DELARANEWS
Tech
China is Expanding its South China Sea Antenna Farms
A December 17 commentary from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has concluded that over the past year China has taken "major steps" to upgrade its capability to wage electronic warfare near the South China Sea." CSIS cites satellite images of massive antenna complexes to back its claim. Some facilities have already been suspected of jamming the communication facilities of US military aircraft operating in the region. "The Chinese military is taking major steps toward improving its electronic warfare, communications, and intelligence-gathering capabilities near the South China Sea," said the commentary by Matthew P. Funaiole, Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., and Brian Hart, all associated with CSIS. "Recent satellite imagery reveals that China has rapidly expanded facilities near Mumian, on Hainan Island, providing the People's Liberation Army (PLA) with greater ability to track and counter foreign military forces operating in the region and in outer space." The commentary said, "Many assets in the vicinity appear dedicated to gathering communications intelligence, a subset of [signals intelligence] that includes the collection of communications between individuals and organizations." Some of China's land claims in the South China Sea include rare DXCC entities. Scarborough Reef (Panatag Shoal) is one. Conflicting land claims exist for other islands, especially in the Spratlys. Further complicating the situation is a 2016 ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague that discounted China's claims with respect to Scarborough Reef and the Spratlys. The Court ruled in favor of the Philippines in a dispute with China over Scarborough Reef. In April 2015, a Chinese naval vessel "harassed a Philippine Air Force patrol flight in the Spratlys," according to one news account, by firing an illumination round. The incident postponed a Philippine Navy flight that was to evacuate an ailing participant of the DX0P Spratly Islands DXpedition. A private aircraft carrying a BBC reporter received radio warnings from the Chinese Navy to stay away from the South China Sea reefs and islands that China claims, strongly suggesting that China has expanded its sphere of influence to include the entire region. This and the more recent artificial island-building in the South China Sea cloud the possibility of future DXpedition to rare DXCC entities in the South China Sea, whether or not China has laid specific claim. The Spratlys are claimed in whole or in part by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, and other countries, and the Philippines government had issued the DX0P call sign. An international amateur radio team postponed a December 2017 DXpedition to the Spratly Islands operating under Malaysian call sign 9M0W, although the DXpedition did take place the following year. The planned 2012 DX0DX DXpedition to the Spratlys was canceled altogether without explanation after being pushed back at least twice. The last operation from Scarborough Reef was in 2007. - ARRL Letter
DELARANews
Tech
China is Expanding its South
China Sea Antenna Farms
A December 17 commentary from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has concluded that over the past year China has taken "major steps" to upgrade its capability to wage electronic warfare near the South China Sea." CSIS cites satellite images of massive antenna complexes to back its claim. Some facilities have already been suspected of jamming the communication facilities of US military aircraft operating in the region. "The Chinese military is taking major steps toward improving its electronic warfare, communications, and intelligence-gathering capabilities near the South China Sea," said the commentary by Matthew P. Funaiole, Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., and Brian Hart, all associated with CSIS. "Recent satellite imagery reveals that China has rapidly expanded facilities near Mumian, on Hainan Island, providing the People's Liberation Army (PLA) with greater ability to track and counter foreign military forces operating in the region and in outer space." The commentary said, "Many assets in the vicinity appear dedicated to gathering communications intelligence, a subset of [signals intelligence] that includes the collection of communications between individuals and organizations." Some of China's land claims in the South China Sea include rare DXCC entities. Scarborough Reef (Panatag Shoal) is one. Conflicting land claims exist for other islands, especially in the Spratlys. Further complicating the situation is a 2016 ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague that discounted China's claims with respect to Scarborough Reef and the Spratlys. The Court ruled in favor of the Philippines in a dispute with China over Scarborough Reef. In April 2015, a Chinese naval vessel "harassed a Philippine Air Force patrol flight in the Spratlys," according to one news account, by firing an illumination round. The incident postponed a Philippine Navy flight that was to evacuate an ailing participant of the DX0P Spratly Islands DXpedition. A private aircraft carrying a BBC reporter received radio warnings from the Chinese Navy to stay away from the South China Sea reefs and islands that China claims, strongly suggesting that China has expanded its sphere of influence to include the entire region. This and the more recent artificial island-building in the South China Sea cloud the possibility of future DXpedition to rare DXCC entities in the South China Sea, whether or not China has laid specific claim. The Spratlys are claimed in whole or in part by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, and other countries, and the Philippines government had issued the DX0P call sign. An international amateur radio team postponed a December 2017 DXpedition to the Spratly Islands operating under Malaysian call sign 9M0W, although the DXpedition did take place the following year. The planned 2012 DX0DX DXpedition to the Spratlys was canceled altogether without explanation after being pushed back at least twice. The last operation from Scarborough Reef was in 2007. - ARRL Letter
