戰鬥機協助執行防禦任務。

以色列國防軍發言人 Daniel Hagari 少將發表聲明稱： “伊朗以為能夠癱瘓該基地，從而削弱我們的空中力量，但最終失敗了。”

週四，以色列空軍出動超過 200 架戰鬥機，包括F-35I戰鬥機，對伊朗核計劃進行先發制人的攻擊。

以色列國防軍發言人表示，以色列戰鬥機週四襲擊了伊朗境內100多個設施，以阻止其發展核武器，其中包括軍事目標和位於 Natanz 的最大鈾濃縮設施。

以色列國防軍表示，伊朗核計劃近幾個月 “顯著加速” ，並稱這是“伊朗政權正為獲取核武而行動的明確證據” 。伊朗堅稱其核子計劃僅用於民用目的。

以色列國防軍總參謀長 Eyal Zamir 中將在一份聲明中表示： “這是一次至關重要的行動，旨在防止敵人對我們造成生存威脅，他們意圖摧毀我們。”

以色列國防軍公佈了此次大規模行動中使用的飛機照片，其中包括 F-35I 戰鬥機。

以色列國防軍表示，伊朗週五上午發動了超過100架無人機的報復性攻擊，大部分被以色列軍隊攔截。

持續不斷的加薩戰爭促使美國對以色列的軍事援助再次受到審查。

10月7日，哈馬斯發動的恐怖攻擊造成約 1,200 名以色列人死亡，240多人被俘。目前約有53名人質仍被扣留在加沙，但尚不清楚有多少人還活著。

根據哈馬斯控制的加薩衛生部向聯合國人道事務協調廳提供的數據，以色列在加薩的反攻空襲和軍事行動已造成超過 5.5 萬名巴勒斯坦人死亡。以色列國防軍報告稱，其中1.7萬名死者是哈馬斯武裝分子。

據聯合國近東巴勒斯坦難民救濟和工程處稱，超過 190 萬加薩人因戰爭而流離失所，約佔加薩總人口的90%。

美國資助的 F-35I 等戰機在加薩地帶作戰造成了毀滅性的人員傷亡，這促使美國重新審視對以色列的援助，一些國會議員提出了對軍事和經濟援助附加條件的可能性。

              So, Israel recently launches a pre-emptive strike against Iran's nuclear program with its fleet of F-35I stealth fighter jets. The Israeli plane is known as "Adir” which means "Mighty One”. It has advanced stealth capabilities. Israel believes that Iran's nuclear program has "accelerated significantly" in recent months and that the Iranian regime is operating to obtain a nuclear weapon although Iran maintains that its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes. Apparently, Iran’s intention to obtain weapon-grade uranium is causing tension in the region.

以色列使用 F-35I「阿迪爾」隱形戰鬥機打擊伊朗核子計劃，每小時飛行成本高達4.4萬美元（1/2）

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Israel targeted Iran's nuclear program with F-35I Adir stealth fighter jets that cost $44,000 per hour to fly (1/2)

Business Insider - Talia Lakritz

Fri, June 13, 2025 at 9:04 a.m. PDT·7 min read

Israel launched a preemptive strike against Iran's nuclear program on Thursday with its fleet of F-35I stealth fighter jets on the front lines.

The Israeli variant of the US-made Lockheed Martin Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter plane is known as "Adir," meaning "Mighty One" in Hebrew. With advanced stealth capabilities and a customized electronic warfare system, the F-35I is one of the most powerful tools in Israel's air defense arsenal.

In addition to Israel's assault on Iran, the Israeli planes also took down a missile fired by an Iran-backed group in Yemen in 2023 and intercepted hundreds of drones, missiles, and rockets fired by Iran in a retaliatory attack in 2024, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Here's a closer look at the "Mighty One" military aircraft.

F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets, produced by Lockheed Martin, are some of the most advanced military aircraft in the world.

The F-35 stores its weapons and fuel internally, and its aligned edges and radar-absorbent coating also help the aircraft evade detection. The planes cost $44,000 per hour to fly, The National Interest reported in January.

They feature advanced stealth and information-processing capabilities and can reach supersonic speeds of Mach 1.6, or 548.8 meters per second.

Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn A. Hewson said in 2018 that the planes "can fly in what we call 'beast mode,' carrying up to 18,000 pounds of internal and external ordnance, in a mix that can include 5,000-pound-class weapons."

In 2016, Israel became the first country other than the US to acquire F-35 fighter jets.

Israel was the first country to select the model through the US Foreign Military Sales process and bought 50 planes, according to Lockheed Martin.

Israel has made significant modifications to the jets.

Israel manufactures its own wings and electronic warfare system for the F-35I. It also developed its own version of the high-tech helmet that displays the plane's airspeed, altitude, targeting information, and other crucial stats directly on the pilot's visor.

The Israeli Air Force named its F-35I variant "Adir," meaning "Mighty One" in Hebrew.

The Israeli Air Force also added a six-pointed Star of David to the design, a Jewish symbol that also appears on the Israeli flag.

In 2018, Israel became the first country to use the F-35I in combat, its air force chief said.

"We are flying the F-35 all over the Middle East and have already attacked twice on two different fronts," then-Israeli Air Force chief Major-General Amikam Norkin said in a speech at a gathering of foreign air force leaders, Reuters reported.

In July 2023, Israel acquired an additional 25 Adir planes in a $3 billion deal.

The deal was financed through the military aid Israel receives from the US, Reuters reported.

(to be continued)

Translation

以色列使用 F-35I「阿迪爾」隱形戰鬥機打擊伊朗核子計劃，每小時飛行成本高達4.4萬美元（1/2）

以色列週四用部署在前線的 F-35I 隱形戰鬥機機隊對伊朗核計劃發動先發制人的攻擊，。

這款美國製造的洛克希德·馬丁 “閃電II” 聯合攻擊戰鬥機的以色列版本被稱為“阿迪爾” (Adir)，在希伯來語中意為 “強者”。憑藉先進的隱形能力和度身定做的電子戰系統，F-35I 是以色列防空武器庫中最強大的武器之一。

據以色列國防軍稱，除了以色列對伊朗的襲擊外，以色列戰機還在2023年擊落了一枚由伊朗支持的也門組織發射的飛彈，並在2024年攔截了伊朗在報復性襲擊中發射的數百架無人機、飛彈和火箭。

讓我們來近距離看看「強者」軍用飛機。

由洛克希德·馬丁公司生產的 F-35「閃電」II 隱形戰鬥機是世界上最先進的軍用飛機之一。

F-35 將武器和燃料儲存在內部，其對齊邊緣設計和吸雷達波塗層也有助於飛機躲避偵測。根據《國家利益》雜誌1月報道，這些飛機的飛行成本為每小時4.4萬美元。

它們具有先進的隱身和資訊處理能力，可以達到1.6馬赫（即每秒548.8公尺）的超音速。

洛克希德·馬丁公司執行長 Marillyn A. Hewson 在2018年表示，這些飛機「可以以我們所謂的『野獸模式』飛行，攜帶高達18,000磅 的內部和外部彈藥，其中可包括5 ,000 磅級武器。」

2016年，以色列成為除美國以外第一個採購F-35戰鬥機的國家。

據洛克希德·馬丁公司稱，以色列是第一個透過美國對外軍售程序選擇該型號的國家，並購買了50架飛機。

以色列對這些戰機進行了重大改裝。

以色列為 F-35I 製造了自己的機翼和電子戰系統。它還開發了自主研發的高科技頭盔，可以直接在飛行員的護目鏡上顯示飛機的飛行速度、高度、目標資訊和其他關鍵數據。

以色列空軍將其F-35I 型號命名為 “Adir”，在希伯來語中意為“強者”。

以色列空軍也在設計中加入了六角大衛之星，這是猶太教的象徵，也出現在以色列國旗上。

以色列空軍司令表示，2018年，以色列成為第一個在實戰中使用 F-35I 的國家。

據路透社報道，時任以色列空軍司令 Amikam Norkin 少將在一次外國空軍領導人聚會上的講話中表示： “我們正在駕駛F-35戰機飛越中東各地，並且已經在兩個不同的戰線上發動了兩次襲擊。”

2023年7月，以色列又用30億美元的價格購買了25架「阿迪爾」戰機。

根據路透社報道，這筆交易的資金來自以色列從美國獲得的軍事援助。

（待續）

Note:

1. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II ( F-35閃電II戰鬥機) is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both air superiority and strike missions, it also has electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Lockheed Martin is the prime F-35 contractor with principal partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. (Wikipedia)

2. The F-35I is a model used by the Israeli Air Force, nicknamed ADIR, which means "Almighty" in Hebrew. The prototype of the aircraft is the F-35A, and the internal avionics system is equipped with a dedicated C4I module developed by Israel Aerospace Industries when the plane leaves the factory. (Wikipedia)

分析：印巴衝突為中國提供豐富的情報機會（2/2）

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Analysis-India-Pakistan conflict offers rich intelligence opportunity for China (2/2)

Reuters - Greg Torode

Fri, May 9, 2025 at 2:50 a.m. PDT·5 min read

(continue)

MISSILE DEPLOYMENTS

Chinese military intelligence teams would be eager to garner information on any Indian use of air defences and launches of cruise and ballistic missiles - not just in terms of flight paths and accuracy but command and control information, analysts and diplomats say.

Any deployment of India's BrahMos supersonic cruise missile - a weapon it developed jointly with Russia - would be of particular interest, some analysts say, given they do not believe it has been used in combat.

China has also beefed up its intelligence gathering at sea. It has been increasingly active in the Indian Ocean in recent years, with China deploying space tracking ships as well as oceanographic research and fishing vessels on extended deployments, open source intelligence trackers say.

Regional diplomats say that while the Chinese navy has been relatively cautious about extensive warship deployments into the Indian Ocean, still lacking a broad network of bases, it actively seeks intelligence with these other vessels.

Over the last week, some trackers noted unusually large fleets of Chinese fishing vessels moving apparently in unison to within 120 nautical miles of Indian naval drills in the Arabian Sea as tensions rose with Pakistan.

Pentagon reports on China's military modernisation and analysts note that China's fishing fleets routinely perform a coordinated militia function that plays an important intelligence gathering role.

"These vessels may double up as listening posts, tracking development rhythms and response patterns, feeding early warning, naval intel to their sponsors," wrote open source tracker Damien Symon in an X post that highlighted the deployment of 224 Chinese vessels near Indian naval exercises on May 1.

Chinese officials do not usually acknowledge the existence of fishing militia or intelligence work carried out by other nominally-civilian vessels.

Given its deep and broad strategic relationship with Pakistan, Beijing can also be expected to fully exploit its network of envoys and military teams there for key nuggets.

"The presence of Chinese military advisers and other personnel in Pakistan is well-known given how Pakistan's Ministry of Defence has been importing some of its most advanced military hardware from China, so we can be certain the PLA would be able to access relevant data," said James Char, a Chinese security scholar at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

 Translation

分析：印巴衝突為中國提供豐富的情報機會（2/2）

（繼續）

飛彈部署

 分析家和外交官表示，中國軍事情報團隊渴望收集有關印度使用防空系統和發射巡航飛彈和彈道道彈的資訊 - 不僅是飛行路徑和準確性，還包括指揮和控制資訊。

一些分析人士表示，印度與俄羅斯聯合開發的「布拉莫斯」超音速巡航飛彈的任何部署都將引起特別的關注，因為他們認為該飛彈尚未用於戰鬥。

中國也加強了海上情報收集。公開來源情報追蹤者稱，近年來，中國在印度洋日益活躍，不僅部署了太空追蹤船，還擴展部署了海洋研究船和漁船。

地區外交官表示，儘管中國海軍對於在印度洋大規模部署軍艦持相對謹慎的態度，但由於缺乏廣泛的基地網絡，中國海軍積極與這些其他船隻尋求情報。

過去一周，隨著中巴緊張局勢加劇，一些追蹤者註意到，數量異常龐大的中國漁船隊似乎同步移動到距離印度海軍在阿拉伯海演習的 120 海裡範圍內。

五角大廈報告了中國的軍事現代化，分析人士指出，中國的漁船隊經常執行有協調的民兵職能，並發揮重要的情報收集作用。

開源追蹤者 Damien Symon 在 X 貼文中寫道：「這些船隻可能兼作監聽站，追蹤發展節奏和反應模式，向其背後支持者提供預警和海軍情報」; 該貼文重點介紹了 5 月 1 日在印度海軍演習附近有 224 艘中國船隻部署的情況。

中國官員通常不承認海上民兵的存在，也不承認其他名義上是民用的船隻進行情報工作。

鑑於北京與巴基斯坦深厚而廣泛的戰略關係，預計北京將充分利用其在巴基斯坦的特使和軍事團隊網絡來獲取關鍵資訊。

新加坡 S. Rajaratnam 國際研究院中國安全學者 James Char 表示： “鑑於巴基斯坦國防部一直從中國進口一些最先進的軍事硬件，中國軍事顧問和其他人員在巴基斯坦的存在是眾所周知的，因此我們可以肯定解放軍能夠獲取相關數據。”

              So, the recent conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir will offer China potentially rich intelligence. It is believed that China's military modernization has reached a point where it has the ability to scrutinize Indian actions in real time on land, in the Indian Ocean as well as from space. Apparently, the current conflict may offer China a rare opportunity to see how effective is their military hardware.

分析：印巴衝突為中國提供豐富的情報機會（1/2）

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Analysis-India-Pakistan conflict offers rich intelligence opportunity for China (1/2)

Reuters - Greg Torode

Fri, May 9, 2025 at 2:50 a.m. PDT·5 min read

HONG KONG (Reuters) - The conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir offers a potentially rich intelligence harvest for China in its own rivalry with India as it gleans data from its fighter jets and other weapons used in action by Pakistan.

Security analysts and diplomats say China's military modernisation has reached a point where it has the ability to deeply scrutinise Indian actions in real time from its border installations and Indian Ocean fleets as well as from space.

"From an intelligence perspective, this is a rare target of opportunity right on China's borders involving a key potential adversary," said Singapore-based security analyst Alexander Neill.

Two U.S. officials said a Chinese-made J-10 Pakistani jet fighter shot down at least two Indian military planes - one of them a French-made Rafale fighter. India has not acknowledged the loss of any of its planes while Pakistan's defence and foreign ministers have confirmed the use of J-10 aircraft but not commented on which missiles or other weapons were used.

The aerial clash is a rare opportunity for militaries around the world to study the performance of pilots, fighter jets and air-to-air missiles in active combat, and use that knowledge to prepare their own air forces for battle.

Competing regional giants and nuclear powers, India and China are widely seen as long-term strategic rivals, sharing a 3,800 (2,400 mile) Himalayan border that has been disputed since the 1950s and sparked a brief war in 1962.

The most recent standoff - that started in 2020 - thawed in October as the two sides struck a patrolling agreement.

Security analysts say both sides have taken steps to strengthen their military facilities and capabilities along the border, but it is also from above that China packs an intelligence gathering punch.

The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) notes that China now fields 267 satellites - including 115 devoted to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and a further 81 that monitor military electronic and signals information. It is a network that dwarfs its regional rivals, including India, and is second only to the U.S..

"Both in terms of space and missile tracking capabilities, China is much better off now in terms of being able to monitor things as they happen," said Neill, who is an adjunct fellow at Hawaii's Pacific Forum think-tank.

China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' questions about the deployment of its military satellites and other questions about its intelligence gathering.

Pakistan's military media wing and information minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment on any information sharing with China.

Pakistan has previously said it has an "all-weather strategic, cooperative partnership" with China.

India has not commented on the issue, but its top diplomat in Britain, High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami, told Sky News on Thursday that China's relationship with Pakistan was not a concern for India.

 "China requires a relationship with all of its neighbours, that includes us," he said.

(to be continued)

Translation

分析：印巴衝突為中國提供豐富的情報機會（1/2）

香港（路透社）—印度和巴基斯坦在克什米爾問題上的衝突為中國在與印度的競爭中提供了潛在的豐富情報，因為中國可以從巴基斯坦在行動中使用的戰鬥機和其他武器中收集數據。

安全分析家和外交官表示，中國的軍事現代化已經達到了一定的程度，能夠從邊境設施、其印度洋的艦隊以及太空即時深入監視印度的行動。

以新加坡為基地的安全分析師 Alexander Neill 表示： “從情報角度來看，這是一個難得的機會，位於中國邊境，涉及一個關鍵的潛在對手。”

兩名美國官員稱，一架中國製造的殲-10巴基斯坦戰鬥機擊落至少兩架印度軍機，其中一架是法國製造的陣風戰鬥機。印度尚未承認損失任何飛機，而巴基斯坦國防部長和外交部長已確認使用了殲-10飛機，但沒有評論使用了哪種飛彈或其他武器。

這次空中衝突為世界各國軍隊提供了一個難得的機會，讓他們可以研究飛行員、戰鬥機和空對空飛彈在實戰中的表現，並利用這些知識為自己的空軍做好戰鬥準備。

印度和中國都是地區大國和擁核國家，被廣泛視為長期戰略對手，兩國共享 3,800 公尺（2,400 英里）長的喜馬拉雅邊界，自 1950 年代以來一直存在爭議，並於 1962 年引發了一場短暫的戰爭。

最近的一次對峙始於 2020 年，隨著雙方達成巡邏協議，對峙於 10 月得到緩解。

安全分析人士表示，雙方都已採取措施加強邊境的軍事設施和能力，但上述措施對中國的情報收集也有巨大作用或影響。

總部位於倫敦的國際戰略研究所（IISS）指出，中國目前擁有 267 顆衛星，其中 115 顆用於情報、監視和偵察，另外 81 顆則用於監視軍事電子和訊號訊息。這個網路規模遠遠超過包括印度在內的地區競爭對手，僅次於美國。

Neill 是夏威夷太平洋論壇 智庫的兼職研究員，他說： “無論是在太空還是導彈跟踪能力方面，中國現在都能夠更好地監控事件的發生。”

中國國防部沒有立即回應路透社關於其軍事衛星部署和其他情報收集的問題。

巴基斯坦軍事媒體部門和資訊部長沒有立即回應就與中國共享資訊發表評論的請求。

巴基斯坦先前曾表示，與中國建立了「全天候戰略合作夥伴關係」。

印度尚未對此事發表評論，但其駐英國高級外交官 Vikram Doraiswami 週四告訴天空新聞，中國與巴基斯坦的關係不是印度關心的問題。

他說： “中國需要與所有鄰國建立關係，這包括我們。”

（待續）

衛星影像顯示中國正在興建的秘密指揮中心「北京軍城」。它可能是世界上最大的。 （2/2）

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Satellite images show 'Beijing Military City,' the secretive command center China is building. It may be the world's largest. (2/2)

Business Insider - Lauren Frias

Wed, April 16, 2025 at 11:07 a.m. PDT·5 min read

(continue)

A covert construction project

In June 2024, the construction site hardly resembled what it looked like a little over a year earlier, with new tunnels and roadways surrounding a central block of land potentially reserved for the main complex building.

There are no official mentions of the construction site on Chinese government websites, and the Chinese embassy said they were not aware of the details of the new command center.

While there hasn't been any visible military presence at the complex, access to the facility is strictly prohibited.

Signs show that drones and pictures are not allowed near the site, and a checkpoint has blocked off the back of the site. People have also been banned from using hiking trails near the site.

 

World's biggest military command center

Brady Africk, the deputy director of Media Relations and Data Design at the American Enterprise Institute, posted a timelapse on X capturing the site's speedy build-up in just a year.

A former senior US intelligence official told the Financial Times that the new command center could replace China's existing military headquarters, which was built during the Cold War.

"The size, scale, and partially buried characteristics of the new facility suggest it will replace the Western Hills complex as the primary wartime command facility," the official said.

 

A potential 'doomsday bunker'

Aside from being the anticipated central hub of Chinese military operations, the former US official said the facility could also offer "greater security against US 'bunker buster' munitions" for Chinese officials in the event of war.

Renny Babiarz, a former imagery analyst at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, told the Financial Times that satellite images appeared to show about 100 cranes at the site constructing subterranean facilities and passageways.

With deep underground tunnels and spaces reinforced in concrete, a China researcher told the Financial Times that the complex had "all the hallmarks of a sensitive military facility."

 

"Nearly 10 times bigger than the Pentagon, it's fitting for Xi Jinping's ambitions to surpass the US," the researcher said. "This fortress only serves one purpose, which is to act as a doomsday bunker for China's increasingly sophisticated and capable military."

 

China's growing military ambitions

The new command center is the latest move that demonstrates China's advancing military ambitions. The Chinese People's Liberation Army set a goal to modernize the country's military by 2027.

As of mid-2024, the Pentagon estimated that China's Rocket Force likely had more than 600 operational nuclear warheads, and the figure is only expected to grow. Defense officials estimate China's nuclear arsenal could have as many as 1,500 deployed nuclear warheads by 2035 — roughly matching those of the US.

Translation

衛星影像顯示中國正在興建的秘密指揮中心「北京軍城」。它可能是世界上最大的。 （2/2）

（繼續）

一項隱密的建設項目

 

2024 年 6 月，施工現場與一年多前相比已大不相同，新的隧道和道路環繞著一塊可能為主要綜合建築預留的中心地塊。

中國政府網站上沒有關於該施工現場的官方信息，中國大使館表示他們不清楚新指揮中心的具體細節。

雖然建築群內沒有明顯的軍事存在，但嚴禁進入該設施。

施工地方有標誌顯示，無人機和照片不得靠近該地點，且檢查站已封鎖了該地點的後方。人們也被禁止使用在該地點附近的遠足路徑。

 

世界最大的軍事指揮中心

美國企業研究所 的 媒體關係和數據設計 副主任Brady Africk 在 X 上發布了一段延時攝影視頻，記錄了該網站在短短一年內快速發展的過程。

一位前美國高級情報官員向英國《金融時報》表示，新的指揮中心可能取代中國現有的冷戰時期建造的軍事總部。

這位官員說： “新設施的大小、規模和部分埋藏的特點表明，它將取代西山綜合設施 成為主要的戰時指揮設施。”

 

潛在的“末日地堡”

這位前美國官員表示，除了成為預期的中國軍事行動中心樞紐之外，一旦發生戰爭，該設施還可以為中國官員提供「更強的安全保障，抵禦美國『打擊地堡的武器』」。

美國國家地理空間情報局 前影像分析師 Renny Babiarz 向英國《金融時報》表示，衛星影像顯示，現場約有 100 台起重機正在建造地下設施和通道。

一位研究中國的人仕告訴英國《金融時報》，由於地下有深隧道和混凝土加固的空間，該建築群「具備敏感軍事設施的所有特徵」。

研究人員表示： “它的規模幾乎是五角大樓的10倍，這符合習近平超越美國的野心”; “這座堡壘只有一個目的，那就是作為中國日益先進和強大的軍隊的末日地堡。”

 

中國日益增長的軍事野心

新的指揮中心是展現中國日益增強的軍事野心的最新舉措。中國人民解放軍設定了2027年實現軍隊現代化的目標。

五角大廈估計，截至2024年中期，中國火箭部隊可能擁有超過600枚可操作的核彈頭，而且這一數字預計還會成長。國防官員估計，到2035年，中國的核武庫可能擁有多達1,500枚核彈頭，大致與美國相約。

              So, China is constructing a massive military headquarters about 20 miles southwest of the capital that will surpass the Pentagon in size. It could be a doomsday bunker for China. The new command center is the latest move that demonstrates China's advancing military ambitions.

衛星影像顯示中國正在興建的秘密指揮中心「北京軍城」。它可能是世界上最大的。 (1/2）

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Satellite images show 'Beijing Military City' , the secretive command center China is building. It may be the world's largest. (1/2)

Business Insider - Lauren Frias

Wed, April 16, 2025 at 11:07 a.m. PDT·5 min read

China is constructing a massive military headquarters that could surpass the Pentagon — famously known as the world's largest office building — in size.

Dubbed the "Beijing Military City," satellite images captured the rapid build-up of the secretive facility located about 20 miles southwest of the capital.

While there is no visible military presence around the complex, US intelligence officials believe the colossal complex could serve as a wartime command center and nuclear bunker. China is rapidly building a nuclear arsenal that, in a decade, could rival that of the US.

US-China tensions over Taiwan

China's increasing military presence in the East and South China Sea — particularly in proximity to Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines — prompted the US to counter Beijing's influence in the Indo-Pacific.

As both nations vie for influence in the region, the US has been running joint military exercises with allied nations to ready their forces to operate together.

Beijing has also increased its naval and air operations in waters near Taiwan, leading US military officials to deem them not as "exercises, they are rehearsals" for a forced reunification of Taiwan with mainland China.

Taiwan has bolstered its defense measures ahead of a potential invasion from China, which claims that the self-governing democracy is part of its territory.

With numerous short-range ballistic missiles and international ballistic missiles at its disposal, China's nuclear arsenal poses as much of a threat to global adversaries as it does to its neighbors. 

Before construction

The Financial Times first reported the complex's construction in January, showing satellite images of the site spanning nearly 2.5 miles.

In February 2022, the site was built in an area north of the Chongqing Reservoir that appeared to be residential, with large tracts of open land, according to satellite imagery.

Cleared out a year later

Satellite imagery taken in February 2023 showed the area largely cleared of residential buildings in preparation for major construction of the complex, which appeared to begin in mid-2024.

(to be continued)

Translation

衛星影像顯示中國正在興建的秘密指揮中心「北京軍城」。它可能是世界上最大的。 (1/2）

 

中國正在建造一座規模可能超過五角大廈 (世界出名的最大辦公大樓) 的大型軍事總部。

這座被稱為「北京軍城」的秘密設施位於北京西南約 20 英里處，衛星圖像捕捉到了其快速建設的景象。

雖然建築群周圍沒有明顯的軍事存在，但美國情報官員認為，這個龐大的建築群可以作為戰時指揮中心和防核地堡。中國正迅速建造核武庫，十年後其核武庫將可與美國匹敵。

美中在台灣的緊張關係

中國在東海和南海日益增強的軍事存在 - 特別是在靠近台灣、日本和菲律賓的地區 - 促使美國作出抗衡北京在印太地區的影響力。

由於兩國都在爭奪該地區的影響力，美國一直在與盟國舉行聯合軍事演習，為他們的軍隊做好聯合行動的準備。

北京也增加了在台灣附近海域的海空行動，導至美國軍方官員宣稱這些行動不是「演習，而是強制台灣與中國大陸統一的預演」。

面對中國可能入侵台灣，台灣已加強防禦措施，中國聲稱這個自治民主國家是其領土的一部分。

中國擁有許多短程彈道導彈和洲際彈道導彈，其核武庫對全球對手的威脅不亞於對鄰國的威脅。

施工前

英國《金融時報》於今年 1 月首次報導了該綜合大樓的建設情況，並展示了該綜合大樓綿延近 2.5 英里的衛星圖像。

2022年2月，該工地建在重慶水庫以北的一處區域，根據衛星影像，該區域似乎是住宅區，有大片空地。

一年後被清理

2023 年 2 月拍攝的衛星圖像顯示，該地區大部分住宅建築已被清理，為該綜合大樓的大規模建設做準備，建設似是於 2024 年中開始。

（待續）