https://www.scmp.com/rss/328476/feed The latest military news, insights and analysis from China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Iran has demanded explanations from two Gulf states equipped with Chinese-made Wing Loong II drones after one was reportedly shot down in the war with the United States and Israel. Both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are known to have the reconnaissance and precision strike drones in their arsenals. The drone was shot down over the city of Shiraz on Thursday, according to Esmail Baqaei, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry. Baqaei posted photos of drone wreckage on social... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349036/iran-demands-explanations-saudis-and-uae-after-chinese-made-drone-was-shot-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349036/iran-demands-explanations-saudis-and-uae-after-chinese-made-drone-was-shot-down?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:51:34 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US President Donald Trump is seeking congressional approval for US$1.5 trillion in defence spending in his new budget proposal, underscoring his administration’s focus on military investment as the country remains engaged in conflict in the Middle East. The blueprint released by the White House on Friday for the financial year 2027 proposes a 44 per cent increase in the US defence budget – implementing the widely controversial plan first unveiled by Trump in a January social media post. If... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3349007/trump-administration-seeks-us15-trillion-defence-new-budget-request?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3349007/trump-administration-seeks-us15-trillion-defence-new-budget-request?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:26:42 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen One crew member from a US fighter jet shot down over Iran has been rescued by US forces, multiple news outlets reported on Friday, citing two US officials, while a second crew member remains missing. A separate US aircraft was also hit near the Strait of Hormuz, though its pilot was rescued safely, according to the reports. Iran on Friday claimed to have shot down an American fighter jet, releasing photos of apparent wreckage of an F-15E, while the United States reportedly launched a... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349006/one-us-pilot-rescued-another-missing-after-iran-says-it-downed-fighter-jet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349006/one-us-pilot-rescued-another-missing-after-iran-says-it-downed-fighter-jet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:47:43 +0000 Wenran Jiang Wenran Jiang The dust and debris of the US-Israeli war on Iran have yet to settle, but its strategic shock waves have reached East Asia. From Tokyo to Taipei, a reassessment is under way. The conflict, intended to project American resolve, has been a brutal stress test for the US-led order – with catastrophic results for Washington’s credibility. Far from cementing its primacy, America’s misadventure has revealed a superpower that is overstretched, vulnerable and seen as an unreliable partner. This erosion... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348665/east-asias-crisis-confidence-us-militarising-chinas-backyard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348665/east-asias-crisis-confidence-us-militarising-chinas-backyard?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Japan plans to introduce a fleet of kamikaze drones and low-cost missiles to boost deterrence against regional threats including China, according to Japanese media reports. The Yomiuri newspaper and Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday that the strategy was focused on “integrated attacks” from unmanned aerial vehicles and long-range stand-off missiles, citing government and ruling coalition sources. They said the drones and missiles would be used to break down enemy air defences and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348960/eye-china-japan-looks-kamikaze-drones-and-low-cost-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348960/eye-china-japan-looks-kamikaze-drones-and-low-cost-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:00:23 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The People’s Liberation Army has upgraded its ageing tanks for a potential Taiwan operation, equipping them with a system to counter drone attacks and anti-tank missiles, according to state media. Type 96A main battle tanks with the GL-6 active protection system, or APS, installed were shown in video footage released by official newspaper China Youth Daily on Monday. The tanks belong to the 71st Group Army unit under the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command, which is mainly responsible for possible... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348816/pla-upgrades-ageing-tanks-protection-system-potential-taiwan-operation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348816/pla-upgrades-ageing-tanks-protection-system-potential-taiwan-operation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen As Tokyo was completing the deployment on Tuesday of its two Type 25 missiles targeting China, a Chinese naval fleet entered the Sea of Japan, while bilateral tensions continued to escalate. China has strongly protested the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force’s addition of the newly designated Type 25 long-range surface-to-ship guided (SSM) missile and hypervelocity gliding projectiles (HGP). The deployments were an example of “neo-militarism in Japan, which has become more than just a perilous... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348676/chinese-navy-arrives-sea-japan-just-tokyo-deploys-long-range-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348676/chinese-navy-arrives-sea-japan-just-tokyo-deploys-long-range-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:01:24 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China has conducted the maiden flight of the Changying-8, which it says is the world’s heaviest multi-terrain cargo drone with the potential for military applications. The CY-8, which was developed under defence contractor China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (Norinco), is capable of short take-offs and landings as well as operating on high-altitude plateaus and island regions. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the drone successfully completed its maiden flight on Tuesday morning... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348559/china-tests-worlds-heaviest-cargo-drone-suited-high-altitude-and-island-operations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348559/china-tests-worlds-heaviest-cargo-drone-suited-high-altitude-and-island-operations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:29:17 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s military mouthpiece accused Japan of “dangerously expanding” its defence industry – in capacity, technology and international engagement – and said it had “crossed the red line”. In a rare full-page report on Monday, PLA Daily claimed Japan possessed an “astonishing” stockpile of nuclear materials and that it had the technology to produce nuclear weapons. It said 44.4 tonnes of plutonium had already been separated by the end of 2024 – enough to make about 5,500 nuclear warheads. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348518/japan-has-enough-plutonium-make-5500-nuclear-warheads-pla-daily-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348518/japan-has-enough-plutonium-make-5500-nuclear-warheads-pla-daily-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:08:14 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Maritime tensions between China and the Philippines are likely to persist despite Manila’s call for energy cooperation, Chinese observers said after revived diplomatic talks on the weekend. Senior diplomats from the two countries met in the Chinese city of Quanzhou on Friday and Saturday for two rounds of talks, covering a range of issues from oil and gas cooperation in the South China Sea to renewable energy and coastguard communication. The foreign ministry consultations were held for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348303/why-revived-china-philippine-talks-wont-lead-energy-cooperation-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348303/why-revived-china-philippine-talks-wont-lead-energy-cooperation-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen A hybrid propulsion system designed to make small battlefield drones stealthier and go further has passed its flight tests, according to Chinese state media. The system’s motor is driven by fuel-powered electricity, combining two systems to make the best of both, according to a report on Friday on CCTV-7, China’s military television channel. Drone propulsion has largely followed two distinct paths. Fuel-powered systems are typically used in bigger uncrewed aircraft, offering strong performance... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348309/quieter-stealthier-further-new-hybrid-unit-power-chinas-small-battle-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348309/quieter-stealthier-further-new-hybrid-unit-power-chinas-small-battle-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Japan has upgraded a naval vessel with capabilities to fire long-range Tomahawk missiles, with the first firing test expected this summer – a move experts said would pose a security threat to China. The Aegis destroyer Chokai “completed modifications and crew training” in the US that started in October, “confirming its acquisition of Tomahawk missile launch capabilities”, Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on Friday. He said a ceremony marking the acquisition of these capabilities... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348299/japan-upgrades-destroyer-tomahawk-missiles-why-it-might-pose-threat-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348299/japan-upgrades-destroyer-tomahawk-missiles-why-it-might-pose-threat-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Citing security concerns, Beijing will significantly restrict drone sales, storage and transport after tightening regulation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Chinese capital’s airspace, according to state media. Beijing has banned the sale or lease of UAVs and 17 designated “core components” to any person or organisation unless granted public security approval, according to the regulation approved by the municipal legislative body on Friday. Bringing new drones or core components into... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348257/beijing-tightens-drone-rules-citing-low-altitude-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348257/beijing-tightens-drone-rules-citing-low-altitude-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China’s new air-based nuclear missile will boost the country’s ability to survive a first strike and retaliate, reinforcing confidence in its no-first-use policy, according to a state-linked military magazine. The Jinglei-1 nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) made its debut at the World War II Victory Day parade in Beijing last September. It can be carried by the PLA Air Force’s H-6N strategic bombers, completing the People’s Liberation Army’s “nuclear triad” – the ability to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348174/what-debut-new-air-based-missile-means-chinas-nuclear-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348174/what-debut-new-air-based-missile-means-chinas-nuclear-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s military canine robots have evolved into intelligent “wolf packs” with specialised roles and a shared “brain” to coordinate complex tasks in urban warfare, according to state media. Compared with earlier models deployed and tested by the People’s Liberation Army, these “robot wolves” have achieved a transformational leap from a “single-soldier support system to a coordinated swarm combat platform”, state broadcaster CCTV said in a documentary series episode that aired on Thursday. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348167/rise-wolf-pack-chinas-canine-robots-evolve-think-one-urban-combat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348167/rise-wolf-pack-chinas-canine-robots-evolve-think-one-urban-combat?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:01:18 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Beijing should develop an air-based interceptor system as missile threats escalate from Washington and its regional allies, as well as Taiwan and India, a mainland Chinese military magazine has urged, pointing to developments in the Iran war. The war in the Middle East, particularly the “nearly insurmountable challenges” posed by Iran’s ballistic missiles to Israel, is exposing the limitations of existing midcourse and terminal-phase missile defence systems, according to an analysis in the March... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347981/iran-war-shows-why-china-must-change-course-missile-interception-tech-analysis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347981/iran-war-shows-why-china-must-change-course-missile-interception-tech-analysis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Japan’s structural reform of its maritime force reflects a shift towards quasi-carrier operations and preparations for a potential conflict with Beijing, according to Chinese analysts. The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) on Monday revamped its organisational structure to accelerate decision-making and improve ship operations, according to Kyodo News. The agency described the move as part of Japan’s efforts to strengthen defence amid China’s growing assertiveness. As part of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347889/should-china-be-worried-about-japans-maritime-force-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347889/should-china-be-worried-about-japans-maritime-force-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:00:08 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Tan Ruisong, the former boss of China’s top military aviation company, has been given a suspended death sentence for reaping over 613 million yuan (US$89 million) from bribes and insider trading. Tan, 64, was the chairman and Communist Party secretary of state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) – China’s leading military aircraft maker – from 2018 until his retirement in March 2023. He is one of the most prominent defence sector executives to come under investigation in President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347885/former-defence-exec-tan-ruisong-given-death-sentence-exceptional-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347885/former-defence-exec-tan-ruisong-given-death-sentence-exceptional-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taipei aims to leverage geopolitics by positioning itself as an Asia-Pacific drone hub built on a supply chain decoupled from mainland China, though challenges relating to scale, politics and timing threaten its ambitious industrial strategy. The push reflects a broader effort by the administration of Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te to position the island as a node in what officials have described as a “democratic supply chain” free of mainland Chinese components amid rising geopolitical... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347745/can-taiwan-fulfil-its-asia-pacific-drone-hub-goal-non-red-supply-chain-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347745/can-taiwan-fulfil-its-asia-pacific-drone-hub-goal-non-red-supply-chain-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen There is little chance the US could bring China to the table on any nuclear arms control agreements in the short term, despite upcoming leaders’ meetings this year, experts said on Tuesday, as the Trump administration pushes for a trilateral deal including China after the previous US-Russia treaty expired last month. There is “no shortage of good ideas” for how the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could move the world towards ending a nuclear... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347775/us-unlikely-get-china-join-new-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-say-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347775/us-unlikely-get-china-join-new-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-say-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:02:23 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A pair of advanced destroyers kicked off an intensive and wide-ranging training exercise soon after they were assigned to the People’s Liberation Army division that oversees Taiwan and the East China Sea. The newly commissioned 12,000-tonne guided-missile destroyers, the Dongguan and Anqing, took part in their first live-fire training in mid-March, simulating high-intensity combat missions, the official PLA Daily reported on Sunday. The Type 055 “super destroyers” are the first of their kind in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347726/new-type-055-destroyers-pla-east-china-fleet-tested-first-live-fire-drill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347726/new-type-055-destroyers-pla-east-china-fleet-tested-first-live-fire-drill?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:12:05 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The official newspaper of the People’s Liberation Army has condemned Japan’s deployment of stand-off weapons, including upgraded Type-12 missiles, accusing it of creating a “kill network” capable of targeting both coastal and inland areas of neighbouring countries. The enhanced Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles are set to be deployed at Camp Kengun in Japan’s southwestern Kumamoto prefecture by the end of this month. On Tuesday, the PLA Daily reported that the upgraded Type-12 missile featured a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347707/china-slams-japans-kill-network-long-range-missile-deployment-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347707/china-slams-japans-kill-network-long-range-missile-deployment-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Potential US ground operations against Iran might constrain Tehran, but the prospects for reopening the Strait of Hormuz were “highly uncertain”, Chinese analysts said. They also cautioned that any such escalation was likely to result in heavy casualties, with one of them saying Iran “might even welcome” such close combat. US President Donald Trump on Monday announced a five-day halt to military strikes on Iranian power plants. He made the announcement on social media as the US’ 48-hour deadline... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347622/what-if-us-ground-forces-march-iran-chinese-experts-weigh-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347622/what-if-us-ground-forces-march-iran-chinese-experts-weigh-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:00:14 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s defence ministry has outlined a wartime strategy of using long-range firepower to “slow the advance” of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces in the event of a cross-strait assault. The ministry report on Monday comes as lawmakers began formal discussions on a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget. The ministry said the military would prioritise targeting the incoming adversary – including amphibious fleets and logistics support forces – as they mobilised and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347617/deny-delay-degrade-taiwan-unveils-long-range-strategy-hold-pla-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347617/deny-delay-degrade-taiwan-unveils-long-range-strategy-hold-pla-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:00:41 +0000 Alyssa Chen,Mark Magnier,Zhuang Pinghui Alyssa Chen,Mark Magnier,Zhuang Pinghui US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the US would halt military strikes on Iranian power plants for five days following discussions with Tehran, but Iranian officials quickly denied talks were ongoing, labelling them “fake news” designed to prop up financial markets. Trump said on social media that he had instructed the Department of Defence to “postpone any and all military strikes” against power and energy infrastructure for a five-day period, “subject to [the] success of ongoing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347612/trump-says-us-will-halt-military-strikes-iranian-power-plants-5-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347612/trump-says-us-will-halt-military-strikes-iranian-power-plants-5-days?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:24:58 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen While Iranian Shahed-136 suicide drones recently drew attention for destroying key US radars and striking targets as far away as Cyprus in the US-Israel war on Iran, their distant “cousins” in China may pose an even higher risk in a future conflict. China’s ASN-301 shares the Iranian drone’s aerodynamic delta-wing design that is rooted in a common technological origin. The Chinese drone and its variants have evolved into either a highly sophisticated SEAD (suppression of enemy air defences)... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347494/why-chinas-asn-301-suicide-drone-more-deadly-its-iranian-counterpart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347494/why-chinas-asn-301-suicide-drone-more-deadly-its-iranian-counterpart?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Washington’s deployment of an amphibious assault ship from Japan to the Middle East could signal a temporary reduction in US military capacity in the Indo-Pacific region but will not necessarily diminish its deterrence of China, according to analysts. According to American media reports, the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli has left its home port in Japan and is making its way to the Middle East, carrying 2,500 marines on board. According to Marinetraffic.com, which monitors ships based on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347438/does-uss-tripolis-deployment-middle-east-create-strategic-opening-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347438/does-uss-tripolis-deployment-middle-east-create-strategic-opening-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung The survival of Iran’s political and military apparatus following a massive US-Israeli decapitation strike has ignited a strategic debate in Taiwan, with experts weighing the island’s ability to withstand a similar “surgical” opening to an attack from the mainland. Military analysts and officials in Taipei are closely studying the February 28 strikes that killed Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, and Iran’s ability to sustain organised resistance in the weeks that have followed. Iran’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347431/could-taiwans-military-continue-fight-after-iran-decapitation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347431/could-taiwans-military-continue-fight-after-iran-decapitation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi The first known combat damage to an F-35 fifth-generation fighter aircraft from a likely Iranian attack suggests that stealth jets can be detected by electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor systems, according to Chinese analysts. US Central Command reported that the stealth fighter was forced to make an emergency landing during a combat mission over Iran on Thursday. “We are aware of reports that a US F-35 aircraft conducted an emergency landing at a regional US airbase after flying a combat... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347383/iran-detected-and-damaged-us-f-35-stealth-jet-combat-chinese-experts-map-out-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347383/iran-detected-and-damaged-us-f-35-stealth-jet-combat-chinese-experts-map-out-how?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:26:16 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei US air strikes may have weakened Iran’s ability to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, but in the short term it is probably too risky to provide a military escort for oil tankers because of the threat from drones and mines, according to Chinese analysts. Multiple media reports have said the United States was considering the use of ground troops to open the waterway, but many military observers have argued this would not be enough without further protracted fighting. The strait is a vital shipping... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347370/can-us-reopen-strait-hormuz-many-military-analysts-are-sceptical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347370/can-us-reopen-strait-hormuz-many-military-analysts-are-sceptical?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:00:56 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Iran’s missile and drone stockpiles will last another two or three months as US-Israeli strikes continue, while the US military is also depleting its interceptors, Chinese analysts have noted. However, how long the war lasts would depend less on stockpiles alone than on the effectiveness of new US deployments and President Donald Trump’s political calculus, one of them cautioned. Iran has continued its attacks on Israel and on US assets across the Middle East since the conflict was triggered on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347212/how-long-will-us-israel-war-iran-last-chinese-analysts-offer-clues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347212/how-long-will-us-israel-war-iran-last-chinese-analysts-offer-clues?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Recent mishaps involving the USS Gerald R. Ford suggest America’s military is overstretched and its industrial base has been weakened, according to Chinese analysts. The warship – the world’s most advanced nuclear-powered aircraft carrier – has been supporting the US operation against Iran in the Red Sea. But US media reported this week that it would head to Greece for repairs after a 30-hour fire last Thursday destroyed more than 600 sailors’ berths. That followed reports in January of plumbing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347171/troubled-us-aircraft-carrier-moving-away-iran-does-it-reflect-bigger-problems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347171/troubled-us-aircraft-carrier-moving-away-iran-does-it-reflect-bigger-problems?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:33 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The People’s Liberation Army has announced a new AI-assisted task dispatch system for China’s aerial refuelling tankers, days after a US military tanker crashed in the Middle East. According to the official PLA Daily, the Chinese air force has streamlined its aerial refuelling operations with a smart artificial intelligence (AI) system to improve efficiency and safety. The report on Monday came just days after a US Air Force Boeing KC-135 “Stratotanker” aerial refuelling tanker crashed in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347011/chinas-pla-reveals-ai-assisted-aerial-refuelling-tech-days-after-us-military-tanker-crash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347011/chinas-pla-reveals-ai-assisted-aerial-refuelling-tech-days-after-us-military-tanker-crash?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Beijing is unlikely to attack Taiwan next year, given security and economic deterrents, including its belief that an amphibious assault could fail and that the technological, supply chain and investor costs would be huge, according to a US threat assessment released on Wednesday. The intelligence overview appeared to walk back a projection by the Pentagon last year that Beijing wanted to take the self-governing island by force as early as 2027 and comes as US President Donald Trump takes a more... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347083/us-assesses-mainland-china-not-planning-attack-taiwan-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347083/us-assesses-mainland-china-not-planning-attack-taiwan-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 18:12:46 +0000 Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Iran’s power structure, succession mechanism and geographic conditions are all factors in its military resilience, despite the decapitation of its leadership by the US and Israel, according to Chinese experts. They also said the United States was unlikely to achieve regime change in Iran without deploying ground forces, a lesson one expert argued Beijing would take into account for any operation on Taiwan. Beginning on February 28, the US and Israel have killed a string of senior Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347070/chinese-experts-assess-military-decapitation-iran-venezuela-lessons-closer-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347070/chinese-experts-assess-military-decapitation-iran-venezuela-lessons-closer-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 13:37:24 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham A delegation from China’s People’s Liberation Army will travel to Brussels next week for talks with the European Union and Nato amid heightened concerns over global security caused by the war in Iran. The EU-China Security and Defence Consultations will take place next Tuesday, official sources confirmed, with the talks between Nato and the PLA’s Office for International Military Cooperation scheduled for the same week. On the EU side, the talks will be chaired by Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347063/chinese-military-set-eu-and-nato-talks-iran-war-reshapes-global-security-picture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347063/chinese-military-set-eu-and-nato-talks-iran-war-reshapes-global-security-picture?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:22:37 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The chief designer on the J-20 stealth fighter jet has been removed from the website of China’s national research institute, amid a sweeping campaign to stamp out corruption in the defence sector. Yang Wei, 62, had been listed as a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the top academic body for science and technology. But as of Monday, his name was no longer on the site, according to a snapshot from Internet Archive, which seeks to preserve online content. Yang has not appeared in public... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346972/j-20-fighter-jet-designer-scrubbed-chinese-academy-sciences-website?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346972/j-20-fighter-jet-designer-scrubbed-chinese-academy-sciences-website?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi The navies of China and Vietnam have added live-fire drills to future joint training – marking a deepening of military cooperation as Vietnamese Communist Party chief To Lam hailed relations with Beijing as a “top priority”. Naval commanders from both sides held a courtesy meeting on Monday at Fangcheng port in southern China’s Guangxi, as Vietnamese frigates Tran Hung Dao (hull number 015) and Ly Thai To (012) arrived to join PLA Navy vessels for their 40th joint patrol and training... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346907/china-vietnam-agree-live-fire-drills-naval-exercise-boost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346907/china-vietnam-agree-live-fire-drills-naval-exercise-boost?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:24:28 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Lessons from the wars in Iran and Ukraine are pushing Taipei to rethink its air-defence strategy, with officials now warning that expensive missiles alone cannot stop large waves of rockets and drones. In a report submitted to Taiwan’s lawmakers on Monday, the island’s defence ministry said low-cost interceptor weapons were urgently needed to counter the mainland Chinese military’s growing arsenal of long-range rockets and uncrewed aircraft. The new systems would form part of Taiwan’s planned... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346773/what-lessons-does-taiwan-see-iran-and-ukraine-its-air-defence-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346773/what-lessons-does-taiwan-see-iran-and-ukraine-its-air-defence-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:30:08 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The People’s Liberation Army ramped up aircraft sorties near Taiwan over the weekend, ending two weeks of relative calm just as a defiant speech by Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te drew a strong rebuke from Beijing. From 6am on Saturday to 6am on Sunday, Taiwan detected 26 PLA aircraft sorties operating around the island. Sixteen of these entered the island’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), according to data released by Taiwan’s defence ministry on Sunday. The 26 sorties marked a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346774/pla-ramps-taiwan-patrols-after-lull-beijing-slams-lais-independence-confession?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346774/pla-ramps-taiwan-patrols-after-lull-beijing-slams-lais-independence-confession?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:19:06 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Zhao Tong is a senior fellow with the Nuclear Policy Programme at Washington-based think tank the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and its East Asia-based research centre on contemporary China, Carnegie China. His research focuses on strategic security issues, including nuclear weapons policy, deterrence, arms control, non-proliferation, missile defence, hypersonic weapons, regional security in the Asia-Pacific, and China’s security and foreign policy. This interview first appeared in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346215/why-iran-strikes-may-drive-asian-nuclear-race-hit-china-middle-east-zhao-tong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346215/why-iran-strikes-may-drive-asian-nuclear-race-hit-china-middle-east-zhao-tong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Alcott Wei,Amber Wang Alcott Wei,Amber Wang A new type of autonomous helicopter has been seen operating on the Type 075 amphibious assault ship, possibly improving the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) capabilities in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. Mainland state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday released a video explaining the operational capabilities of China’s Type 075 amphibious assault ship. It showed a lightweight uncrewed helicopter parked on the ship with folding rotors that appeared to be slightly smaller than the PLA’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346655/could-plas-new-shipborne-drone-redefine-naval-operations-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346655/could-plas-new-shipborne-drone-redefine-naval-operations-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Japan is deploying its domestically produced long-range missiles near the East China Sea – a move that could be interpreted by Beijing as crossing a “strategic threshold”, analysts say. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Monday that the upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles would be deployed at Camp Kengun in the southwestern Japanese prefecture of Kumamoto by the end of this month. Ground forces vehicles carrying the first batch of missile launchers were reportedly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346610/why-japans-type-12-missile-deployment-may-complicate-chinas-regional-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346610/why-japans-type-12-missile-deployment-may-complicate-chinas-regional-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi The increasing military use of drones has raised questions about the future role of helicopters as countries such as China and the United States increasingly pivot towards the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Traditionally, helicopters have been used for a wide range of functions ranging from transport to surveillance, but these functions are now increasingly being taken over by pilotless aircraft. Both the Chinese and US armed forces are increasingly building up their UAS fleets –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346602/how-are-military-helicopters-evolving-adapt-age-drone-warfare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346602/how-are-military-helicopters-evolving-adapt-age-drone-warfare?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Washington’s redeployment of elements of its missile defence systems from South Korea to the Middle East could be read by China as a short-term capability gap in the region, analysts said. They said the move also underlined US flexibility to move its assets across theatres of operation. A Washington Post report on Tuesday citing two unnamed US government officials said that the United States had been moving parts of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system stationed in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346575/us-shifting-thaad-south-korea-mideast-what-does-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346575/us-shifting-thaad-south-korea-mideast-what-does-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China is using AI to help its radars better detect low-altitude drones, according to a top Chinese military scientist who said drone swarm tactics – as used in the US’ ongoing attack on Iran – were an emerging challenge for radar systems. Xu Jin, a leading air-defence radar expert and a member of China’s top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, revealed the AI initiative in an interview with the South China Morning Post on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346493/china-announces-ai-boost-radar-drone-swarms-confound-detectors-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346493/china-announces-ai-boost-radar-drone-swarms-confound-detectors-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:01:31 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Serbia’s president confirmed late on Thursday that his country possesses Chinese supersonic surface-attack cruise missiles, after photos of the weapons attached to Serbian fighter jets leaked online. Photos, which began circulating on social media and defence blogs earlier this week, showed missiles believed to be Chinese-made CM-400AKG cruise missiles attached to Serbia’s Russian-made MiG-29 planes. “We have things we do not show,” President Aleksandar Vucic told Serbia’s national broadcaster... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346420/serbian-president-confirms-his-country-owns-chinese-supersonic-missiles-after-photo-leak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346420/serbian-president-confirms-his-country-owns-chinese-supersonic-missiles-after-photo-leak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 22:47:46 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Most of China’s nuclear warheads are located at a single facility in the country’s northwest and could be vulnerable during a conflict, according to a US think tank. In a report published this month, the US Air University’s China Aerospace Studies Institute detailed the warhead management and logistical structure of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force. The report, based on open-source intelligence, said much of China’s nuclear stockpile was stored at a single, centralised facility known as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346374/chinas-nuclear-warhead-storage-highly-concentrated-risk-us-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346374/chinas-nuclear-warhead-storage-highly-concentrated-risk-us-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:30:07 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The United States has sent a military patrol aircraft through the Taiwan Strait weeks before the Xi-Trump summit, triggering People’s Liberation Army jet manoeuvres near Taiwan after several days of pause. A US Navy P-8A Poseidon transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace on Wednesday, the US Seventh Fleet said on Thursday. The passage through the waterway separating Taiwan and mainland China illustrated the US’ commitment to “a free and open Indo-Pacific”, Commander Matthew Comer, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346400/us-navy-patrols-taiwan-strait-xi-trump-summit-triggering-pla-manoeuvres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346400/us-navy-patrols-taiwan-strait-xi-trump-summit-triggering-pla-manoeuvres?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:15:10 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Zhao Tong is a senior fellow with the Nuclear Policy Programme at Washington-based think tank the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and its East Asia-based research centre on contemporary China, Carnegie China. His research focuses on strategic security issues, including nuclear weapons policy, deterrence, arms control, non-proliferation, missile defence, hypersonic weapons, regional security in the Asia-Pacific and China’s security and foreign policy. SCMP Plus readers get early access... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3346333/us-israeli-war-iran-may-spark-nuclear-arms-race-carnegie-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3346333/us-israeli-war-iran-may-spark-nuclear-arms-race-carnegie-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:39:17 +0000