Yes and yes. Though in second case it might not be a linear transition.
China Coast Guard and Patrol vessels
- Thread starter crobato
- Start date
kwaigonegin
Colonel
Gentleman, I think it's silly to make comparisons between China and neighboring countries in terms of tonnage or quantities. The fact of the matter is China will have any many cutters as it deem necessary in their operational and strategic planning and as budgeting allows. PERIOD!
To assume why China need X many ships when others doesn't or vis a vis Japan is like asking why the USCG is what it is when Canada and Mexico doesn't even have 1/25 of what the USCG does yet their coastlines are similarly huge as well!
Also by it's very nature a CG ship is not intended to confront an actual naval vessel in a conflict. Primary goal of the coast guard is mainly to safeguard a countries's coastline and EEZ, law enforcement, maritime security, rescue operations and thwarting criminal activities in the high seas!
A cutter no matter how big can't and won't be used to confront a submarine, destroyer, cruiser etc!!!! You don't need to load it up with crazy weaponry to fight off local pirates, drug runners or human smugglers etc.
If the day ever comes where CG vessels are the only ones left to fight off a destroyer, SSN etc guess what? the war is already lost!
To assume why China need X many ships when others doesn't or vis a vis Japan is like asking why the USCG is what it is when Canada and Mexico doesn't even have 1/25 of what the USCG does yet their coastlines are similarly huge as well!
Also by it's very nature a CG ship is not intended to confront an actual naval vessel in a conflict. Primary goal of the coast guard is mainly to safeguard a countries's coastline and EEZ, law enforcement, maritime security, rescue operations and thwarting criminal activities in the high seas!
A cutter no matter how big can't and won't be used to confront a submarine, destroyer, cruiser etc!!!! You don't need to load it up with crazy weaponry to fight off local pirates, drug runners or human smugglers etc.
If the day ever comes where CG vessels are the only ones left to fight off a destroyer, SSN etc guess what? the war is already lost!
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Ah, but during any major war, your larger cutters will probably be enlisted as light duty escorts for convoys and coastal patrol duties and uparmed for those duties accordingly so that they free up frigates and corvettes for other more pressing war time duties.
We did so during World War II, as did many other nations. I expect if another major war were to break out involving major maritime powers, we (and other nations) would do so again.
So having larger Coast Cuard cutters that are capable of doing this does add to your naval reserve capacity if ever called upon.
And, IMHO, it is clear that at least with the National Defense Cutters, the Offshore Patrol Cutters, the Fast Response Cutters, and even the MArine Protector class harbor partrol cutters, that the US Coast Guard is prepared for that contingency in their armament, their sensors and their communications suites.
I suspect these "cutters" are not exactly for guarding the coast. Perhaps the Chinese intend to transfer its Indian Ocean anti-piracy patrol mission from the Navy to the coast guard? It also seem possible the Chinese envision routine long distance shipments of extremely sensitive cargo for which a constant naval escort would be too diplomatically touchy, like nuclear fuel and spent fuel rods?
joshuatree
Captain
What about CG guarding the coastlines against say a sub trying to sneak into its waters during wartime?
Also, let's not discount the ability to upgrade weapons on these larger cutters if needed.
China is importing natural uranium and not exporting nuclear waste. The Chinese built reactors in Pakistan can be reached over land. Are there any other Chinese built reactors outside China?
Equation
Lieutenant General
Given the route of land access from China to Pakistan, which appear to pass through the northern tribal region near Afghanistan, it might be much safer to ship the stuff by sea.
BTW, China could supply the reactor fuel or receive the spent fuel rods even if it is not actually building or operating the reactors in question.
Blackstone
Brigadier
China has no religious or ideological difficulties with tribal chiefs, and they don't mind paying off locals for protection, so pipelines in the Pakistan-Afghanistan lawless regions might be worth the risks.