https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/328476/feed The latest military news, insights and analysis from China. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Tang Meng Kit Tang Meng Kit Last month, the US published the fine print of a US$686 million upgrade deal for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets. The deal is for data link systems, new encryption gear and a refit that keeps the jets flying until 2040. The notice says Pakistan can protect the technology to “substantially the same degree” as the US government. The Pakistan Air Force is also the only declared interested buyer of China’s J-35 stealth fighter, a generational leap in technology. The Chinese jet first flew at the Zhuhai... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3371561/pakistan-and-us-factor-china-looks-sell-its-j-35-stealth-jets https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3371561/pakistan-and-us-factor-china-looks-sell-its-j-35-stealth-jets Wed, 21 Oct 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China has allowed the Philippines to resupply a grounded warship on a disputed South China Sea reef, the coastguard said on Wednesday, as tension remains high over the Chinese ambassador’s controversial comment. The Philippines delivered necessities to its warship BRP Sierra Madre grounded at the Second Thomas Shoal on Wednesday, “with permission from the Chinese side”, the China Coast Guard said in a statement. “The China Coast Guard conducted confirmation checks and maintained full supervision... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371693/china-says-it-allowed-philippines-resupply-warship-amid-diplomatic-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371693/china-says-it-allowed-philippines-resupply-warship-amid-diplomatic-tensions Wed, 21 Oct 2026 20:57:34 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez A flight-tested attack drone similar to Iran’s Shahed model that its Taiwanese maker says could reach military targets in mainland China is meant to swamp PLA air defences, analysts said. Drawing on battlefield lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East, military experts broadly agree on the utility of such low-cost systems, but differ on how the drone could be deployed in a conflict with Beijing should it enter service. While some see greater value in targeting People’s Liberation Army forces in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371648/taiwans-iran-style-attack-drone-could-swamp-pla-air-defences-analysts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371648/taiwans-iran-style-attack-drone-could-swamp-pla-air-defences-analysts Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s Type 051C destroyer Shenyang has been spotted undergoing sea trials after a reported refit, as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) begins phasing out legacy warships following the commissioning of a massive wave of new vessels. Witness photographs circulating on social media appear to show the Shenyang, hull number 115 and lead ship of the Type 051C class, with its Russian-made hardware replaced by domestic air defence systems. While precise details have yet to be independently confirmed,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371635/chinas-type-051c-gets-refit-pla-navys-legacy-warships-near-retirement https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371635/chinas-type-051c-gets-refit-pla-navys-legacy-warships-near-retirement Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Albert Bakhtizin Albert Bakhtizin As turbulence grows in many countries, it is tempting to ask if there is a global hegemon that can sort everything out fairly. US President Donald Trump has threatened that his country would not defend Nato allies if they failed to spend enough on their defence. Together with new trade barriers, his words suggest that the US is scaling back its ambitions for global leadership and concentrating more on its own region. Our latest projections of national strength for 2027 take into account... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371409/can-china-turn-national-power-world-leadership https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371409/can-china-turn-national-power-world-leadership Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:30:10 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s defence ministry has confirmed for the first time that it has allocated funding for the US Indo-Pacific Command to send a retired general and other personnel to observe the island’s largest annual war games. The disclosure sheds rare official light on military exchanges that Taipei and Washington have traditionally kept out of public view, as security cooperation between the two sides deepens amid growing pressure from Beijing. According to a defence ministry report submitted to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371531/taiwan-admits-paying-retired-us-general-observe-largest-annual-war-games https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371531/taiwan-admits-paying-retired-us-general-observe-largest-annual-war-games Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China on Tuesday accused a US naval vessel of undermining regional stability by entering waters near the South China Sea’s disputed Spratly Islands. Early on Tuesday morning, the USS Charleston “illegally intruded” into the waters around Sabina Shoal “without approval”, said Yin Gang, spokesman for the People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command Navy. The Chinese navy monitored and followed the Charleston, Yin said. China holds “indisputable sovereignty” over the Spratly Islands and the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371517/pla-navy-followed-us-vessel-patrol-south-china-sea-hotspot-beijing-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371517/pla-navy-followed-us-vessel-patrol-south-china-sea-hotspot-beijing-says Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:10:43 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez China’s military has published what appears to be the first official photograph of a Y-20B heavy transport aircraft in PLA Air Force livery fitted with aerial refuelling pods, suggesting that the multi-role tanker-transport (MRTT) configuration has entered service. An image published by the PLA Daily newspaper on October 14 shows the four-engine aircraft painted in standard military grey, with refuelling pods beneath its wings and its rear cargo ramp open as a truck carrying equipment is behind... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371487/chinese-air-force-reveals-y-20b-tanker-transport-variant-official-training-image https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371487/chinese-air-force-reveals-y-20b-tanker-transport-variant-official-training-image Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Chow Chung-yan Chow Chung-yan The British Army’s miraculous escape from Nazi Germany’s encirclement at Dunkirk is considered by some to be the greatest military retreat in modern history and a prime example of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Yet years before Dunkirk, the military retreat by the Chinese Red Army, known as the Long March, was more impressive and consequential. While the Dunkirk evacuation remains in Hollywood fare and a staple of World War II folklore, the Long March is taught at military academies... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371344/evolution-chinas-active-defence-doctrine https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371344/evolution-chinas-active-defence-doctrine Tue, 20 Oct 2026 01:00:06 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez A second unusual Chinese vessel suspected of being designed to launch and recover large underwater drones has appeared in Guangzhou, raising questions over whether Beijing is developing a fleet of specialised motherships to extend its undersea operations beyond coastal waters. The smaller vessel, seen under tow on the Pearl River in images circulating online, resembles a ship about 200 metres (660 feet) long seen at a Shanghai shipyard last month that has since been launched. Both feature... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371390/china-building-fleet-drone-motherships-extend-its-naval-reach https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371390/china-building-fleet-drone-motherships-extend-its-naval-reach Mon, 19 Oct 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s coastguard said it warded off 16 mainland Chinese vessels in one day after they sailed into the island’s self-defined restricted waters in a coordinated, multi-pronged operation that experts say points to a shift in Beijing’s maritime pressure tactics. The vessels – 12 coastguard and research ships, as well as four fishing boats – operated simultaneously on Sunday in waters east of Hualien, south of Pingtung, southwest of Kaohsiung and around the Taiwan-controlled Dongsha Islands,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371397/taiwan-coastguard-wards-16-mainland-ships-beijing-turns-pressure https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371397/taiwan-coastguard-wards-16-mainland-ships-beijing-turns-pressure Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China has been urged to learn from a Pentagon project to assess future warfare but warned to avoid the potential conflicts of interest and other shortcomings of the US defence review. Project Meridian, launched late last month, is designed to identify future battlefield requirements and prioritise investment, with a focus on areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, directed energy, robotics and biotechnology. In an analysis published on Friday, the Beijing-based think tank Blue... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371286/china-urged-copy-pentagons-hi-tech-warfare-project-without-us-conflicts-interest https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371286/china-urged-copy-pentagons-hi-tech-warfare-project-without-us-conflicts-interest Sun, 18 Oct 2026 14:00:15 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage By the time the Chinese navy hospital ship had docked in the Guinean capital Conakry earlier this month, patients were already queuing for free consultations. The queues in front of the Auspicious Ark were so long that some people were told to come back the next day, according to Guinean media reports. The ship, operated by the PLA Navy, offers a range of medical services wherever it stops, including surgery to treat cataracts, appendicitis and hernias as well as gynaecological care. On this... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371295/how-hospital-ship-helps-buoy-chinas-strategic-mission-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371295/how-hospital-ship-helps-buoy-chinas-strategic-mission-africa Sun, 18 Oct 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Senior US commanders have highlighted the importance of land-based troops and equipment stationed in the Asia-Pacific in any conflict with China, countering assumptions that such a war would be fought mainly at sea and in the air. General Ron Clark, commander of US Army Pacific, said the “tyranny of distance” made it difficult to rely on air and naval forces during a panel discussion at the Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting this week. The comments reflect mounting concerns... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3371267/how-land-power-could-help-us-forces-counter-china-indo-pacific https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3371267/how-land-power-could-help-us-forces-counter-china-indo-pacific Sun, 18 Oct 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan will acquire an AI-powered satellite imagery system capable of rapidly identifying People’s Liberation Army ships, aircraft and missile launchers, as it seeks to boost early-warning capabilities in the face of growing military pressure from Beijing. The NT$46.55 million (US$1.45 million) system will use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse satellite images covering 100 sq km (38.6 square miles) within minutes, potentially cutting the time and manpower needed to track changes in PLA... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371252/how-taiwans-new-ai-satellite-system-aims-speed-early-warning-against-pla-moves https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371252/how-taiwans-new-ai-satellite-system-aims-speed-early-warning-against-pla-moves Sat, 17 Oct 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian China and the Philippines recently traded accusations over the medical evacuation of a Philippine serviceman from a grounded naval vessel in the hotly disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The incident has sparked renewed worries about potential armed skirmishes in a global artery of trade. But Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr was also quick to emphasise the economic dimensions of a major conflict. After a decade of rapid economic growth, the Philippines is facing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370775/philippines-china-free-manufacturing-strategy-high-risk-bet https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370775/philippines-china-free-manufacturing-strategy-high-risk-bet Sat, 17 Oct 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Japan is increasingly turning to foreign companies to accelerate its military modernisation, drawing on overseas technology, expertise and production capacity to plug defence gaps that could prove critical in a potential regional conflict involving China. The push has gathered momentum over the past week, with Tokyo confirming a contract for Ukrainian interceptor drones and a multinational fighter consortium preparing to expand its design operations in Japan. French defence giant Thales is also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371170/japan-taps-foreign-tech-plug-defence-gaps-chinas-power-grows-will-it-pay https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371170/japan-taps-foreign-tech-plug-defence-gaps-chinas-power-grows-will-it-pay Fri, 16 Oct 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China revealed AI-powered drone interceptors and other uncrewed systems at an international counterterrorism forum in Beijing this week, as security experts warned that new technologies could enable new forms of terrorism. The equipment was on display at the Great Wall-2026 International Forum on Counterterrorism, which ran from Tuesday to Thursday and was attended by more than 320 defence experts and military delegates from 62 countries. Discussions focused on how advances in artificial... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371127/china-leans-hi-tech-systems-counter-emerging-ai-fuelled-terror-threats https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371127/china-leans-hi-tech-systems-counter-emerging-ai-fuelled-terror-threats Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:56:50 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called a nearly US$1.5 trillion defence budget request “absolutely critical”, warning that whoever falls behind in autonomy, robotics and AI will fall “even further behind” as Washington eyes China’s rapid military modernisation. Speaking at a panel discussion during the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition on Wednesday, Hegseth said that Project Agincourt, the Pentagon’s initiative to accelerate drone and autonomous... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/politics/article/3370924/hegseth-calls-us15-trillion-defence-budget-critical-counter-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/politics/article/3370924/hegseth-calls-us15-trillion-defence-budget-critical-counter-china Wed, 14 Oct 2026 21:45:00 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez The United States Army has launched a new task force aimed at countering Chinese efforts to block American and allied warships and aircraft in a potential conflict. The 4th Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) – established at Fort Carson, Colorado on October 8 – is the latest addition to a series of specialised formations developed for operations in the western Pacific. Those formations were earlier activated in Washington state, Germany and Hawaii. The new unit includes nearly 2,100 soldiers and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370865/how-new-us-army-unit-could-challenge-plas-area-denial-strategy-taiwan-conflict https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370865/how-new-us-army-unit-could-challenge-plas-area-denial-strategy-taiwan-conflict Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Taiwan’s coastguard is buying US-designed uncrewed surface vessels for its first dedicated drone-boat programme to strengthen its ability to detect and track the growing presence of mainland Chinese vessels operating around the island. Florida-based Maritime Tactical Systems (Martac) announced on Tuesday that the deal covered an undisclosed number of its Devil Ray T24 autonomous boats, with production planned for both the United States and Taiwan. Martac described the deal as “one of the most... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370888/taiwan-turns-us-drone-boats-track-rising-mainland-chinese-sea-activity-near-island https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370888/taiwan-turns-us-drone-boats-track-rising-mainland-chinese-sea-activity-near-island Wed, 14 Oct 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang The PLA Navy’s Liaoning aircraft carrier has started its second drill series in the western Pacific this year, with the training likely to coincide with an expanded US-Japan military exercise that could have implications for a Taiwan contingency. The Liaoning carrier group was carrying out the drill in “relevant waters” of the western Pacific Ocean as part of the navy’s annual training plan, China’s defence ministry said on Wednesday. While it did not disclose the exact location of the drill,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370859/chinas-liaoning-carrier-heads-pacific-us-japan-prepare-missile-drills https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370859/chinas-liaoning-carrier-heads-pacific-us-japan-prepare-missile-drills Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Two Taiwanese executives have been arrested for allegedly using mainland Chinese-made components in drones supplied to the island’s military. It is the second time in two months that a Taiwanese drone supplier has been investigated by the island’s authorities over the alleged use of prohibited mainland components. The case has intensified opposition scrutiny of the government’s efforts to build a “drone team” based on a “non-red” supply chain that excludes components and technology from mainland... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370764/2-taiwanese-executives-arrested-over-mainland-components-military-drones https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370764/2-taiwanese-executives-arrested-over-mainland-components-military-drones Wed, 14 Oct 2026 01:00:05 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang For nearly five decades, the United States’ Taiwan policy has centred on strategic ambiguity by not declaring whether it would intervene militarily in a potential Taiwan conflict. This policy – designed to deter Beijing from using force while preventing Taipei from formally declaring independence – is being challenged by realist US strategists amid a broader debate over America’s role in the world, growing constraints on US military might and a shifting regional balance of power driven by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370765/best-time-us-strategists-push-abandoning-ambiguity-taiwan https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370765/best-time-us-strategists-push-abandoning-ambiguity-taiwan Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:06 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Chinese-Pakistani fighter jets and a China-made air-defence system reportedly deployed to Saudi Arabia could be brought into action following Pakistan’s renewed pledge to defend the kingdom after deadly Houthi attacks on Riyadh. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that Islamabad would cooperate with Riyadh “in every possible way” under their defence agreements, after Houthi strikes on the Saudi capital’s main airport the previous day killed at least 13 people and wounded... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370713/could-pakistans-chinese-made-weapons-help-protect-saudi-arabia-houthi-attacks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370713/could-pakistans-chinese-made-weapons-help-protect-saudi-arabia-houthi-attacks Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:00:05 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei In a first, China’s biggest air show will feature a dedicated naval equipment exhibition area, showcasing hardware in service with the country’s navy, according to the event’s organisers. This year is the 30th anniversary of the biennial China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, also known as the Zhuhai air show, which displays China’s civilian and military aircraft for international buyers. A number of China’s aircraft have debuted at the event, including the J-20 stealth fighter,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370742/chinas-zhuhai-air-show-feature-first-ever-dedicated-naval-equipment-display https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370742/chinas-zhuhai-air-show-feature-first-ever-dedicated-naval-equipment-display Tue, 13 Oct 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi As missiles and drones take a bigger role in modern warfare, major defence contractors gathered in Washington this week to showcase their latest advances in the technologies – and systems to counter them. The three-day Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, which opened on Monday, is one of the largest ground-based weapons shows in the US. This year there was a strong emphasis on air and missile defence systems, reflecting growing concern about how to counter... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/science-technology/article/3370663/systems-counter-missiles-and-drones-take-centre-stage-us-defence-expo https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/science-technology/article/3370663/systems-counter-missiles-and-drones-take-centre-stage-us-defence-expo Tue, 13 Oct 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez The US Navy aims to field a relatively low-cost hypersonic missile on its carrier-based fighters, a weapon that could pose a new challenge to the air defences protecting Chinese warships and coastal military installations, experts said. California-based defence company Castelion’s Blackbeard is designed to fly at more than five times the speed of sound and strike ships and land targets. Unlike more expensive hypersonic weapons, it is being developed with an emphasis on affordability and mass... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370598/us-turns-low-cost-blackbeard-hypersonic-missiles-overwhelm-chinese-defences https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370598/us-turns-low-cost-blackbeard-hypersonic-missiles-overwhelm-chinese-defences Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:19 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s defence ministry plans to allow military pilots to serve until the age of 58 as it grapples with the prospect of “having fighter jets but no pilots”. The proposed retention scheme comes as the island’s air force prepares to form operational squadrons around 66 new F-16V Block 70 fighters ordered from the United States, adding pressure to an already stretched pool of experienced pilots. Under the plan, pilots could serve until they turn 58 – up from about 48 for lieutenant colonels and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370611/taiwan-aims-raise-pilot-retirement-age-58-new-f-16v-jets-arrive https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370611/taiwan-aims-raise-pilot-retirement-age-58-new-f-16v-jets-arrive Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:23:46 +0000 Gaurav Kumar Gaurav Kumar Chinese President Xi Jinping has met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi three times in the past three years. Indian pilgrims are back at Kailash, the Tibetan mountain sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. Air China has restarted flights to New Delhi. But can trust grow between two armies that meet only in a crisis? And why does the Pentagon now talk to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) more easily than India’s army does? In September, Xi made his first visit to India in nearly seven years; Beijing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370226/despite-china-india-thaw-military-relations-are-stuck-2020 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370226/despite-china-india-thaw-military-relations-are-stuck-2020 Sun, 11 Oct 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s military is grappling with a worsening manpower shortage, with its volunteer staffing rate remaining below the 80 per cent target for a third consecutive year and concerns mounting over the impact on combat readiness, according to the island’s legislature. The shortages extend deep into frontline formations – including infantry, artillery, missile and air defence units – raising questions over whether Taiwan will have enough trained personnel to operate and maintain the vast quantities... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370477/how-taiwans-military-manpower-shortage-undermining-its-ability-fight https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370477/how-taiwans-military-manpower-shortage-undermining-its-ability-fight Sun, 11 Oct 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Chinese military aircraft may already be using a new joint aviation facility in Laos, with satellite imagery showing twice as many K-8/JL-8-family trainer aircraft there as the Laotian air force is assessed to possess. Eight of the two-seat trainer and light-attack aircraft were visible at Ban Keun Airport in commercial satellite imagery taken on September 30, according to Reuters, which first reported the images. More than two dozen military and support vehicles were also visible. The image was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370439/are-chinese-military-aircraft-already-using-new-joint-air-facility-laos https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370439/are-chinese-military-aircraft-already-using-new-joint-air-facility-laos Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Polar researchers have used a would-be Chinese rival to Elon Musk’s Starlink to make a satellite video call between the Arctic and Antarctic – the first publicly reported test of the Guowang constellation. The call highlights the growing capabilities of the country’s satellite constellations, according to state media. Beijing has been accelerating the development of its low-Earth-orbit constellations in recent years, particularly as the US-based Starlink showed its wartime value by helping... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370374/chinese-researchers-make-arctic-antarctic-call-using-rival-musks-starlink https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370374/chinese-researchers-make-arctic-antarctic-call-using-rival-musks-starlink Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:05 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez China is running the most systematic effort of any outside power to learn from the drone war in Ukraine, with military and defence-industry analysts typically writing up new battlefield techniques within about four months, according to a new analysis. But it usually took a year or more before those lessons showed up publicly in People’s Liberation Army (PLA) training, equipment or force structure, Lilly Min-Chen Lee and Kateryna Bondar wrote in a commentary published on October 7 by the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370212/how-quickly-china-learning-ukraine-wars-latest-drone-tactics https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370212/how-quickly-china-learning-ukraine-wars-latest-drone-tactics Fri, 09 Oct 2026 01:00:07 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The Chinese navy says it had a rare South China Sea encounter involving a foreign warship that lost power, propulsion and radar while following a People’s Liberation Army destroyer, an account that resembles incidents this year involving US Navy destroyers in the region. The incident occurred when a foreign vessel conducted aggressive close shadowing of the PLA Navy Type 055 destroyer Zunyi during routine training by the Chinese vessel, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday. The CCTV... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370182/did-us-warship-lose-power-while-chasing-chinese-destroyer-south-china-sea https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370182/did-us-warship-lose-power-while-chasing-chinese-destroyer-south-china-sea Thu, 08 Oct 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Japan and the United States will rehearse moving anti-ship missiles, air defences and communications networks onto islands near Taiwan this month in an expanded military exercise that analysts say could complicate Beijing’s planning for a Taiwan or East China Sea conflict. Keen Sword 27, which runs from October 19 to 29, will involve about 45,000 Japanese personnel, 6,100 vehicles, 40 ships and 260 aircraft, up from about 33,000 personnel, 30 ships and 250 aircraft in 2024. About 12,000 US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370210/how-expanded-japan-us-military-exercises-could-complicate-pla-planning-over-taiwan https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370210/how-expanded-japan-us-military-exercises-could-complicate-pla-planning-over-taiwan Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez The Philippine Coast Guard will receive three longer-range aircraft from the US, two of them modified for improved surveillance, giving Manila greater reach and endurance to monitor Chinese coastguard, naval and research vessels across the South China Sea. Under a US$39.6 million contract awarded by the United States Navy on September 28, the three second-hand, extended-range King Air 350-series aircraft will be fitted with extended-range fuel systems, upgraded Garmin avionics and high-frequency... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370027/how-will-new-longer-range-aircraft-boost-manilas-south-china-sea-surveillance https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370027/how-will-new-longer-range-aircraft-boost-manilas-south-china-sea-surveillance Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Two combat-tested American drones could become part of Taiwan’s expanding unmanned arsenal as the island seeks to build a “drone shield” against the People’s Liberation Army. California-based defence technology company Aevex Aerospace is working with Taiwan’s Coretronic Intelligent Robotics Corporation (CIRC) to produce its Vandal and Onyx drones locally, combining lessons drawn from the war in Ukraine with the island’s electronics and manufacturing capabilities. Both aircraft have been tested... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369929/us-firm-make-battle-tested-drones-taiwan-boosting-supply-chain-resilience https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369929/us-firm-make-battle-tested-drones-taiwan-boosting-supply-chain-resilience Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Indonesia is expected to receive its first Chengdu J-10CE fighter jets in six months, according to an Indonesian media report, which would make it the third international operator of the Chinese-made aircraft. Jakarta confirmed an order of 42 of the 4.5-generation fighter jets – known as Vigorous Dragons – last October, with an approved budget of US$9 billion. The first delivery is expected in April though it is not known how many aircraft will be delivered, Indonesian news outlet Republika... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369910/indonesia-take-delivery-first-chinese-j-10ce-fighter-jets-6-months-report-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369910/indonesia-take-delivery-first-chinese-j-10ce-fighter-jets-6-months-report-says Tue, 06 Oct 2026 11:00:18 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Turkmenistan has added the FK-2000 missile-and-gun system to its growing arsenal of Chinese-made air defences, highlighting Beijing’s expanding role in the Central Asian weapons market once dominated by Russia. At least 10 FK-2000 vehicles – along with an array of other Chinese-made military equipment – could be seen in footage of Turkmenistan’s Independence Day parade in Ashgabat on September 27. Developed by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the FK-2000 is a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369869/turkmenistan-grows-its-arsenal-chinese-air-defences-russias-role-shrinks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369869/turkmenistan-grows-its-arsenal-chinese-air-defences-russias-role-shrinks Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Built to hunt tanks and support ground troops, the People’s Liberation Army’s main attack helicopter is increasingly being prepared for operations at sea. Crews of the Z-10 are training to fly from ships – a shift that could give Beijing extra firepower in an amphibious assault on Taiwan. Manufactured by AVIC subsidiary the Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation, the Z-10 entered service with the PLA Army in late 2010. It began documented shipboard trials in 2014, when Chinese navy imagery... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369775/why-plas-z-10-attack-helicopter-taking-bigger-role-sea https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369775/why-plas-z-10-attack-helicopter-taking-bigger-role-sea Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung A reported plan to station US defence personnel inside Taiwan’s military headquarters would take mutual cooperation into the heart of defence planning, potentially angering Beijing while raising questions over Taipei’s policymaking autonomy and military secrecy. According to Taiwanese media reports at the weekend, the Pentagon plans to send one official from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Policy and one expert from the Institute for Defence Analyses (IDA) to work on a long-term... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369795/us-defence-experts-work-inside-taiwan-military-hq-under-reported-pact https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369795/us-defence-experts-work-inside-taiwan-military-hq-under-reported-pact Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:45:06 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Chinese troops have taken part in a mass multinational exercise in Russia featuring new anti-drone and ground robot systems – drills that Russian state media said “applied lessons” from the Ukraine war. The troops were among more than 47,000 military personnel involved in the Tsentr-2026 – or Centre-2026 – drills in the central western Chelyabinsk region from Monday until Saturday. The Russian Ministry of Defence said the strategic command-and-staff exercise applied combat lessons from the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369657/chinese-troops-line-russias-tsentr-2026-exercise-military-ties-tighten https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369657/chinese-troops-line-russias-tsentr-2026-exercise-military-ties-tighten Sat, 03 Oct 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China has set up several new institutions at military academies to train specialists in hi-tech and discipline inspection as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) works towards its centennial modernisation goals. The College of Unmanned and Intelligent Engineering, the College of Combat Support NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers) and the College of Equipment Support NCOs were established within the PLA Army Engineering University on Wednesday. On the same day, the National Defence University (NDU),... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369575/chinas-pla-sets-new-military-academy-colleges-ai-drones-and-discipline https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369575/chinas-pla-sets-new-military-academy-colleges-ai-drones-and-discipline Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Taiwan has hailed the much-delayed arrival of two F-16V fighter jets as a demonstration of continuing American military support, despite a US presidential hold put on a separate multibilllion-dollar arms package. The two single-seat aircraft, which reached Chihhang Air Base in the eastern county of Taitung on Friday, are the first new F-16s received by the island since deliveries of its original F-16A/B fleet began in 1997. Compared with the earlier versions, the F-16V configuration incorporates... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369584/taiwan-hails-f-16v-delivery-sign-us-support-holds-after-xi-trump-summit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369584/taiwan-hails-f-16v-delivery-sign-us-support-holds-after-xi-trump-summit Fri, 02 Oct 2026 10:00:48 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait could see crossfire exchanged between two mobile rocket systems: the US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himars), and its mainland Chinese counterpart, the PHL-16, also known as the PCL-191. Taiwan is set to receive all 29 Himars systems from its initial orders by the end of this year, with another 82 systems approved for purchase in a follow-on deal, bringing the planned total to 111. This does not include the US military’s Himars systems... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369442/why-us-himars-missile-shortfalls-raise-stakes-potential-taiwan-strait-conflict https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369442/why-us-himars-missile-shortfalls-raise-stakes-potential-taiwan-strait-conflict Thu, 01 Oct 2026 14:00:31 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Washington is “not too far away” from a production line for its F-47 sixth-generation fighter, a senior US Air Force official has said, as China presses ahead with flight-testing two different next-generation combat aircraft of its own. During a virtual event hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies on Monday, Brigadier General Timothy Helfrich, the service’s portfolio acquisition executive for fighters and advanced aircraft, said the F-47 would be “the world’s first... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369429/us-says-f-47-will-be-first-sixth-gen-jet-chinas-j-36-and-j-50-are-already-flying https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369429/us-says-f-47-will-be-first-sixth-gen-jet-chinas-j-36-and-j-50-are-already-flying Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:30:16 +0000 Zhou Bo Zhou Bo When the US Space Force announced on September 14 that “the US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action”, I thought of Isaac Newton’s well-known declaration that he could not calculate the madness of people. This is the first time a country has admitted to deploying weapons in space. Today, the orbits are congested and contested with many nations conducting military activities, such as surveillance and reconnaissance, early missile... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3369204/whatever-trump-claims-weaponisation-space-makes-losers-us-all https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3369204/whatever-trump-claims-weaponisation-space-makes-losers-us-all Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Disagreement over how to prevent conflicts could explain why Chinese and US accounts characterised discussions at last week’s summit so differently, analysts said. Speaking at a White House arrival ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the two militaries should maintain regular dialogue and “improve mechanisms for crisis communication and prevention”. In a statement issued after the summit, China’s foreign ministry said the countries’ militaries had agreed “to conclude a memorandum of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369359/did-beijing-and-washington-agree-crisis-prevention-deal-or-not https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369359/did-beijing-and-washington-agree-crisis-prevention-deal-or-not Wed, 30 Sep 2026 12:01:04 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s military plans to spend more than NT$27 billion (US$850 million) to quadruple critical ammunition stocks to 120 days’ supply, strengthening its ability to sustain combat operations during a wartime blockade. The proposed six-year “urgent ammunition replenishment” programme, running from this year until 2031, comes as Taipei seeks to strengthen its ability to keep fighting if a cross-strait conflict cuts external supply lines. The spending proposal was revealed on September 26 and still... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369212/taiwan-plans-us850-million-ammunition-spend-prepare-potential-pla-blockade https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369212/taiwan-plans-us850-million-ammunition-spend-prepare-potential-pla-blockade Wed, 30 Sep 2026 02:00:17 +0000