China’s Jin-Class sub caught on GoogleEarth 2 comments
Back when I was an avid fan of Tom Clancy’s books, I used to imagine what it was like looking at those “satellite imagery” and other hi-tech spy stuff. Nowadays, you can do the same thing via GoogleEarth. I wonder why the Chinese Navy didn’t have satellite schedules posted on their docks. Maybe this one’s just a mock-up. You can never be too sure. People have been fooling spy sats since the 60’s. But more to the point, I’m sure they wouldn’t have left this out in the open unless it was their intention for people to see it. Saber-rattling is an old technique to tell the other side that “yes, we are serious so don’t mess with us”, and with the recent successful test of ASAT technology, China may well be just doing that. Tactically it has little effect. You can see submarines on their docks, but when the time comes that they sortie, they will just submerge and be out of sight of your spy sats — that is, unless you’re putting a sub patrol to guard them near the dock as they go underway. I just love subtle military tactics. It’s like chess played on a larger scale. It’s the politics and politicians that mar it.
2 Responses to 'China’s Jin-Class sub caught on GoogleEarth'
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Amateur espionage at it’s finest
The thing is the images on Google Earth are not on real time. Some are even two years old. I also love doing this stuff when I am bored. I am a big military hardware nut and I have checked out most of the military bases around the world. I remember the times when we used to be able to view bombers and fighters on US military bases but I noticed they’ve blurred it out now recently. You should check out the ships we have on Sangley Point, even from the sky it looks deplorable.