Secret ‘electronic war’ exercise by China in the South China Sea region, claims US news channel

Washington: China, who has created artificial islands in the South China Sea and built military bases there, has started an electronic war exercise in the region. China has deployed the necessary equipment for the electronic war exercises in this marine region over the past few months and has started the war exercise now, informed a US news channel. The news channel claimed that this equipment has the capability to confuse or even disable the enemy’s radar and communication systems.

China had created the necessary facility for electronic warfare on the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea region, at the beginning of this year. These electronic systems were deployed here by China, under the cover of radar and missile deployment. To date, China had not activated these systems; but since the last few days, the systems have been activated and the electronic war exercises are being conducted, informed the US intelligence officials to a news channel.

China, who is always secretive about its military-preparedness, had also maintained secrecy about these war exercises in the South China Sea, claimed the news channel. The US news channel also said that this deployment increases the Chinese war-preparedness in this region. The US defence headquarters, Pentagon, has not reacted to this report. China had maintained secrecy about the deployment of these systems in the South China Sea.

In the month of April, it was discovered for the first time that China had deployed these Radar jamming systems in the South China Sea. The pilot of the EA-18G Growler had complained about network jamming while flying through this region. The EA-18G Growler aircrafts have been deployed on the US aircraft carrier based in Japan to assist in electronic warfare. Therefore, the complaint of the pilot of this aircraft was being considered seriously. Following this, the US news channel exposed the Chinese preparation with the report about the electronic war exercises.

China has already deployed air and missile defence systems in the South China Sea region. Along with this, China has expedited movements for deployment of fighter jets and stealth jets. In this scenario, by activating the equipment for electronic warfare, China can disable or confuse the radar and communications systems of the enemy in the South China Sea region, as well as in the neighbouring marine and air sectors. The US analysts have claimed that in such a case it will be very easy for the Chinese to target the enemy warships and fighter jets.

The South China Sea region is considered to be a very important region from the trade point of view. Goods worth about $3.5 Trillion transit through this marine sector annually. This is considered to be the most important marine waterway for commercial freight transport between the United States and the middle-eastern countries. But China has claimed rights on the entire region of South China Sea.

Moreover, China has created more than 100 artificial islands in the South China Sea, in the last few years. China has increased its military movements on more than 20 of these islands and the United States and the South-East Asian countries have accused China of militarising the region. But China has continued its activities in the South China Sea, dismissing these allegations by the United States.