China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has revealed a significant technological advancement in electronic warfare by detecting what appears to be coordinated radar signals across vast regions of the Pacific Ocean.
According to reports from the South China Morning Post (SCMP), this is the first time the PLA has disclosed information related to electronic warfare intelligence of this magnitude. The radar signals, which exhibit characteristics of “tactical coordination,” were detected across multiple locations, strongly implying involvement by the United States, given the regions in question.
The PLA’s detection of these signals is of particular interest to Washington, as monitoring Chinese military activities is a crucial aspect of its strategy to contain China’s growing influence in the Pacific. The region, extending from the South China Sea to Alaska and including U.S. territories such as Guam, forms part of the so-called “second island chain,” a key element in the U.S. strategy to limit China’s expansion.
The Marshall Islands, a central Pacific location housing some of the U.S. military’s most advanced space surveillance radars, also featured in the PLA’s findings. Zhou Changlin and his research team from the Strategic Support Forces Information Engineering University highlighted that electronic confrontation between China and its competitors is a daily occurrence. They emphasized that the volume and complexity of signal data generated from these interactions have surged in recent years.
To address the challenges posed by the sheer volume of data, Zhou’s team developed an advanced AI-driven data processing platform. This system is designed to analyze vast amounts of intelligence data rapidly and accurately, providing combat units with precise and customized information. The AI system excels at identifying patterns of electronic tactical coordination among different radar systems across various locations, even when the data is noisy and uncertain.
The AI’s ability to correlate events and provide geographical coordinates of the detected signals is a significant asset for the Chinese military, particularly in planning electronic warfare operations like electromagnetic suppression, deception, and jamming.
Zhou’s team also claims that the AI can identify unknown radar types, estimate their operating parameters, and predict the future deployment of foreign naval fleets.
This AI system works in tandem with other intelligence platforms, including imaging satellites, to verify its findings. The researchers emphasized the importance of human expertise in refining the AI model parameters, ensuring that man and machine work together effectively in the realm of electronic warfare.