According to a report by the Russian Satellite News Agency on December 7, Russia's Putin said at the "Russia is Calling" forum that Russia and China are willing to cooperate in various fields, including military technology, and stressed that there are no restrictions on cooperation. This statement sparked widespread speculation, with some netizens speculating about whether Russia intends to give some important military technology to China.
Putin has responded to this question indirectly, saying that military cooperation between China and Russia is gradually moving away from the traditional relationship of buying and selling, and more focusing on cooperation at the technical level. He pointed out that the two sides are working on the possibility of technical cooperation. So, what kind of cooperation is possible between China and Russia in the field of military technology?
The premise of cooperation is that both sides need complementary strengths, not simple technology transfer. In this regard, one of the most likely areas of cooperation between China and Russia is the intercontinental missile warning system.
The speed of the ICBM is extremely fast, it takes only half an hour from launch to hit, so the warning time is very limited. One of the most effective ways to respond is to monitor missile launches in real time through infrared early warning satellites for timely response. Russia currently has five "permafrost" infrared early warning satellites, and although they are basically able to cover the North American continent, the satellites rely on imports for high-precision infrared detectors and visible light television cameras. Due to the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Russia has not been able to obtain these devices from the West. In the future, if these satellites reach the end of their life, Russia may risk losing its ICBM early warning capabilities. China's electronics industry is so strong that it is entirely possible for Russia to buy equipment from China to ensure that its ICBM warning capabilities are not affected. In terms of ICBM detection, in addition to relying on satellites for surveillance, ground-based radar is also an important means. However, due to the limitation of the curvature of the earth, the detection distance of ground-based radar has certain limitations. Taking into account the possible launch of land-based intercontinental missiles by the United States at China through the Arctic and Siberia, the creation of an early warning radar system in Siberia became a critical task in order to detect and take corresponding measures in advance. Earlier, Russia had expressed its readiness to assist China in the creation of a missile warning system, but due to the sensitivity of the creation of Chinese radar stations on Russian territory, a possible option would be to share the detection data of the "Voronezh" strategic early warning radar.
With a maximum detection range of more than 6,000 kilometers, the Voronezh radar can track and accurately locate a variety of targets such as ballistic missiles, hypersonic **, cruise missiles, satellites, etc. in real time. At present, seven "Voronezh" radars have been deployed, forming a ring-shaped closed defense, effectively covering the entire territory of Russia. Covering the entire territory of Russia means being able to detect all U.S. land-based intercontinental missiles fired at China, so if Russia shares the detection information of the Voronezh radar with China, it will greatly enhance China's strategic early warning capability in the Arctic direction.
In addition to strategic early warning cooperation, there are some imbalances in the strength of Sino-Russian cooperation in other military fields. For example, in the field of navigation systems, Russia relies heavily on the Beidou system due to the small number of satellites in the GLONASS system, the low accuracy and the dependence on imports of key components. Russia could consider purchasing advanced Chinese components to manufacture its own navigation satellites, but the construction cost of the global navigation system is huge, and if it cannot be widely used for civilian use to share the cost, it may be difficult for Russia's finances to support.
In the field of military electronics, Russia's electronics industry base is relatively lagging behind, and cooperation may be mainly limited to the procurement of components from China. For example, the T R components needed for advanced thermal imagers and active phased array radars still need to be imported for Russia. This has an important impact on Russian fighters and **, because if Russian fighters can only use relatively backward passive phased array radars in the future, it may be difficult to maintain competitiveness in the international market. As a result, Russia may seek China's support to maintain its share of the military-industrial market.
Overall, despite the opportunities for cooperation in some areas, the critical importance of the semiconductor industry to the military industry may make Russia content with more than just importing components. However, to achieve the full range of technologies, Russia may need to cooperate with China at a deeper level, such as the 21st century "Project 156". For Russia, it may be necessary to offer some competitive technology, such as nuclear submarine technology, in exchange.