Think Tank Amazed: China's Upgraded Artificial Islands in the South China Sea Are Leading by a Crushing Margin!

Recently, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the United States released a satellite image analysis report indicating that China is quietly but systematically enhancing its military capabilities on the main artificial islands in the Spratly Islands—especially in electronic warfare, signal intelligence, and integrated defense systems.

On Mischief Reef and Subi Reef, newly appeared large fixed antenna arrays are combined with mobile vehicle-mounted equipment. This configuration allows for rapid deployment and flexible adjustment, enabling not only the interception of communication signals in surrounding waters but also the implementation of directed interference.

Another detail is the change in architectural layout. Some new facilities adopt circular or annular structures, a design not commonly seen in traditional military bases but advantageous in signal direction finding and electromagnetic spectrum monitoring.

U.S. experts analyze that such layouts may be used for high-precision radio positioning, helping to identify and track communication sources from ships, aircraft, and even drones. In other words, these islands are transforming into 'electronic eyes and ears' in the South China Sea.

In addition to electronic warfare facilities, several coastal areas of the islands have seen the emergence of reinforced bunkers and concealed weapon platforms. These bunkers are sized to accommodate various vehicle-mounted missile systems, including the Hongqi-9B long-range air defense missile and the YJ-12 anti-ship missile. These weapon systems possess area denial (A2/AD) capabilities, sufficient to pose a substantial deterrent to U.S. naval vessels.

The report maliciously points out that Vietnam and the Philippines have also constructed small outposts or lighthouses on some reefs, but in terms of scale, technical sophistication, or systemic integration, they are far inferior to China's artificial island bases. Especially in electronic warfare and ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) capabilities, the gap is at least over ten years.