According to The Times, the academic paper detailed how a team from the People’s Liberation Army Naval Aviation University (PLA NAU) and Yantai University successfully demonstrated the ability to use hostile radar signals to detect and track vessels entering or leaving a port. This approach is said to deviate from traditional radar usage, as the physical dimensions of a radar signal are typically only known to its sender or allies. (Related: CCP has been creating spy balloons for YEARS out of a heavily guarded naval base in southern China.)
“The images were clear as day,” said Song Jie, a scientist at the PLA NAU.
Meanwhile, the team backed his statement and claimed: “Our system works well for slow-moving targets at sea. It can track ships with ease.”
Moreover, the researchers utilized a receiving antenna in a residential building connected to an electromagnetic wave analyzer and an ordinary laptop for signal analysis in an experiment conducted in the port city of Yantai. They claimed to successfully track all commercial ships within 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) of the shoreline, providing details on their courses and speeds.
The Chinese scientists envision broader applications for their technology within the military domain, suggesting potential contributions to electronic warfare capabilities. These applications include electronic surveillance, anti-radiation weaponry, ultra-low-altitude penetration missions and stealth technology.
Interesting Engineering analyzed the technology as a form of “passive bistatic radar,” a method that involves borrowing or piggybacking radar signals from sources like warships or ground-based emitters to locate and track naval ships.
China claims its next-gen radar detects all air threats, including stealth fighters
In a 2023 report published by Interesting Engineering, China Electronics Technology Group Corp. (CETC), the leading provider of defense electronics in Beijing, introduced its newly developed YLC-16 multipurpose S-band radar system.
The YLC-16 employs state-of-the-art technologies, including an all-digital, fully solid active phased array and sophisticated processors. Tang Ji, a manager at CETC, showcased the radar during the 10th World Radio Detection and Ranging Expo in Beijing, describing it as “the best three-dimensional, middle-range surveillance radar currently available on the market.”
This cutting-edge radar system is designed to detect and track a wide range of threats, including cruise missiles, drones, helicopters, stealth aircraft and loitering weapons. The sleek and efficient YLC-16 operates with minimal power consumption, high stability and dependability.
Its capabilities extend beyond defense, contributing to tracking and predicting extreme weather, thereby aiding in the reduction of the impact of natural disasters. The YLC-16 has already been sold to numerous countries, with field testing commencing in the province of Fujian in December 2021.
Tang emphasized the modular structure of the radar, enabling remote control and real-time data transmission through optical fiber, microwave or satellite. The foldable antennas and covers facilitate quick opening and closing, a feature that enhances its versatility in different environments.
Furthermore, the YLC-16 is not limited to military applications. It can also monitor air traffic in the civil aviation industry. Additionally, CETC 14th Institute, the institute behind the YLC-16, has developed the GLC-36S active phased array radar, which can perform multi-dimensional precise scanning of hazardous weather, including typhoons, rainstorms and thunderstorms.
Watch former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon and former Defense Intelligence Agency officer Rebekah Koffler discuss below how the intelligence community’s focus on Ukraine allowed the Chinese spy balloon to slip unnoticed.
The family of a 16-year-old who has been missing for more than a week have pleaded for her to "let someone know" she is safe.Julia Skala left her house in south London at about 1pm on 8 January and has not been heard from since, with police increasingly concerned for her welfare.Officers are "working around the clock" to track her down, the Met Police says, and has appealed for the […]
Post comments (0)