Recently, the US newspaper "War Zone" reported on China's investigation into the combat situation of the US ** team and the Houthis. There is data showing that the ** and F A-18E F "Hornet" of the United States have knocked out a lot of HOUSEA's cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, as well as dozens of U**.
For the US Navy, this is an unprecedented amount of actual ** combat data. This is not only a test for the US side, but also a study and improvement of the Aegis combat system.
The above information can be compared with **, battlefield simulation, training and exercises. The Navy's software, sensors,** and sailor training will be improved. As the U.S. Navy significantly expands the electronic warfare capabilities of its fleet, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of different types of "soft kill" electronics** for extreme danger and over what range.
The United States believes that China has a significant military base in Djibouti, which sits on the southern side of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, 128 kilometers off the coast of Yemen. In addition to this, China has deployed a large number of ** in the region, as well as manned aircraft, drones and space systems to gather important information.
In other words, China has a good opportunity to witness the U.S. Navy and its allies fighting in real combat.
So, the question is: for China, is the defense and defense data exchanged between the Houthis and the US team really valuable?
First, the Houthis are using a conventional missile with a shorter range and lower flight speed. The Houthi anti-ship missiles, mostly Iranian Conqueror Type 313, have a maximum flight speed of Mach 4 and can reach a distance of 450 km. The flight trajectory of the ** is relatively stable and is equipped with only a small part. But even so, it will be difficult for the US military to stop the Houthi anti-ship missiles, and the US-owned Gibraltar Falcon, which was attacked by the Houthi anti-ship missiles as it passed 150 kilometers through Yemen, destroyed its cargo holds. Therefore, for China, a low-level anti-ship missile defense system is not of much value.
Second, the Houthis used a subsonic missile, which is a relatively old **. The Houthis procured their first anti-ship cruise missiles in late 2014 and early 2015, and they are on a par with the Soviet-era Styx and China's Upstream 1. Its attack range is only thirty to eighty kilometers. Iran then sent its **300 km "Mandad" 2, which is similar to the Chinese C-801 anti-ship missile, but it is also smaller.
Third, the Houthis do not have any advanced unmanned aerial vehicles, which cannot be compared in terms of quantity or quality. And small UAVs like the Sach-136 have fewer launches, weak penetration capabilities, and weak interference with the environment. In addition, it is doubtful whether it is necessary for China to deal with the threat of such a low-cost u**.
But in Tongling, the battle between the Houthis and the US ** team is only a battle between the Iranian army and the US ** team, and it cannot become the most important military force in the world. The Chinese side will certainly collect information on the fighting between the United States and the Houthis, but this does not mean that their information is very valuable, and what we need to do is a high-level battle, not a low-cost war of attrition by the Houthis.