Offshore Activities

Prasun K. Sengupta

Of all the reefs and shoals reclaimed as islets by China thus far in the South China Sea, Fiery Cross Reef witnessed the most construction in 2017, with work being conducted on buildings covering 27 acres, or about 110,000 square metres.

AG-600 Amphibian

This included completion of the larger aircraft hangars (enough to accommodate 24 combat aircraft) alongside the runway, work on large underground weapons storage structures to the south of the island, a large communications-related sensor array at the north-east end of the islet, various early-warning radar sites spread around the islet, and eight hardened shelters with retractable roofs for surface-to-air and anti-ship cruise missiles at the southern end. The large underground weapons storage sites have been completed and entirely buried, joining other underground storage structures previously built on the islet, which include water and fuel storage sites.

China has also constructed a high-frequency radar array at the north end of the islet and it comprises a field of upright poles, similar to those built at Cuarteron Reef in 2015. This high-frequency radar is situated next to the large communications array completed earlier last year. In addition, a large radome was recently installed on a building at the southern end, this housing an over-the-horizon early-warning radar. An identical building is now under construction at the northern end, along with two more at Mischief Reef.

Another, smaller dome has been installed on a tower near the shelters on Mischief Reef. A very large antennae array is being installed on a small outpost at the southern side of Mischief Reef for tracking maritime traffic around the feature. China’s three air bases in the Spratly Islands and another on Woody Island in the Paracels group of islands will thus allow PLA Navy (PLAN) combat aircraft to operate over nearly the entire South China Sea.

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