[News Terms] US-China Generals Exchange 'Hellish Strategy'

US: "Designed to deter China's Taiwan invasion and buy US response time"
China releases paper simulating Taiwan blockade using drones
"Using unmanned equipment, costs less and minimizes casualties"

China has devised a plan to blockade Taiwan using drones in response to the United States' "hellscape strategy" for defending Taiwan, according to a report by the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 5th.

The "hellscape strategy" is a U.S. plan to deter China's invasion of Taiwan by covering the Taiwan Strait with thousands of U.S. military unmanned submarines, unmanned surface vessels, drones, and more. The goal is to force the Chinese military to endure enormous power and time losses crossing the Taiwan Strait with thousands of drones, thereby weakening China's military strength as much as possible.

Taiwanese soldiers conducted regular military training on May 24 at Liaoluo Harbor on Kinmen Island, close to mainland China.
[Photo by Kinmen AFP/ Yonhap News]

Hellscape is a portmanteau of hell and landscape. It was revealed by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Commander Samuel Paparo, who attended the Shangri-La Dialogue, an Asian security conference held in Singapore from May 31 to June 2.

Commander Paparo explained at the time, "It was designed to deter China's invasion of Taiwan and buy time for the U.S. to respond. Through this, the U.S. military can make the Chinese military completely miserable for a month."

Regarding the U.S. "hellscape strategy," Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian reportedly condemned it as "crazy and inhumane," according to SCMP. The newspaper also introduced a project team led by Chen Huize, an engineer from the Chinese People's Liberation Army Unit 92116, who published a simulation paper on a Taiwan blockade using only drones in the Chinese academic journal Command Control & Simulation.

China has countered the U.S. hellscape strategy with another hellscape strategy of its own. The simulation disclosed by Chen Huize focuses on a Chinese People's Liberation Army attack using only drones, assuming Taiwan is heavily fortified with an enormous level of air defense missile power and powerful naval and air forces such as warships, submarines, and fighter jets deployed around the island.

Specifically, the scenario begins with the People's Liberation Army launching large and medium-sized drones with durability and reconnaissance/attack capabilities from mainland China. Upon quickly detecting and identifying key Taiwanese military and government facilities, reconnaissance and strike-capable drones are launched from PLA naval vessels to detect and attack concealed targets in Taiwan. Subsequently, small reconnaissance drones and anti-radiation emitter drones are deployed to strike Taiwanese radar facilities, followed by attacks using unmanned vessels.

Chen Huize stated, "In such a situation where the U.S. hellscape strategy is unfolding, traditional reconnaissance followed by attacks involving actual troops is inefficient and can cause significant casualties," adding, "Using unmanned equipment reduces costs, minimizes casualties, and improves combat efficiency."

He explained that such attacks could effectively control Taiwan and the surrounding waters and cut off external support. However, he did not mention the number or types of drones involved in the attack. He also revealed that tests of this Taiwan drone attack plan are being conducted at a military base in Huludao City, Liaoning Province, and that the research is supported by the National Defense University of China and Tsinghua University.