*Beijing: *China has built a new type of electronic warfare aircraft whichcan cover bigger combat areas such as the South and East China seas andgreatly enhance the Navy’s capabilities in modern warfare, a media reportsaid today.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s South China Sea Fleet deployedthe H-6G bomber in its recent combat manoeuvres.
The aircraft developed for 10 years in service is equipped with theElectronic Countermeasures (ECM) pods underneath its wings.
It was the first time the bomber played “a supporting role in theelectronic warfare”, China Central Television (CCTV) reported last week.
The modified H-6G fitted with ECM pods can engage in combat missions usingelectronic jamming, suppression and anti-radiation, it said.
“The main role of the electronic fighters is to obstruct the enemies’electronic jamming devices – for example, radar, to temporarily orpermanently, if powerful enough, cover the surveillance devices and to hideour combat platforms’ track,” Song Zhongping, a military expert and TVcommentator, told the state-run Global Times.
“The H-6G electronic warfare aircraft boasts of high electronic jammingpower and can cover relatively bigger combat areas such as the South ChinaSea and East China Sea,” Song said.
China has developed advanced and standardised ECM pods to modify multipletypes of fighter jets for combat requirements, such as the J-15 typefighter jets. Using the ECM pods in fighters is the most efficient andeffective way, Song said.
China’s JH-7 fighter bomber was also seen carrying such ECM pods inprevious PLA Air Force military practices, according to CCTV.
China’s PLA Navy deploys such EMC pods carrying aircraft together with itswarships and other combat vessels for electronic combat missions and toenhance combat capabilities, Song said.
China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the SouthChina Sea and the East China Sea. Beijing has built up and militarised manyof the islands and reefs it controls in the region.
China claims almost all of South China Sea and has also laid claims on theSenkaku islands under the control of Japan in East China Sea.
Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claimsover the South China Sea.
Both areas are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other naturalresources. They are also vital to global trade.