News Mania Desk/ Agnibeena Ghosh/22nd June 2024
China has once again conducted a simulated attack on a United States military asset, this time targeting a Ticonderoga-Class Battle Cruiser patrolling the Red Sea. According to Knewz.com, the computer simulation suggested that at least six of China’s Fire Dragon missiles would be needed to sink a vessel like the USS Philippine Sea. The exercise involved firing 12 projectiles, initially guided by low-precision satellite images to locate the U.S. naval assets. As the missiles approached, they adjusted their courses to hit the ships precisely.
The Eurasian Times reports that the simulation considered the defensive capabilities of the U.S. vessels, including the radar-guided Phalanx cannon, which fires at a rate of 4,500 rounds per minute. Despite these defenses, the simulation resulted in the sinking of one of the U.S. ships. The exercise also utilized versions of the Fire Dragon missile equipped with six drones each, designed to confuse a ship’s radar and divert its firepower, enabling the actual explosive to strike its target.
The results of the simulation were seen as highly successful, with none of the simulated ships surviving the attack. The Fire Dragon missile, produced by China’s North Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO) and weighing 880 lbs, boasts high accuracy and an impact velocity exceeding 1,640 feet per second, according to the South China Morning Post. Li Jiangjiang, the senior author of the paper on the simulation, indicated that it would take two of these warheads to destroy a 10,000-ton Ticonderoga-Class Cruiser.
The only known sale of these missiles, valued at $245 million, was made to the United Arab Emirates. The Ticonderoga-Class vessels, initially commissioned in 1981 as destroyers, were later classified as cruisers due to their enhanced firepower. Out of the 27 units built, 13 remain in service today. These cruisers are equipped with a range of offensive and defensive mechanisms, including the PY-1A-powered AEGIS weapon system, which can automatically track and target threats over 200 miles away.
In addition to the AEGIS system, the ships carry up to 80 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), 16 anti-submarine rockets, and 26 Tomahawk cruise missiles. The Mk-41 Vertical Launching Systems (VLS) on board allow the vessel to store all its missiles in standby mode, increasing their lethality. The cruisers are also armed with two Phalanx cannons, two machine guns, and two torpedo tubes, and can accommodate two Seahawk helicopters.
Despite the impressive results of China’s simulation, the Ticonderoga-Class cruisers remain formidable adversaries. The U.S. has not yet commented on the test. This incident is not the first time China’s training for attacks on American assets has been publicized. In January 2024, Knewz.com reported satellite images of structures resembling the supercarrier Gerald Ford in China’s Taklamakan Desert. More recently, satellites captured another desert-bound mockup, this time of Taiwanese parliamentary buildings. These sightings have led experts to speculate that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could be swift, potentially over within 30 minutes.
The increasing sophistication and frequency of China’s simulated attacks on U.S. military assets underscore the growing tensions between the two nations. As China continues to enhance its military capabilities, these exercises serve as a reminder of the evolving nature of global military threats.
