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They have an enormous civilian shipping fleet, some of which has been designed to meet military requirements. For example, China has a good number of RoRo car

They have an enormous civilian shipping fleet, some of which has been designed to meet military requirements. For example, China has a good number of RoRo car ferries which also incorporate military requirements, and even participate in military exercises [1] [1] https://news.usni.org/2022/09/28/chinese-launch-assault-craft-from-civilian-car-ferries-in-mass-amphibious-invasion-drill-satellite-photos-show https://news.usni.org/2022/09/28/chinese-launch-assault-craf...

ericmay 4y ago
How does this translate to logistics? Are you saying during a war these boats will be effectively coordinated logistical supply elements?
- Ao7bei3s 4y ago
  Yes. The US does the same with commercial ships[1] and aircraft[2]. Interestingly, in the case of the US, part of the payment for providing this service is priority access to government contracts during peacetime. Which is doubly great for the government - no extra cost beyond operating cost, and the capability is regularly exercised even in peacetime. [1] https://www.maritime.dot.gov/national-security/strategic-sealift/maritime-security-program-msp https://www.maritime.dot.gov/national-security/strategic-sea... + https://www.maritime.dot.gov/national-security/strategic-sealift/voluntary-intermodal-sealift-agreement-visa https://www.maritime.dot.gov/national-security/strategic-sea... [2] https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104583/civil-reserve-air-fleet/ https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1045...
  - deleted 4y ago
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  - carolinahoward 4y ago
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  - patriciaaa 4y ago
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- radicalbyte 4y ago
  Yup! That's how the Allies won WWII - the British Empire had an amazing civilian naval logistics machine. The US had insane industrial capacity (which got juiced by the war!). Over the course of the War the US basically took over that logistics capacity and by the end of it replaced the British Empire. China have a similarly amazing capacity - the likes of aliexpress are more capable than anything I've seen in Europe. For consumers it's only Amazon who come close. In a total war situation all of that capacity and - importantly - the deep knowledge - are used for the war effort.
  - ericmay 4y ago
    How would China use these boats during a hypothetical war?
    - cameldrv 4y ago
      To transport troops, vehicles, and equipment to Taiwan. Read the linked article.
      - ericmay 4y ago
        China could use these ships as described, but they’d first have to disable Taiwanese defenses and keep the US out of the area, in which case the war is already over. If China were to just send boats like these across the straight without the prior conditions being settled, they’d be sunk and sunk easily since they’re defenseless. Seems like fear mongering to me.
      - radicalbyte 4y ago
        Or to use the infrastructure for a landwar. The "boats" are extremely important part of the logistics chain but there are also rail, road, warehouses etc etc. In a land war the boats would be moving raw resources to feed their industrial machine, just as they are now.

ericmay 4y ago

How does this translate to logistics? Are you saying during a war these boats will be effectively coordinated logistical supply elements?

Ao7bei3s 4y ago
Yes. The US does the same with commercial ships[1] and aircraft[2]. Interestingly, in the case of the US, part of the payment for providing this service is priority access to government contracts during peacetime. Which is doubly great for the government - no extra cost beyond operating cost, and the capability is regularly exercised even in peacetime. [1] https://www.maritime.dot.gov/national-security/strategic-sealift/maritime-security-program-msp https://www.maritime.dot.gov/national-security/strategic-sea... + https://www.maritime.dot.gov/national-security/strategic-sealift/voluntary-intermodal-sealift-agreement-visa https://www.maritime.dot.gov/national-security/strategic-sea... [2] https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104583/civil-reserve-air-fleet/ https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1045...
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- carolinahoward 4y ago
  [dead]
- patriciaaa 4y ago
  [dead]
radicalbyte 4y ago
Yup! That's how the Allies won WWII - the British Empire had an amazing civilian naval logistics machine. The US had insane industrial capacity (which got juiced by the war!). Over the course of the War the US basically took over that logistics capacity and by the end of it replaced the British Empire. China have a similarly amazing capacity - the likes of aliexpress are more capable than anything I've seen in Europe. For consumers it's only Amazon who come close. In a total war situation all of that capacity and - importantly - the deep knowledge - are used for the war effort.
- ericmay 4y ago
  How would China use these boats during a hypothetical war?
  - cameldrv 4y ago
    To transport troops, vehicles, and equipment to Taiwan. Read the linked article.
    - ericmay 4y ago
      China could use these ships as described, but they’d first have to disable Taiwanese defenses and keep the US out of the area, in which case the war is already over. If China were to just send boats like these across the straight without the prior conditions being settled, they’d be sunk and sunk easily since they’re defenseless. Seems like fear mongering to me.
    - radicalbyte 4y ago
      Or to use the infrastructure for a landwar. The "boats" are extremely important part of the logistics chain but there are also rail, road, warehouses etc etc. In a land war the boats would be moving raw resources to feed their industrial machine, just as they are now.