China’s Ministry of National Defense has publicized new lightweight, remote sensing platforms, hinting that they may be deployed for military application in the South China Sea to aid protecting island construction and monitoring contested areas.
The platforms were debuted recently at the 2019 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition, a major regional defense exposition hosted in Malaysia. They are built by the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, a state-owned enterprise specializing in high-technology defense and security products, especially sensors, communications, and networking solutions.
The platforms come in two versions: a floating integrated information platform and a larger integrated information system meant to be installed on an island or reef. The ministry says that both systems are able to work as nodes in a sensor network providing multi-dimensional situational awareness, information services, and surveillance. These capabilities would have application for reef construction and protection, but also maritime research and public services.
The platforms were debuted recently at the 2019 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition, a major regional defense exposition hosted in Malaysia. They are built by the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, a state-owned enterprise specializing in high-technology defense and security products, especially sensors, communications, and networking solutions.
The platforms come in two versions: a floating integrated information platform and a larger integrated information system meant to be installed on an island or reef. The ministry says that both systems are able to work as nodes in a sensor network providing multi-dimensional situational awareness, information services, and surveillance. These capabilities would have application for reef construction and protection, but also maritime research and public services.
