Air and Surface Radar
Abstract
This military capability (MILCAP) study focuses on air and surface radar capabilities on seven Chinese island-reef outposts in the South China Sea (SCS). These SCS MILCAP studies provide a survey of military technologies and systems on Chinese claimed island-reefs in the Spratly Islands, approximately 1,300 kilometers (700 nautical miles) South of Hong Kong. These Chinese outposts have become significant Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) bases that will enhance future Chinese military operations in the SCS, an area where Beijing has disputed territorial claims (see Appendix B). The SCS MILCAP series highlights a PLA informationized warfare strategy to gain and maintain information control in a military conflict. Radar systems on the Chinese island-reefs appear to be diverse and redundant covering a broad swath of the frequency spectrum, incorporating a range of sensor phenomenology. Over two dozen probable radars were noted on the island-reefs in total. These include likely air- and surface- search radar, target-tracking radar, microwave over-the-horizon radar that can track surface targets at long range, and a unique low-frequency radar on Subi Reef purported to have significant counter-stealth capabilities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 06, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1128253
Entities
People
- J. M. Dahm
Organizations
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory