Around silo field are more than 80 launch pads, bunkers and communications nodes visible around octagon installations to satellites.
Octagonal establishments, as per the satellite imagery, house army personnel and even large military vehicles
The installations enhance the Chinese ability to protect its desert silos and further the nuclear power’s minimal but credible nuclear deterrent
Days after the Chinese President cautioned his American counterpart on handling differences around Taiwan to avoid a ‘dangerous place’, satellite imagery reviewed by Reuters has highlighted infrastructural enhancements around China’s land-based nuclear forces, especially concerning three octagon-like installations surrounding the Hami nuclear silo field.
Hami nuclear silo field, located in China’s deserted northwest, is in Xinjiang province. Around this field are more than 80 launch pads, bunkers and communications nodes visible around octagon installations to satellites. The scale of infrastructural buildup is new according to Reuters.
What are the new buildups?
Of the three octagon installations, the novel buildups in contention surround two such octagons, both southwest of the Hami nuclear silo fields. These octagonal establishments, as per the satellite imagery, house army personnel and even large military vehicles.
Reuters adds that while a central building makes up the core complex, rings of buildings housing personnel make up the initial layer which are then surrounded by another layer whose primary usage remains unclear. Storing military vehicles and even launchers are possible uses.
Beyond this layer too are buildings with military vehicles and temporary structures visible even on the periphery.
These installations are further surrounded by fortified weapon-storage areas and armoured bunkers as per Reuters.
Notably, these are linked to the Hami silos through airfield and rail lines. Around one of the facilities, railway lines, a rail terminal, an airfield and possible fuel storage and reinforced bunkers were seen in the satellite images.
Third installation, according to Reuters, is less developed with images showing damaged earth and even mock-ups of western fighter jets as per a commercial provider of satellite imagery cited by the news agency. Therefore, it is understood to be a testing range.
While the five security experts interviewed by Reuters concur on the support to the Chinese military buildup from this recent buildup, they cautioned that- in the absence of any information on Chinese plans around weaponry for the launchpads- these sites could also support other military purposes.
Questions also remain if octagon establishments have mobile ballistic missiles placed on trucks or have facilities to fit nuclear warheads.
Why are these significant?
Key takeaway from the reportage remains the uncovering of vast networks connected to the octagons that are well entrenched into the desert. These routes are then connected to launch pads that, according to the satellite imagery accessed by Reuters, are placed amongst dry rocky outcrops and creekbeds.
According to security experts, these launchpads can be used for deploying mobile air-defense missiles, electronic warfare nodes and even mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launchers.
A senior fellow in nuclear policy at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace speaking to Reuters said “there is a real possibility that the octagonal structures and the strange towers are linked to C3 - command, control, and communications - as well as maintenance and storage activities related to China’s nuclear operations at the Hami ICBM silo site.”
The installations enhance the Chinese ability to protect its desert silos and further the nuclear power’s minimal but credible nuclear deterrent. China follows doctrinal no first use policy wherein it states publicly that it shall not start a nuclear attack first but commentators question if tensions over Taiwan would test this.
The presence of vast networks around the silo are read as defensive buildups that separate China from the likes of America and Russia that rely on first strike capabilities to a greater extent.
Herein, it is important to note that reports from the Pentagon say that even as China’s warhead production has slowed, it is ready to produce around 1,000 warheads by 2030. Also, across its three main silo fields, China has around 100 loaded ICBMs.
Citing American officials, Reuters further adds that China has been enhancing its early-warning system. Huoyan-1 satellites power a system that is capable of detecting an incoming ICBM within 90 seconds and can also communicate the same to the command centre in around three to four minutes. This gives China sufficient time to counter the incoming weaponry before being hit.
