The aircraft sighting is the second in a month on Fiery Cross Reef and comes after Beijing issued Chinese names for an additional 80 geographical features in the disputed South China Sea
Jane’s analysis of commercially available satellite imagery indicates that Chinese military aircraft have been deployed to Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea. The deployment comes after Beijing gave Chinese names to an additional 80 geographical features in the South China Sea: a move decried by the Philippines and Vietnam. The trusted global agency for open-source defence intelligence highlights that this is the second sighting in satellite imagery within the past month of military aircraft at Fiery Cross Reef.
“Captured on 11 May 2020, imagery shows a KJ-200 anti-submarine warfare aircraft, a KJ-500 airborne early warning aircraft, and a Z-8 helicopter on the ramp at Fiery Cross Reef, which supports a large Chinese military outpost constructed on reclaimed land, and includes an airfield and an harbour.” said Sean O’Connor, principal analyst at Jane’s. “All three aircraft are in operation with the People’s Liberation Army Navy Air Force (PLANAF).”
Jane’s highlights that the KQ-200 and KJ-500 can monitor activity on and under the sea and in the air around the disputed regions, allowing China to develop an intelligence picture throughout the region.
What does this mean?
“Two sightings of surveillance aircraft within a month could indicate that the PLANAF is beginning to periodically base aircraft on Fiery Cross Reef,” said O’Connor. “Aircraft could be regularly rotated through the base from other PLANAF units in the South Sea Fleet. Sufficient hangar space is available for at least three surveillance aircraft, although additional airframes could be parked in the open on available ramp space.”
Concurrently, the imagery showed a Type 071 (Yuzhao)-class landing platform dock being assisted into a berth within the harbour. The Z-8 seen on the ramp at Fiery Cross, which is located within the disputed Spratly island chain, is likely to have been temporarily disembarked from the amphibious ship, which can operate up to four such helicopters.
Jane’s notes that the Type 071 could, in theory, be used to deploy forces to a disputed territory should another claimant attempt to take control of it. The ship could also be used to deploy military personnel and/or equipment on Fiery Cross.
“To fully assert control over the region, however, the PLANAF would likely require additional assets. Deployment of multirole fighters to Fiery Cross or the presence of an aircraft carrier in the area would make the threat of enforcement more significant,” said O’Connor. “Alternatively, anti-ship or surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) deployed on Chinese-controlled locations could provide the same impact, albeit under more limited circumstances. Where a fighter could be used in an intercept and escort fashion, the launch of a surface-to-air missile would represent in a more significant escalation.”
