WesWorld

January:

empire news:
Representatives of the Philippines and the Chinese emperor sign the "condominium-act". With the signing of this contract the Chinese Empire and the
Phillipines agreed, that the Spratly Islands are now regarded as the CONDOMINIUM.

Thus, both nations committed, that the Spratly Islands are not to be regarded as own territory. Any decisions regarding the island group requires
the approval of the other signatory nation.

Maps of the Spratly Island Group or so called CONDOMINIUM:



Both nations agreed to built a common force with the task to fullfill the protection of the condominium. They also agreed to expand the port on Itu Aba.
This port will have one Type1 dock and 2 Type0 docks with the end of 1942.

The military installations on the islands are available to the armed forces of both nations.

The Chinese Condominium Force (CCF) consist of the following:

Air Force:
2 Torpedobomber Wings based on Itu Aba (ST202)
3 Fighter Wings based on Spratly and Namyit and Itu Aba (EW205C & Gangchuan F6B)
2 Recon Wings based on Spratly and Namyit (Gangchuan F36A & Harbin Ha37)

Army:
~ 800 men (100men permanent)

Navy:
HICMS Huangshi 400
HICMS Huangshi 401

III. Patrol Sqr. (Homeport Tjiangjing)

Base Supply Ship "HICMS Hola"

Note:
Not all forces are permanently stationed on the islands, but they are all part of the CCF !
That means, there is a rotation in the airforce component and army component of the CCF. Only
the navy component is permanently stationed at Itu Aba.

Following informations are TOP SECRET and not known by any foreigner. Only shown to prevent future discussions.

At present there are following military facilities on the Spratlys:

at Spratly Island (Kalayaans):
3 x 10" guns in a triple turret
2 x 76mm guns in HA mounts
small airstrip

at Itu Aba (Kalayaans):
4 x 105mm mobile howitzers
3 x 76mm guns in HA mounts
12 x 75mm mobile field guns
1 x quad 21" shore torpedo battery
small airfield
small port facilities (no dock / no slip but a Quay)

at Namyit Island (Kalayaans):
2 x 57mm guns in a HA mount
airstrip

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't the Spratleys still disputed territory by China, the Philippines, and Vietnam?

I was wondering if all those aircraft would fit on those miniscule islands

Itu Aba's about 1,400 meters long, so I suppose it can be turned into an airbase.

I was thinking of the roughly 400 aircraft

Quoted

Originally posted by Vukovlad
I was thinking of the roughly 400 aircraft

...is a Chinese "wing" larger than I think it is?

These wings are not so large than a normal chinese "wing". A detailed of course secret number will follow

It's still quite a few aircraft to support in the middle of absolutely nowhere. What happens when a Typhoon hits the islands?

Then those planes will be flying around with no pilots.

^Why my tuiton went up...^

Looks like a genuine Manzo moment.

Nah, just what happens when an airport gets hit by a hurricane AND a tornado...

Doesn't take much actually to cause havoc. The local glider place I fly at got hit by 70 mph gusts, two gliders where totally destroyed.

and a substantial naval base on an archipelago of tiny islands whose greatest elevation is 4 meters.

And none of the air/naval bases are on that particular island.

This will not turn out well, at all.

How long can Chinese/Philippino troops/sailors/airmen tread water?

The Latvian Goverment offers to buy the Phillipines share in the region for 1,000 tons...(so I can finally get a reason to join SAER)

Quoted

Originally posted by AdmKuznetsov
and a substantial naval base on an archipelago of tiny islands whose greatest elevation is 4 meters.

A good "Spring" tide and it's all under!!!

Quoted

Originally posted by Brockpaine
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't the Spratleys still disputed territory by China, the Philippines, and Vietnam?

IIRC yes, but we all know SATSUMA won't aknowledge Vietnams claim unless they were part of SATSUMA. Even then they would likely be told they are now "sharing" the Island with China and the Phillippines.

It would also seem that China and the Philippines would need to go to the LON to make this legal.

Quoted

Originally posted by thesmilingassassin

Quoted

Originally posted by Brockpaine
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't the Spratleys still disputed territory by China, the Philippines, and Vietnam?

IIRC yes, but we all know SATSUMA won't aknowledge Vietnams claim unless they were part of SATSUMA. Even then they would likely be told they are now "sharing" the Island with China and the Phillippines.

It would also seem that China and the Philippines would need to go to the LON to make this legal.

There is no reason to submit an application to the LoN.

The paracels are still disputed territory, the spratleys (or Kalayaans) are philippines territory in the past and now the new formed CONDOMINIUM.

...which is interesting given the Islands location. One wonders why the Islands status would suddenly require 400 planes, 800 troops and a small gaggle of warships.

I'm more amused by the fact that only one of the plane types listed has the range to reach anywhere other than... well, the Philippines. The ST202 torpedo bombers can reach northern Borneo, and they can *just barely* reach French Indochina if they want to return on an empty tank.

Plus, when the typhoon season comes up the base will be washed away - so it's like an aircraft carrier that doesn't move and sinks a few times a year. If it were me, I'd maybe put a squadron of floatplanes/flying boats there supported by a small tender - a converted old destroyer, I'd say. Anything more is just a waste of men and machines.

Quoted

Originally posted by Brockpaine
when the typhoon season comes up the base will be washed away
- so it's like an aircraft carrier that doesn't move and sinks a few times a year.

Hehehehe
That made me laugh.

This looks really aggressive. Putting an equivalent of some nations entire air force on those small islands.

Its pretty much says back of to any body interested in those small islands.