ALCON INTSUM #18: Strategic Advances and Cyber Warfare
Understand your Adversary.
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT
DPRK's Guided Projectile Development: Successfully tested a new guided missile for MLRS, enhancing rocket artillery capabilities.
Chinese Coast Guard's Aggressive Maneuvers: Performed hazardous maneuvers near Philippine vessels, raising regional tensions.
China's Weapon Proliferation: To provide Saudi Air Force with WL-10B drones, showcasing China's growing defense exports.
South Korea's Nuclear Position: Possesses the capability but opts against nuclear development due to potential sanctions.
Japan's Aid to Samoa: Pledges $16 million to enhance educational facilities, amid China's growing Pacific influence.
Russia-China Trade Growth: Experiences the highest growth rate among China's trading partners in 2023, with significant use of national currencies.
Lithuanian Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Cyberattack: 30,000 electric vehicles and charging stations disabled by Russian hackers, impacting Ignitis Grupė's operations.
Ukraine Battlefield Update: Strategic advancements and defensive efforts across multiple directions, with significant military engagements and drone strike implications.
INDO PACIFIC
The National Defense Academy of the DPRK has created a guided projectile for Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)
The DPRK National Defense Academy has announced the successful development and testing of a new guided missile for Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), along with an advanced trajectory control system. The test, which took place on February 11, involved a 240mm guided missile designed to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of the system.
Analyst Comment:
This development is expected to significantly bolster the capabilities of the nation's rocket artillery, marking a substantial technological advancement. The Academy emphasized that this breakthrough will necessitate a reevaluation of the strategic and operational utility of 240-mm caliber MLRS, potentially amplifying its impact in military engagements.
Chinese Coast Guard Conducts Aggressive Manouveres Against Philippines
Chinese coast guard vessels have been reported performing hazardous manoeuvres in close proximity to Philippine ships. Notably, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, flying the Philippine flag, has been on patrol in the waters off Scarborough Reef for several days. Throughout its patrol, the Philippine vessel encountered aggressive manoeuvres by the Chinese coast guard on multiple occasions.
The incidents, which occurred four times, involved Chinese vessels blocking the passage of the BRP Teresa Magbanua. Additionally, on two separate occasions, Chinese ships passed dangerously close to the bow of the Philippine vessel. These actions have raised concerns about the safety of naval personnel and the risk of escalation in an already tense region.
Analyst Comment:
China’s strategy in the South China Sea involves using a mix of Coast Guard and civilian-looking vessels, which likely includes its maritime militia, to carry out operations without seeming overtly military. This approach allows China to operate in a way that doesn’t clearly escalate tensions or provoke direct military responses, especially from international powers.
The choice to use these types of vessels instead of the Chinese Navy is a careful measure to avoid triggering international defense agreements, like the one between the United States and the Philippines. This agreement commits the U.S. to defend the Philippines if its military or civilian ships are attacked in the South China Sea. China’s actions suggest it is aware of these boundaries and is navigating them to avoid a larger conflict while still pursuing its interests in the region.
China Weapon Development and Proliferation
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