Automated Chinese missile production line

[Micael]

Video clip from Chinese state television: https://x.com/clashreport/status/177474 ... JG_Vm2jjAA

I thought this was interesting, because it shows footage from what appears to be a heavily automated missile production line with robots shuttling components between CNC machines and such. It does look legitimate from what I can tell, and while it’s hard to confirm the claim in the video that it can produce the components for 1,000 missiles a day at max capacity, it does appear to be able to churn put quite a few.

As such, it can serve as an illustration of what I think is the most concerning aspect of China’s future military capability, its mass production ability of military weapons systems and equipment. Even if we assume that a technological capability gap remains when compared to the latest western high end items, this ability to produce (for instance) missiles at such high rates may be enough to offset said gap. Essentially I’m concerned that in a similar way that the superior American industrial capacity of World War II played a pivotal role in winning the war, China may be able to leverage a similar mass production capacity in a future war, and tip the scales in its favor.

With that being said, what do you all think? Of both the video and of the ponderings above?

[Craiglxviii]

I think we should be asking, “Why are they showing us this?”

[PLB]

To scare the hell out of the West so that when they attack Taiwan the first order of business will be capitulation?

Paul

[warshipadmin]

lots of transfer stuff, not much machining or assembly (if any). With a takt time of 90s they'll need multiple machines.

[Pdf27]

I think we should be asking, “Why are they showing us this?”

With the associated questions of:

• "what are they actually showing". I really don't think that's making aerospace parts. If I had to guess I'd say it's a machine tool showroom.
• "Who is the intended audience" - given the content, I suspect it's a Chinese domestic one.

lots of transfer stuff, not much machining or assembly (if any). With a takt time of 90s they'll need multiple machines.

Transfer (and warehousing) stuff not appropriate for a short TAKT time, they showed parallel CNC machining centres which didn't appear to be suitable for automation, etc. No sheet metal working (mandatory for a cruise missile) shown, no engine, no explodey stuff, etc. I do wonder if that's the TV crew using stock footage because no footage of the real factory (if it exists) is available.

[Craiglxviii]

I think we should be asking, “Why are they showing us this?”

With the associated questions of:

• "what are they actually showing". I really don't think that's making aerospace parts. If I had to guess I'd say it's a machine tool showroom.
• "Who is the intended audience" - given the content, I suspect it's a Chinese domestic one.

lots of transfer stuff, not much machining or assembly (if any). With a takt time of 90s they'll need multiple machines.

Transfer (and warehousing) stuff not appropriate for a short TAKT time, they showed parallel CNC machining centres which didn't appear to be suitable for automation, etc. No sheet metal working (mandatory for a cruise missile) shown, no engine, no explodey stuff, etc. I do wonder if that's the TV crew using stock footage because no footage of the real factory (if it exists) is available.

This. The Chinese institutionally aren’t very good at the innovation of industrialisation, either, so I suspect your wondering is on the money.