"The US Department of Commerce is proposing new regulations that seek to ban the sale of Chinese-[PRC] made cars in the United States, over concerns that they could be used for espionage or sabotage. Several reports on the proposal noted that it was hurriedly introduced last week as a “national security action,” rather than a trade-related dispute between the US and China." This was reported in the US on Sept 23 - a week after bombings against Hezbollah Pagers.
The US Government is balancing Chinese intelligence gathering and sabotage risks against American consumers' demand for low cost Chinese goods, especially cars. This is going
to be a major policy problem which may extend to other Five Eye countries like the UK and Australia.
China pre-positioning or reprogramming software that controls the heat build-up within Large Lithium Batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) that China exports to the US is a serious risk. Unless heating is limited hot Lithium Batteries can explode. Also see this US website. Typical Lithium Batteries in cars weigh between 300 and 1,000 kg. This makes them capable of very large explosions.
This may be analogous to Hezbollah's experience of Israel possibly using software reprogramming to cause explosions of the Lithium Batteries in Pagers on Sept 17 and Walkie Talkies on Sept 18. The US sourced explanation that Israel used plastic explosive in Hezbollah's Pagers and Walkie Talkies may be a deception. Specialised software programming in these devices alone might heat up Lithium Batteries sufficiently to explode.
Also there are problems in all the other electronic consumer goods China exports to the US and Australia being used for intelligence collection and sabotage eg. Laptops see FAA advice (especially those carried by passengers on aircraft), Pacemakers, Printers, Cell-phones, Smart Watches, Smart TVs and Smart Headphones (the last item could damage hearing) etc.
The US also exports many consumer goods which have Lithium Batteries, like iPhones and Tesla cars. Israel may share its exploding battery software with certain allies.
Watch a Laptop Battery exploding (here and) below along with great difficulty to put the fire out.
11 comments:
Hey Pete, I’m scratching my head on this one.
https://www.twz.com/sea/chinas-new-nuclear-submarine-sank-during-mysterious-incident-in-wuhan-report
I read the original speculation by Tom Shugat, as well as the ‘mysterious crane activity’ that he later spotted, but we had a brief email conversation about this sub based on HI Sutton's article, which assumed it was a new Type 39 Yuan variant with VLS - http://www.hisutton.com/Chinese-Submarine-With-X-Rudders.html
WSJ says that US DoD confirms that this sub sank pierside, and is a new class of ‘mini’ SSN, the Type-041, of which there are a couple of rumors, https://armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2024/rumors-emerge-about-chinas-development-of-a-new-type-041-submarine#google_vignette
China could be trying out what France did with the Rubis class, which is basically a nuclear powered Agosta. The Rubis is still the smallest SSN to enter service, displaying 2,600 tonnes when submerged.
We know that the Type 039 SSK is in mass production in Wuhan, and at 3,600 tonnes displacement they are big boats.
Hi Shawn
Yeah "rumours" indeed.
This whole matter should await US DoD confirmation of nuclear.
See https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/26/china-nuclear-submarine-sinks "A US defence official told Reuters that the Zhou-class vessel – first of a new kind of Chinese submarines and distinctive for its X-shaped" is no proof the US DoD is talking about an SSN.
Seems the alleged SSN tie up comes from the imaginative Western MAINSTREAM MEDIA that China suddenly has a new class of SSN.
Instead of the alleged "Zhao-class" being a Type 095 being built at China's SSN coastal Shipyard at Bohai, Huludao, the "Zhao-class" (alleged SSN) has an SSK designation "Type 041" and is allegedly being built at the far inland river shipyard of Wuhan where SSKs are built.
See " 039 it is commonly referred to as the Type 041"
at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_039A_submarine
and see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_095_submarine
Regards Pete
I haven't read the WSJ article as it is paywalled.
A new PRC SSN is not mentioned in the 'China Naval Modernization' Congressional Research Service report I shared with you (note that it's not classified and uses Open Sources)
I do find it particularly strange that the PRC would dock a super secret new SSN at the Wuhan SSK facilities, as it's right smack in the middle of the busy Yangtze River.
Oh, intentional bad welds discovered at Newport News.. https://news.usni.org/2024/09/26/doj-notified-of-suspected-intentionally-faulty-welds-on-subs-aircraft-carriers-at-newport-news-shipbuilding
Hello Pete!
Always a pleasure reading your blog. So, at Tom Shugart's social media page he says that the ID of it being nuclear came from DoD (to WSJ), not him. https://x.com/tshugart3/status/1839342683510493292
Of course, it's also possible some information from intel to DoD, and then DoD to WSJ have gotten mixed up.
The aforementioned rumors from May (apparently from Chinese article by Du Wenlong) claim the Type 041 is based on 039 hull but with nuclear propulsion, resulting in a 4,000 ton small SSN akin to French Rubis. That may explain why it's an SSN being built at a Type 039A series shipyard. But I'll admit I'm a little surprised China went this direction if this is true; the French are not repeating the Rubis afterall. Still, interesting!
Hi Sebastien at 9/27/2024 5:31 PM
I agree with Shawn C's comment at 9/27/2024 4:28 PM
Shawn's comment is:
"I haven't read the WSJ article as it is paywalled. [paywalled to me (Pete) as well]"
A new PRC SSN is not mentioned in the 'China Naval Modernization' Congressional Research Service report [that's at https://sgp.fas.org/crs/row/RL33153.pdf ] I shared with you (note that it's not classified and uses Open Sources)
I do find it particularly strange that the PRC would dock a super secret new SSN at the Wuhan SSK facilities, as it's right smack in the middle of the busy Yangtze River."
Cheers Pete
Hi again Sebastien at 9/27/2024 5:31 PM
BTW the designation of the diesel electric powered Type 041 may be new to you. But it is actually very old. Type 041 was mentioned in 2007 as existing since December 2004.
See the Chinese report dated July 18, 2007 - https://web.archive.org/web/20120218093325/http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/p/2007-07-18/0727455216.html
"Analysis of the Chinese Navy's new Type 041 Yuan-class diesel-electric attack submarine (Photos)
Compiled by Du Dongdong
This is the first diesel-electric attack submarine built by the mainland [China] after the 039 "Song" class diesel-electric submarine. Like the "Song" class, it was built by the Wuhan Shipyard. The first submarine was launched on May 31, 2004, and the second one was launched in December of the same year, [2004] code-named Type 041."
I rest my case :)
Pete
Here's a public-access link to the Wall Street Journal piece via MSN: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-s-newest-nuclear-submarine-sank-setting-back-its-military-modernization/ar-AA1rg9JK A DoD official has apparently reiterated the claim about it being nuclear-powered (see below), so it doesn't seem to be an error in communication. There could of course be an error in U.S. defense intelligence regarding the sub. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/26/politics/chinese-nuclear-powered-submarine-sank/index.html
Hi Shawn C at 9/27/2024 4:28 PM
Thanks for the article about intentional bad welds discovered at Newport News.. https://news.usni.org/2024/09/26/doj-notified-of-suspected-intentionally-faulty-welds-on-subs-aircraft-carriers-at-newport-news-shipbuilding :
"Shipuilder Newport News Shipbuilding, Va., informed the Department of Justice of faulty welds that may have been made intentionally on non-critical components on in-service Navy submarines and aircraft carriers, USNI News has learned.
HII reported to the Navy that welds on new construction and in-service submarines...were made not following welding procedure, according to a Tuesday memo from Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Nickolas Guertin to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti. shipyards in the U.S.
[Newport News] builds the ... the bow and stern sections of the Virginia-class attack submarines"
I (Pete) read about faulty Virginia submarine weld work at Newport News several years ago. Reads like Newport News didn't learn.
This is bad news for Australia as it would be natural the 3 used Virginias we get under AUKUS might not be the best (free of faults) available.
Regards Pete
Thanks Sebastien at 9/27/2024 7:41 PM
For the links to the Wall Street Journal copied by CNN referring to retired and unnamed Defense officials about a submarine not carrying Uranium. They don't cut the mustard I'm afraid.
I await an official Pentagon spokesman, preferably from the Navy making a definite, attributable, announcement on an alleged nuclear powered Zhao-class SSN which does not carry the 20 year conventional submarine designation Type 041.
A knowledgeable Navy officer would also be expected to make reference to the non appearance of the China's next expected SSN under construction, the Type 095 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_095_submarine
Cheers Pete
Thanks Sebastien at 9/27/2024 7:41 PM
For the links to the Wall Street Journal copied by CNN referring to retired and unnamed Defense officials about a submarine not carrying Uranium. They don't cut the mustard I'm afraid.
I await an official Pentagon spokesman, preferably from the Navy making a definite, attributable, announcement on an alleged nuclear powered Zhao-class SSN which does not carry the 20 year OLD conventional submarine designation Type 041.
A knowledgeable Navy officer would also be expected to make reference to the non appearance of the China's next expected SSN under construction, the Type 095 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_095_submarine
Cheers Pete
South Korea markets its submarine wares:
"Hanwha Ocean will showcase two types of medium-sized export
submarines and a self-developed 4,000-ton export frigate. The
2,800-ton Jangbogo-III PN submarine, an improved model
proposed for the Philippine Navy, will be a highlight.
Hanwha Ocean has a history of successful exports, including two
training ships to Malaysia in 2010, three submarines to Indonesia
in 2011, and four logistics support ships to the UK Navy in 2012.
In 2013, the company exported a logistics support ship with
hospital ship functions to Norway and a 3,000-ton frigate to
Thailand. "We are actively targeting the high-security demand
Asian market and striving to expand our reach in the global
maritime defense market," stated a Hanwha Ocean
representative. "Based on proven technology and excellent
performance, we will provide solutions tailored to the
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Source:
https://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=225709
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