September 16, 2014: Strategy Page

China continues to have problems with its locally produced military jet engines. The biggest problems are with the WS-10 series, which was designed and produced in China and the government has been pressuring the aircraft manufacturers to use Chinese made engines like this instead of Russian imports. This has not been working out as the government wants. For example, the new Chinese carrier fighter, the J-15, is supposed to have a more powerful Chinese made engine so that it can carry more weight using the ski jump deck on the new Chinese carrier. The ski jump is a cheaper and less complex take off alternative to the steam catapult. One disadvantage of the ski jump deck is that it cannot launch aircraft as heavy as a catapult can. China has developed a more powerful version of their WS-10 engine (the WS-10H) for the J-15 but has only been seen in two J-15s. Most J-15s are still using Russian AL-31Fs. China keeps details of its WS-10 development secret, but they cannot hide which of their aircraft are using the WS-10 and which the Russian made AL-31s that the WS-10 is based on and is supposed to replace. It is obvious that not a lot of WS-10s are being installed and that indicates the quality control and reliability problems of the WS-10 persist despite government denials.

The first WS-10s began showing up in J-11s back in 2004. In 2010 China revealed that it was replacing the Russian engines in its J-10 fighter, installing Chinese made WS-10A in place of the Russian made AL-31FN. Shortly after that announcement China ordered another 123 AL-31FNs, to be delivered by 2012. More AL-31s have been ordered but at the same time more Chinese fighters were being seen with WS-10s. Despite that the demand for AL-31s, based on the number of modern jet fighters China wants to build, is exceeding the Russian engine building capacity.

The Chinese claim the WS-10A is superior to the AL-31F, even though the WS-10A copied a lot of the Russian technology. The Chinese say they have improved on that. For example, as delivered from Russia, the original AL-31 was good for 900 hours of operation. The Chinese claim their engineers figured out how to tweak the design of the engine so that it would last for 1,500 hours. Russia has since improved their basic AL-31 lifetime to 1,500 hours, and, most recently, 2,000 hours. When pressed, the Chinese claim that they simply cannot produce enough WS-10As for all the new airframes they are building. But the reality is that the WS-10As have some serious, unpredictable and persistent reliability problems that limit the number of reliable (enough for regular use) engines available.

Back in 2011 China believed it would be free from dependence on Russia for military jet engines by 2016, which implied that Chinese engine manufacturers still had a way to go. Now the most any Chinese will admit to is that there will be no need for Russian engines by the end of the decade, maybe. Meanwhile China continues to import AL-31s and the RD-93 (a version of the MiG-29's RD-33) for the JF-17 (an F-16 type aircraft developed in cooperation with Pakistan) from Russia. These engines are expensive, with the RD-33 going for about $3 million each and the AL-31 for about a third more.

Since the 1990s Chinese engineers have managed to master the manufacturing techniques needed to make a Chinese copy of the Russian AL-31 engine. This is part of a program that has also developed the WS-13, to replace the RD-93 as well. While the Chinese have been able to build engines that are durable, they are still having problems with reliability. Apparently it is still worth buying more Russian engines because the Chinese models are out of action too often, which keeps the jets grounded for repairs or, worst of all, an engine change.

China has long copied foreign technology, not always successfully. But since the 1990s China has poured much money into developing a jet engine manufacturing capability. The Chinese encountered many of the same problems the Russians did in the beginning. Developing the necessary engine design and construction skills is difficult. But China has several advantages. First, they knew of the mistakes the Russians had made, and so were able to avoid many of them. Then there was the fact that China had better access to Western manufacturing technology (both legally and illegally). Finally, China was, unlike the Soviets, able to develop their engine manufacturing capabilities in a market economy. This was much more efficient than the command economy that the Soviets were saddled with for seven decades. The Chinese consider all this part of the learning process and they do learn from their mistakes.

Meanwhile the Chinese can build more Su-27 clones than they can reliable engines for them, and they keep developing more Su-27 variants. The Chinese J-11 jet fighter is an illegal Chinese copy of the Russian Su-27. It all began legally in 1995, when China paid $2.5 billion for the right to build 200 Su-27s. Russia would supply engines and electronics, with China building the other components according to Russian plans and specifications. But after 95 of the Chinese built aircraft were built Russia cancelled the agreement. Russia claimed that China was using the knowledge acquired with this Su-27 program to build their own copy of the Su-27, the J-11. The Chinese claimed that the J-11 was designed and built using only Chinese technology. China also has a stealthy version (J-17) of the Su-27. There is also an aircraft carrier version of the Su-30 (the Su-33, obtained from Ukraine) that is now in service as the J-15. In 2013 J-16s were spotted. This is a two-seat fighter-bomber similar to the American F-15E and nearly identical to the Russian Su-30MKK. China insists these are all Chinese designs that just happen to bear some resemblance to Russian fighters.

08/29/2014 Defence IQ Press

Signalling further tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan’s Ministry of Defence has requested a 2.4% increase in its annual budget. The 2015 budget will total ¥4.9 trillion ($47.25 billion).

In a budget request document, Japan’s MoD stated that the regional security environment has become more tense recently, citing China’s increasing activities in Japan’s vicinity as well as North Korea’s missile launches.

Its main priority is to increase its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities following threats against its sovereign territory from China and North Korea. “China’s lack of transparency in its broad and rapid military modernisation as well as rapid expansion and intensification of maritime activities,” as it’s put in the budget request document.

Japan is seeking to acquire4 P-1 fixed-wing patrol aircraft at a cost of ¥ 77.3 billion ($12.6 billion) to improve detection/discrimination capabilities, information processing capability, and attack capability compared to its existing P-3C fixed-wing patrol aircraft.

The MoD said it was considering introducing HALE-UAVs that would contribute to strengthening its wide-area persistent ISR capability.

Japan is also upping its F-35A count from four to six at a cost of ¥131.5 billion ($21.4 billion).

Other capability areas Japan is looking to bolster include responding to attacks on remote islets; responding to ballistic missile and guerrilla/special force attacks; responding to cyber attacks; large-scale natural disaster response; strengthening joint operations; and strengthening intelligence capabilities.

Aug. 12, 2014 – Defense News (AFP)

SYDNEY — The United States stressed Tuesday it welcomes the rise of China and wants to work constructively with Beijing as it signed a deal to deploy 2,500 Marines to Australia as part of its “rebalance” to Asia.

China bristled when the agreement to deploy Marines to the northern city of Darwin was first announced by President Barack Obama in 2011.

But after signing the deal at the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in Sydney, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington was not interested in conflict with the Asian powerhouse.

“We welcome the rise of China as a global partner, hopefully as a powerful economy, as a full participating constructive member of the international community,” he said.

“We are not seeking conflict and confrontation. And our hope is that China will likewise take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of it and be that cooperative partner.”

Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop earlier defended the deal to bring US Marines and Air Force personnel to the Northern Territory, denying it was aimed at China which is embroiled in maritime disputes with neighbors.

“That’s not what it is directed to do at all. It’s about working closely with the United States to ensure that we can work on regional peace and security,” she told a radio program.

“The United States is rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific so it’s ways we can work together to support economic development as well as security and peace.”

After the talks Bishop, who also hosted US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, said the discussions were broad — ranging from tensions on the Korean peninsula to the crisis in Ukraine and to conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Gaza and Afghanistan.

Threat of Foreign Jihadists

The threat of foreign jihadist militants fighting in these conflicts and then returning home radicalized was also explored. The US and Australia agreed to raise the issue at the United Nations.

Kerry said this problem, highlighted by images in local media of the seven-year-old son of an Australian jihadist in Syria holding a severed head, underscored the degree to which Islamic State fighters were “so far beyond the pale.”

“This image, perhaps even an iconic photograph, is really one of the most disturbing, stomach-turning, grotesque photos ever displayed,” Kerry said.

“It’s no accident that every country in the region is opposed to ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).”

Bishop made no comment about the prospect of an increased US military presence beyond the Marines, some 1,200 of whom are already in the country.

But a communique issued after the talks said that enhanced aircraft and naval cooperation was discussed, while the allies would also examine options for Australia’s contributions to ballistic missile defense in the region.

Bishop said there existed between Australia and the United States “a clear instinct for collaboration across a wide area of endeavor.”

“There is a desire to share the burden of implementing regional and global peace and prosperity, security and stability,” she said.

Bishop added that there was no more important security partner for Australia than the US and their longstanding alliance “had never been stronger.”

But she said Canberra did not envisage Australian troops would return to Iraq, where the US is carrying out air strikes and humanitarian airdrops to try to combat jihadist fighters.

However, Australia has offered support for humanitarian relief.

Kerry also ruled out sending troops to Iraq.

Speaking at the start of the talks at Sydney’s harborside Admiralty House, he said the Australia-US relationship was “essential to the stability of the Asia-Pacific region.”

“We do face new challenges,” he said, citing North Korea and maritime disputes in the South China Sea.

12/08/2014 Par Natalia Aantakolskaïa, La Voix de la Russie – RIA Novosti

Le projet japonais de création de troupes spatiales risque de provoquer une dégradation des relations sino-japonaises et d’exacerber la rivalité entre les deux pays dans le domaine de l’aérospatiale, selon le pronostic de l’expert du Centre des recherches japonaises Viktor Pavliatenko. L’approbation par le ministère de la Défense du projet de formation d’une unité spatiale des forces d’autodéfense est un nouveau pas vers le renforcement du potentiel militaire du Japon, estime l’expert.

Le principal objectif déclaré de la nouvelle unité consiste à suivre la trajectoire des débris spatiaux. En d’autres termes, il s’agit de prévenir la collision entre de vieux satellites hors de service et des fragments de missiles avec des appareils du groupe spatial japonais. Mais, les Japonais ne créent pas ces forces militaires uniquement pour lutter contre les débris spatiaux. La tension politique dans les relations de Tokyo avec Pékin crée toutes les conditions pour utiliser les capacités du nouveau groupe afin de mieux surveiller l’activité militaire de la Chine.

«Ce processus est réalisé par tous les moyens disponibles, et notamment à l’aide des groupes spatiaux à la disposition du Japon»,explique l’expert du centre des recherches japonaises Viktor Pavliatenko. « Le Japon affirme avoir déjà surveillé des tirs nucléaires de la Corée du Nord et résoudre ainsi les questions liées à la sécurité nationale. Mais les satellites du pays récoltent la même information sur la Chine, et le font depuis longtemps, ce qui est naturel. Les nouvelles unités spatiales vont élargir la gamme de contrôle, car elles se doteront d’un soutien supplémentaire sous forme de stations de surveillance terrestre, de radars et de télescopes».

Le Japon réfléchit à la nécessité de renforcer le contrôle de l’espace après le test réussi d'un missile antisatellite chinois en 2007. Un an plus tard, Tokyo a même modifié sa loi limitant les recherches spatiales au domaine scientifique. En juillet, la Chine aurait à nouveau lancé une fusée dans l'espace pour détruire les vaisseaux spatiaux. Et l’approbation par le ministère de la Défense du Japon du projet de formation des forces spatiales a coïncidé avec ce lancement.

«Il est absolument évident que ce n’est pas le degré de concurrence entre la Chine et le Japon qui augmente, mais le niveau de rivalité. Les deux pays sont passés d’une phase à une autre », poursuit Viktor Pavliatenko. « La Chine dépasse déjà le Japon dans de nombreux domaines de l’armement. C’est pourquoi la dimension concurrentielle du facteur spatial se renforce. La Chine a progressé assez loin dans cette rivalité : elle lance déjà ses stations spatiales habitées. Et son potentiel est suffisamment élevé. La Chine est devenue l'une des plus grandes puissances spatiales, et en termes de rivalité avec la RPC, le Japon est en train de perdre la bataille.»

Pékin réagit très mal à toutes ces tentatives du gouvernement de Shindzo Abe de réviser la nature pacifiste de la Constitution japonaise. Et en particulier doter ses Forces d'autodéfense des fonctions d’armée d’offensive. La légalisation de l’aérospatiale militaire est un facteur qui agace Pékin, est convaincu Victor Pavliatenko.

«Cela pourrait amener la Chine à entreprendre de nouvelles actions, d’intensifier l’activité de sa politique extérieure, qui est déjà suffisamment active. Et c’est un nouveau pas idéologique en avant pour les Japonais. Etape par étape, le Japon essaie de s’approcher de l’objectif que de nombreux dirigeants auraient appelé «devenir un Etat normal ». Le Japon ne veut plus être une troisième puissance économique, et ne jouer aucun rôle dans la solution des problèmes militaires et politiques non seulement dans la région Asie-Pacifique, mais aussi sur l’arène internationale. Devenir un Etat normal, cela veut dire avoir les instruments nécessaires qu’on peut utiliser notamment comme une démonstration de la force et de la détermination du Japon. Cela insuffle de la force et de la confiance aux Japonais. Quant à la création des forces militaires dans l'espace - c'est vraiment « du baume au cœur » pour tous les Japonais. »

Les experts estiment que la création de forces militaires spatiales au Japon pourrait augmenter sensiblement les risques de militarisation de l'espace. Cependant les Etats-Unis, au même titre que la Chine, sont également en train de renforcer leurs groupes spatiaux militaires et travaillent activement à la conception d’armes antisatellites.

August 12, 2014 By Ankit Panda – The Diplomat

Given increasing Western sanctions, Moscow turns to Beijing for its defense and aerospace needs.

MOSCOU, 11 août - RIA Novosti

La Russie a remporté dimanche le sprint au premier championnat du monde de biathlon en chars d'assaut qui se déroule sur le polygone d'Alabino, dans la région de Moscou, a annoncé lundi le service de presse du ministère russe de la Défense.

"Le bilan du sprint a été dressé à Alabino, dans la région de Moscou. Les trois équipages russes sont entrés au Top 10", a indiqué le service de presse. Les Russes se sont classés premiers, troisièmes et sixièmes parmi les 36 équipages. Le Kazakhstan a pris la 2e place.

L'épreuve de poursuite a commencé lundi à Alabino dans le cadre de la deuxième étape des compétitions. Les chars devront parcourir une distance de 4 kilomètres, détruire une cible de type "char" par des obus d'artillerie et neutraliser un canon anti-char au moyen d'une mitrailleuse.

Le premier championnat du monde de biathlon en char d'assaut se déroule du 4 au 16 août, engageant des équipages de 12 Etats: Angola, Arménie, Biélorussie, Chine, Inde, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Koweït, Mongolie, Russie, Serbie et Venezuela.  Les pays membres de l'Otan ont refusé de participer aux compétitions et ont envoyé leurs observateurs.

July 31, 2014 by Brendan McGarry -  defensetech.org

Increasingly sophisticated radar in China and Russia may soon be able to pierce the stealth armor on F-22 and F-35 fighter jets, according to a news report.

The stealth coating on the U.S.-made fifth-generation fighters shields the aircraft from high-frequency radars operating in the Ku, X and C bands and some of the S band, but not from low-frequency systems utilizing L, UHF and VHF wavelengths, according to an article by Dave Majumdar at USNI News.

China and Russia are now working to develop low-frequency radars with more computing power designed to track stealth aircraft with more precision — enough to target them with a missile, according to the report, citing an unnamed former senior U.S. Navy official.

“Acquisition and fire control radars are starting to creep down the frequency spectrum,” the official told USNI News. “I don’t see how you long survive in the world of 2020 or 2030 when dealing with these systems if you don’t have the lower frequency coverage.”

To be sure, the Defense Department is aware of the increasing sophistication of enemy air defenses, known in military parlance as anti-access, area-denial, or A2-AD, environments.

The Pentagon’s latest annual report to Congress on military and security developments in China notes the country is continuing its military build-up and views defense against stealth aircraft and drones as “a growing priority.”

The People’s Liberation Army, or PLA, has long sought to control the flow of information in the event of war to thwart data-hungry adversaries such as the U.S. It considers the strategy of “information dominance” a critical form of defense against countries that it views as “information dependent,” according to previous assessments.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the People’s Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN, sent an uninvited spy ship, probably the type 815 Dongdiao-class intelligence collection vessel Beijixing (pennant number 851), to this year’s Rim of the Pacific exercise, according to an article by Sam LaGrone of USNI News.

China is participating in the event — the world’s largest naval exercise, held off the coast of Hawaii — for the first time this year, with four vessels.

The head of U.S. Pacific Command, Adm. Samuel Locklear, this week described the presence of the surveillance ship as “a little odd,” though it “hasn’t created any difficulties in the exercise,” which ends Friday.

August 9, 2014: Strategy Page

The Russian Helicopter Corporation delivered to China the last of 52 Mi-171E helicopters ordered since 2012. This model can carry up to 37 passengers or four tons of cargo and has engines that are particularly effective under "hot and high" conditions. This is useful for the Chinese, who need equipment that can operate in Tibet (where many areas are at altitudes of over 4,000 meters). China is quite fond of the Mi-17 and the older Mi-8 it is derived from. Currently China operates 160 Mi-171 helicopters.

In 2008 China signed deals that allows it to legally manufacture the Mi-171, but it is still buying them from Russia because it takes time to set up manufacturing facilities and China needs more military transport helicopters right now and can afford to pay. Currently China has about 300 Mi-17/Mi-8 type helicopters and over 500 locally made helicopters. Most (Z9/Z-19) of these local builds are based on the Eurocopter AS 365 Dauphin while another hundred locally built Z-10 gunships were based on a Russian design. China has shown a preference for the Mi-8/17 design and would like to build a thousand or more Mi-171s locally under license.

In 2010 Chinese and Russian helicopter manufacturers established a joint venture to perform maintenance and refurbishment on helicopters, especially those of Russian design. This is part of a larger plan, which also includes the factory in China building Mi-171s.

The M-171 is basically an inexpensive transport helicopter. But it can easily be modified to carry weapons, or any other specialized gear. Some of the Mi-171s are even being equipped with radars and other sensors, to be used for reconnaissance and surveillance. The basic Mi-171 is based on the 1970s era Mi-17, which is the export version of the similar Mi-8. Weighing about 12 tons, and carrying a four ton load, the Mi-171 has a range of 590 kilometers at a cruising speed of 250 kilometers per hour. There is a crew of three and as many passengers as can be squeezed in (up to 40 people, but usually 20-30.) A sling underneath can also carry up to four tons.

Several hundred Mi-171s have been exported by Russia. The helicopter is rugged, inexpensive ($4-5 million each) and better suited for less affluent nations. Development of this model was completed in 1998 and Russia has been pushing sales hard.

In 2008 Russia and China signed an agreement, in which China promised to stop stealing Russian military technology. It appears that the main function of the new "military technical cooperation" agreement was to stop China from exporting their copies of Russian equipment, and competing with the Russian originals. This agreement immediately led to some interesting proposals regarding helicopters. Russia agreed to sell China six Helix anti-submarine helicopters, with the possibility of joint manufacture. Meanwhile, the Mi-171 deal quickly turned into the Chinese Mi-171 factory.

There was also a proposal for China and Russia to jointly develop a large transport helicopter, based on the existing Mi-26T (a 20 ton aircraft that can carry 80 passengers). There may be other joint development deals to produce updated versions of existing Russian helicopter designs. This sort of thing could be mutually beneficial, and China now has a domestic source for inexpensive transport helicopters, which its civilian and military markets are demanding many of.

MOSCOU, 5 août - RIA Novosti

L'équipe russe a remporté la première manche de la course individuelle au championnat du monde de biathlon en chars d'assaut qui se déroule sur le polygone militaire russe d'Alabino, dans la région de Moscou, a annoncé l'arbitre des compétitions, Iouri Petrov.

Selon ce dernier, la Russie a réalisé un chrono de 26 minutes et 39 secondes. L'Arménie se classe deuxième (28'58) devançant le Kazakhstan (29'53).

M.Petrov a précisé que seuls trois pays - Russie, Arménie et Chine - s'étaient pliés à toutes les exigences de la compétition et avaient parcouru la distance sans pénalités.

Le premier championnat du monde de biathlon en char d'assaut se tiendra du 4 au 16 août,  engageant des équipages de 12 Etats: Angola, Arménie, Biélorussie, Chine, Inde, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Koweït, Mongolie, Russie, Serbie et Venezuela.  Les pays membres de l'Otan ont refusé de participer aux compétitions et ont envoyé leurs observateurs.

Le ministère russe de la Défense a organisé des séances d'entraînement pour les équipages de tous les pays participants et a mis à leur disposition des chars russes T-72. Les Chinois sont les seuls à utiliser des chars de fabrication nationale Type 96A.

La compétition de biathlon en chars d'assaut se déroule comme une course de relais à ski. Les chars doivent parcourir une piste de plus de 20 kilomètres parsemée d'obstacles et participer à trois séances de tir - en utilisant un missile, une mitrailleuse antiaérienne et trois obus d'artillerie. A la différence du biathlon classique, les équipages des chars doivent détruire des cibles imitant des chars et des hélicoptères volant à basse altitude à une distance de 0,9 km à 2,2 km.

2014-08-06 xinhua

La Chine a critiqué mardi le dernier livre blanc sur la défense publié par le Japon, accusant le pays d'utiliser la soi-disant menace chinoise comme excuse pour accroître son développement militaire.

Le gouvernement japonais a approuvé mardi un livre blanc sur la défense pour 2014. Le document explique que le Japon doit renforcer sa capacité de défense afin de faire face à un environnement de sécurité de plus en plus rigoureux dans son voisinage, précisant que les menaces venaient de la République populaire démocratique de Corée, de la Chine et de la Russie.

Le document exprime une vive préoccupation concernant le développement militaire de la Chine, l'établissement de la zone d'identification de défense aérienne en mer de Chine orientale, les "rencontres anormalement rapprochées" entre les avions militaires japonais et chinois ainsi que les activités de la partie chinoise en mer de Chine orientale et en mer de Chine méridionale.

Fermant les yeux sur les faits, le Japon procède à des accusations sans fondement et insiste délibérément sur la menace chinoise, selon un communiqué de presse du ministère chinois de la Défense nationale.

"Tout cela constitue une excuse permettant au Japon d'ajuster ses politiques militaires et de sécurité et de renforcer son développement militaire", déclare le ministère tout exprimant sa "forte opposition".

"Nous évaluons actuellement les détails du livre blanc et ferons part de nos réactions complémentaires en temps voulu", a-t-il ajouté.

Le livre blanc propose que le Japon joue un rôle dominant dans la coopération internationale et régionale en matière de défense, ce qui, d'après des analystes, illustre l'ambition de l'administration Abe de faire du Japon une puissance militaire dans la région.

05 août 2014 Romandie.com (AFP)

Tokyo - Le Japon a averti mardi que les actions dangereuses de la Chine au-dessus et en mer de Chine orientale, où Pékin revendique des îlots contrôlés par Tokyo, pourraient avoir des conséquences non voulues.

Dans son libre blanc annuel de la défense, le Japon se dit profondément préoccupé par l'établissement (en novembre 2013) d'une zone de surveillance aérienne chinoise au-dessus de la mer de Chine orientale, une initiative qui ne fait que provoquer une escalade et pourrait avoir des conséquences non voulues.

En novembre dernier, Pékin avait annoncé la création de cette zone aérienne d'identification (ADIZ) couvrant une grande partie de cette mer et surtout l'archipel des Senkaku, réclamé par la Chine sous le nom de Diaoyu.

Les relations entre Pékin et Tokyo, les deux plus importantes puissances économiques asiatiques, sont exécrables depuis l'automne 2012 en raison de ce différend territorial, mais aussi de querelles liées à l'Histoire.

Les Senkaku/Diaoyu sont situées à 200 km au nord-est de Taïwan, qui les revendique également, et à 400 km à l'ouest d'Okinawa (sud du Japon).

Lorsque Tokyo a nationalisé trois de ces îles en septembre 2012, des manifestations antijaponaises parfois violentes se sont déroulées dans de nombreuses villes chinoises, et, depuis lors, Pékin envoie régulièrement des navires dans les parages. Le chassé-croisé des navires garde-côtes des deux pays dans la zone fait craindre un éventuel incident armé.

Concernant les conflits maritimes, la Chine a pris des mesures affirmées, y compris en brisant le statu quo par la coercition, des mesures basées sur les seules assertions de la Chine, ce qui est contraire au droit international, indique encore le document approuvé par le cabinet du Premier ministre nationaliste de droite Shinzo Abe.

Le livre blanc met également l'accent sur l'augmentation constante et significative du budget militaire chinois ces 10 dernières années.

Dans une première réaction, Pékin a accusé le Japon de lancer des accusations sans fondement.

Le Japon (...) invoque délibéremment +une menace chinoise+ comme un prétexte pour réviser sa politique de défense et développer sa production d'armement. La Chine y est fermement opposée, a déclaré le ministère de la Défense sur son site.

Début 2013, Tokyo avait accru son budget militaire d'environ 2,2%, pour la première fois depuis 11 ans.

Et en décembre suivant, tout en professant ses ardeurs pacifistes, le gouvernement Abe avait décidé d'augmenter cette fois de 5% les dépenses militaires du Japon sur les cinq ans à venir.

Shinzo Abe avait donné son feu vert à des dépenses de 24.700 milliards de yens (175 milliards d'euros) pour la période 2014-2019, qui, outre les frais de personnel, comprendront l'achat de trois drones, 17 avions à décollage vertical Osprey, 52 véhicules amphibies et 5 sous-marins.

A ce matériel il faut ajouter l'acquisition de deux destroyers équipés du système anti-missile Aegis ainsi que 28 nouveaux chasseurs américains F-35, un appareil furtif dernier cri.