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Chinese satellites
turn ‘dumb’ bombs into ‘smart’ bombs
By J. Michael Cole / Staff Reporter
Fears surrounding the commercial debut of the China’s Beidou satellite
navigation system last week have centered on the development by the Chinese
military in recent years of a bomb kit that can transform “dumb” bombs into
“smart” ones.
Chief among them is the Lei Shi-6 (LS-6) “Thunder Stone” precision-guided glide
bomb first unveiled by the Luoyang Optoelectro Technology Development Center in
late 2006. The guidance “fit,” which is attached to conventional bombs and has
deployable wings, can support a number of bomb weights, from 50kg to 500kg,
Jane’s Defence Weekly reported last year.
Once installed, a “dumb” bomb becomes a “standoff” maneuverable precision-guided
bomb similar to the US-developed Joint Attack Direct Munition (JDAM), which
relies on US satellites for guidance. Unlike laser-guided weapons, projectiles
using satellites for guidance can be used in any weather conditions.
According to Chinese media, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force
conducted a series of tests of the LS-6 on the Shenyang J-8B starting in 2006.
Relying on the navigation capabilities provided by the Beidou satellites,
aircraft pilots could limit their exposure to an enemy’s aircraft and air
defense system by releasing their smart bomb from a distance. The LS-6 has a
range of 40km when dropped at an altitude of 8,000m and 60km at 10,000m,
bringing its ordnance at a speed of Mach 1 to within 15m of a target.
Military experts have said that while Taiwan spends more than US$300 million per
Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) fire unit and missiles, the production of
guided bombs like as the LS-6 is substantially cheaper. The cost difference
means that a far greater number of smart bombs can be built than Taiwan’s
Patriot missile units can intercept, although this view does not take the other,
less expensive, layers of Taiwan’s air defense architecture into account.
LS-6 bombs could also be mounted on carrier-based aircraft, which China has been
developing, giving the People’s Liberation Army Navy a much wider angle from
which to direct bombs and missiles against Taiwan. This would severely undermine
the PAC-3’s ability to intercept them, given the limitations posed by the
Patriot radar’s 90-degree sector coverage.
The Taiwan Affairs Office last week denied the Beidou system would be used by
the Chinese military and played down reports in Taiwan that the satellites posed
a threat to the region.
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