A recent Chinese war game simulation has drawn global attention by depicting a hypothetical naval clash with the United States.
In the exercise, American missiles successfully penetrated Chinese defenses and sank a one of the Chinese military ships.
But the real question being asked by Western analysts is: why did China choose to reveal these results?
Is China Showing Off Their Capabilities in Technological Warfare?
War game simulations like these conduct a scenario that might play out if a war broke out, and is one of the most commons ways to train military forces.
In the recent training programs, the Chinese forces are testing out the capabilities of their Type 055 ships.
The Type 055 destroyers are among the most advanced and formidable vessels in the Chinese navy.
While Beijing classifies them as destroyers, their displacement of over 13,000 tons and advanced capabilities lead Western analysts to categorize them as cruisers.
It was precisely this class of warship that China used in its simulated battle against the U.S.
The exercise saw a Type 055 destroyer come under attack from 10 LRASM missiles launched from multiple platforms.
In the war game conducted by China’s state-run North China Institute of Computing Technology (NCICT), the Type 055 destroyer was targeted by ten LRASM missiles and ultimately sunk.
However, before its demise, the vessel managed to jam the guidance systems of most incoming missiles, showcasing its electronic warfare prowess.
From this perspective, what might initially seem like an embarrassing defeat for the Chinese navy could, in reality, be a demonstration of its ability to detect, track, and neutralize anti-ship missiles.
While the simulated destruction of a warship by anti-ship missiles is not in itself surprising, what has raised eyebrows is China's decision to publicly disclose the results of the exercise.
By publicizing the results of this war game, China might not be signaling vulnerability but rather sending a message about its growing electronic warfare capabilities.
Whether this was a strategic move to deter adversaries or a genuine assessment of a potential conflict remains a topic of debate among military analysts
