Amanda Macias
China is quietly testing electronic warfare assets lately installed at fortified outposts inwards the South China Sea, according to sources who convey seen U.S.A. tidings reports. Intelligence assessments, which were curated less than a calendar month ago, tell this is the starting fourth dimension known utilization of the equipment since its deployment before this twelvemonth to outposts inwards the Spratly Islands, said the sources, who spoke on the status of anonymity. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on tidings matters. The deed allows Beijing to farther projection its ability inwards the hotly disputed waters. The placement of electronic warfare assets, which are designed to confuse or disable communications together with radar systems, comes on the heels of China's installation of anti-ship cruise missiles together with surface-to-air missile systems on iii outposts inwards the hotly contested waters of the South China Sea.
The novel coastal defence forcefulness systems, coupled alongside electronic warfare equipment, correspond pregnant additions to Beijing's country of war machine portfolio inwards i of the close contested regions inwards the world.
The South China Sea, which is domicile to to a greater extent than than 200 specks of land, serves every bit a gateway to global body of body of water routes where or together with then $3.4 trillion of merchandise passes annually.
The numerous overlapping sovereign claims to islands, reefs together with rocks — many of which disappear nether high tide — convey turned the waters into an armed camp. Beijing holds the lion's portion of these features alongside or together with then 27 outposts peppered throughout.
CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/CNBC
Map of the South China Sea.
The Spratlys, to which half dozen countries lay claim, are located or together with then two-thirds of the means eastward from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines.
Just northward of the Spratly Islands prevarication the Paracels, where Beijing boasts xx outposts including Woody Island, which serves every bit China's administrative together with country of war machine headquarters inwards the South China Sea.
Woody Island features an airstrip, helipads, xx hangars for combat aircraft, J-10 together with J-11 fighter jets, HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles, together with anti-ship cruise missiles.
Meanwhile, China maintains that its island-building on strategic outposts inwards the South China Sea is for nonmilitary functions. Yet the jamming equipment together with missile systems look to serve no other purpose than for country of war machine interests.
CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe
CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe
Buat lebih berguna, kongsi:
