China Claims Success in Electronic Warfare Deception in South China Sea, Says Enemy Reconnaissance Aircraft Fooled

New System Enables Frequency Hacking and Creation of False Targets
Enhanced Battlefield Mobility with Miniaturized, High-Power Jamming

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) electronic warfare unit claimed it has successfully deceived foreign reconnaissance aircraft in the South China Sea using a new electronic jamming system.

The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and the Shandong carrier strike group conducted training in the South China Sea at the end of last month. Photo by Xinhua News Agency

On October 12, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, citing the September issue of the Chinese military magazine Ordnance Industry Science and Technology, that "the Chinese military's vehicle-mounted jamming system succeeded in deceiving the sensors of enemy aircraft during an operation."

This marks the first time the performance of China's electronic warfare unit has been publicly revealed through an official media outlet, which is interpreted as both a demonstration of technological achievement and a show of force in the South China Sea.

Although Ordnance Industry Science and Technology did not specify the timing of the operation or the target country, it explained that the new electronic warfare system can precisely replicate radar signals from large vessels up to 300 kilometers away, creating false targets.

The magazine stated, "This system can store the 'frequency fingerprints' of major adversaries, automatically identify the electromagnetic signals of specific equipment, and hack them. As a result, it generates fake target signals, causing enemy missiles to miss their actual targets by hundreds of meters."

This suggests that foreign reconnaissance aircraft may have detected signals of non-existent aircraft carriers or amphibious assault ships due to China's electronic jamming.

"Generates Non-Existent Targets... 50 Times Greater Energy Efficiency, One-Fifth the Deployment Time"

According to the report, this system has such a high energy density that it can deliver the output of 50 conventional jamming devices with a single unit, and its deployment time has been reduced to one-fifth of previous systems.

It also integrates interception, detection, and spectrum monitoring functions into a single platform, allowing it to capture signals and suppress transmissions within seconds. The report added that, with multi-band coverage, it can jam various electronic signals such as radar, communications, and navigation simultaneously.

Ordnance Industry Science and Technology reported that this jamming system was first unveiled at the 80th Victory Day anniversary parade held on September 3. It appeared mounted on a small jeep, and is considered a next-generation model that will replace existing "container-type jamming vehicles."

The magazine emphasized, "Thanks to the miniaturized electronic warfare platform, unit mobility has dramatically improved," and added, "It will have significant strategic value in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea."

SCMP analyzed that "China's overt disclosure of its electronic warfare capabilities is a display of military confidence and a warning signal to the United States and neighboring countries in the disputed South China Sea region."