China’s installation of anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three outposts in the South China Sea,” CNBC reported.
China has been conducting electronic warfare tests using hardware installed in its military outposts in the disputed South China Sea.
Quoting sources who have seen US intelligence data, CNBC News reported that the testing was the first known use of the electronic warfare assets since the deployment of the equipment earlier this year in its fortified outposts, including Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) and Panganiban (Mischief) Reefs, both claimed by the Philippines.
“The move (testing) allows Beijing to further project its power in the hotly disputed waters. The placement of electronic warfare assets, which are designed to confuse or disable communications and radar systems, comes on the heels of China’s installation of anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three outposts in the South China Sea,” CNBC reported.
Quoting sources who have seen US intelligence data, CNBC News reported that the testing was the first known use of the electronic warfare assets since the deployment of the equipment earlier this year in its fortified outposts, including Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) and Panganiban (Mischief) Reefs, both claimed by the Philippines.
“The move (testing) allows Beijing to further project its power in the hotly disputed waters. The placement of electronic warfare assets, which are designed to confuse or disable communications and radar systems, comes on the heels of China’s installation of anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three outposts in the South China Sea,” CNBC reported.
While the Philippines won its case before the arbitral tribunal in 2016 contesting China’s nine-dash claim over the South China Sea, the Duterte administration is treating Beijing “with kid gloves over the dispute.”
President Duterte said the country cannot afford to go to war with China over the dispute, explaining that a lot could be gained economically with a peaceful resolution.
Earlier, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies warned it would only be a matter of time before China deploys fighter jets to its artificial islands built over Philippine-claimed territories.
The AMTI said the deployment of fighter aircraft in Philippine-claimed territories is expected to expand Beijing’s capability to project power.
The AMTI said recent developments at the Kagitingan Reef, Zamora (Subi) Reef and Panganiban (Mischief) Reef or the “Big Three” followed similar military deployments in the China-occupied portions of the disputed Paracel Islands.
From harbor dredging and runway improvements to hangar and radar construction, upgrades at Woody Island in the Paracels “have served as a blueprint for things to come on China’s Spratly holdings in the south,” the AMTI said.
It said China has repeatedly deployed J-10 and J-11 fighter jets to Woody Island, and in late October 2017, the Chinese military released images and video of J-11Bs on Woody for exercises.
It also noted that just like in Woody Island, Chinese anti-ship cruise missiles, military transport aircraft, surface-to-air missile systems and jamming equipment on Kagitingan, Zamora and Panganiban Reefs are present in the South China Sea.
“With similar platforms now seen on the Big Three, it is reasonable to look at other recent Woody Island deployments as signs of things to come at Fiery Cross, Mischief and Subi Reefs,” the AMTI said.
President Duterte said the country cannot afford to go to war with China over the dispute, explaining that a lot could be gained economically with a peaceful resolution.
Earlier, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies warned it would only be a matter of time before China deploys fighter jets to its artificial islands built over Philippine-claimed territories.
The AMTI said the deployment of fighter aircraft in Philippine-claimed territories is expected to expand Beijing’s capability to project power.
The AMTI said recent developments at the Kagitingan Reef, Zamora (Subi) Reef and Panganiban (Mischief) Reef or the “Big Three” followed similar military deployments in the China-occupied portions of the disputed Paracel Islands.
From harbor dredging and runway improvements to hangar and radar construction, upgrades at Woody Island in the Paracels “have served as a blueprint for things to come on China’s Spratly holdings in the south,” the AMTI said.
It said China has repeatedly deployed J-10 and J-11 fighter jets to Woody Island, and in late October 2017, the Chinese military released images and video of J-11Bs on Woody for exercises.
It also noted that just like in Woody Island, Chinese anti-ship cruise missiles, military transport aircraft, surface-to-air missile systems and jamming equipment on Kagitingan, Zamora and Panganiban Reefs are present in the South China Sea.
“With similar platforms now seen on the Big Three, it is reasonable to look at other recent Woody Island deployments as signs of things to come at Fiery Cross, Mischief and Subi Reefs,” the AMTI said.
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