IF AN ENEMY ATTACKS, the Chinese will defend their nation with the East Wind, a hurricane of power that will destroy his ship.
Then from the waters will rise a Giant Wave. And from the skies will fall a Sudden Thunderbolt.
If any enemies survive to continue their assault, a Cloud Arrow and a fire dragon will scatter their weapons.
Military nerds like to talk in abbreviations, and this week have been busy noting that at the China parade in Beijing this week, the JL-1 was revealed, the DF-61 was shown and so on.
That’s fine for the weapons enthusiasts, but is opaque to most people—and the use of short-from names means that a lot of the fascinating Chinese cultural evocations are lost.
So let’s put them back.
For military strategists, the big story about the weapons shown at the recent parade in Tiananmen Square (which means “Gate of Heavenly Peace”) is that China now has a triple-headed nuclear option – as well as launching such weapons from land, it can launch them from the sea and from the air.
The Dongfeng 61, (东风) or East Wind, is a surface-launched missile.
The Jinglei 1, or (惊雷) Thunderbolt, is an air-launched missile.
And the Julang 3, or (巨浪) Giant Wave, is a rocket launched from submarines.
Not all Chinese defense system names are taken from the elements. In recent years, the Chinese have been using a radar/ radio guidance air defence system called the HQ-22—which is actually Hong Qi22, (红旗) meaning Red Banner.
Chinese armsmaker Norinco sells a guided rocket called the BRE8, which also uses the rather more evocative names, including Fire Dragon and King Dragon.
Then China has whole family of multiple rocket launcher systems, which are basically trucks with missile launching batteries on their backs, developed by the Sichuan Academy of Aerospace Technology. The family of systems goes under the name the Weishi, or (卫士) The Guardians in English, sounding a bit like something from Marvel movies.
Meanwhile, different types of bomb made in China also have abbreviations plus evocative names.
The LS series of satellite glide bombs are 雷石, or Thunder Stones. The LT series of laser-guided bombs are 雷霆 or Thunderclaps. Other bombs include the YL, which is 云雷 or Cloud Thunder; and the YJ or 云箭, meaning Cloud Arrow.
Put them all together, and the main theme is clear. If you want to attack China, expect to find yourself in the mother of all storms.