China’s coast guard has reportedly retrieved a submarine detection device dropped by a U.S. Navy aircraft in the South China Sea, according to state broadcaster reports. This device, which appears to be a sonobuoy, was allegedly deployed by a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon surveillance plane in a disputed region near the Spratly Islands, specifically the Second Thomas Shoal, a contested area between China and the Philippines.
The discovery was highlighted in a video posted by Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account linked to China Central Television. The video shows what appears to be a U.S. Navy aircraft dropping cylindrical objects into the sea, later identified as submarine detection devices manufactured by Ultra Electronics Undersea Sensor Systems, Inc., a British company specializing in naval sensors and sonobuoys.
The Chinese coast guard reportedly salvaged the device immediately following its deployment, as shown in the video. The footage also included a close-up of the device’s battery labels, confirming its manufacturer as Ultra Electronics. According to Yuyuan Tantian, Chinese marine expert Yang Xiao stated that such devices can detect submarine signals and interfere with submarine operations, posing potential threats to Chinese naval activities.
#BREAKING 🇺🇸🇷🇺🇨🇳⚡️| US searching for Chinese and Russian submarines in the Pacific!! #China intercepts US military aircraft’s deployment of submarine detectors in the South #China Sea.#USA | #Russia pic.twitter.com/4HMKR4SQph
— South Today (@SouthToday5) June 26, 2024
The incident occurred near the Second Thomas Shoal, known in China as Ren’ai Reef, a site of recent violent clashes between Chinese and Philippine forces.
Yang Xiao also noted the environmental impact of such devices, stating that the sonar signals could interfere with the echolocation of marine animals like dolphins, potentially causing disorientation and beaching. This adds an ecological dimension to the already complex geopolitical conflict.
The Strategic Situation Probing Initiative, a think tank affiliated with Peking University, reported earlier this year that the U.S. conducted approximately 1,000 reconnaissance flights over the South China Sea last year, including missions by P-8A Poseidon aircraft.
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