China is nearly finished installing its aircraft hangars, radar arrays and missile launchers on three islands in the South China Sea, according to newly released satellite photographs.
The photos, released by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Monday, illustrate the buildup on the “Big 3” islands in the area: Subi, Mischief and Fiery Cross Reefs.
The AMTI, in releasing the photos, pointed to a letter written one year ago by then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper warning Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., that China would complete building the military facilities on the Spratly Islands by late 2016 or early 2017.
“He wasn’t far off the mark,” AMTI said Monday. “Beijing can now deploy military assets, including combat aircraft and mobile missile launchers, to the Spratly Islands at any time.
“China’s three air bases in the Spratlys and another on Woody Island in the Paracels will allow Chinese military aircraft to operate over nearly the entire South China Sea. The same is true of China’s radar coverage, made possible by advanced surveillance/early-warning radar facilities at Fiery Cross, Subi, and Cuarteron Reefs, as well as Woody Island, and smaller facilities elsewhere,” AMTI said. “China has maintained HQ-9 surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems on Woody Island for more than a year and has on at least one occasion deployed anti-ship cruise missiles to the island. It has now constructed hardened shelters with retractable roofs for mobile missile launchers on the Big 3.”
The photos detail hangars large enough to house 24 combat aircraft and four larger planes on Fiery Cross Reef, along with a larger radar/sensor array. On Mischief Reef, a similarly-sized airplane hangar is visible, along with five larger hangars and retractable roofs on missile shelters. The situation is similar on Subi Reef, but the island also includes an “elephant case” radar array.
“This is unique among the Big 3,” AMTI said. “As with radar facilities at the other reefs, this high-frequency radar is close to a point defense structure, providing protection against air or missile strikes.”
The military buildup has been a major point of concern for lawmakers, especially McCain, who have called on the Navy to undertake more “freedom-of-navigation” operations to challenge China’s claims in the South China Sea. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis also brought up this issue during his confirmation hearing in January.
“I think it’s under the biggest attack since World War II, sir, and that’s from Russia, from terrorist groups and with what China is doing in the South China Sea,” Mattis said in describing the state of the world order.
