Peole's Daily on January 24, 2018 reported that China deployed its new electronic-warfare aircraft in its recent combat maneuvers in a move which, it said, many military experts believe will help boost Chinese naval power in the disputed South China Sea. Though already in service for 10 years, the PLAN’s H-6G bomber has been upgraded with two electronic countermeasures (ECM) pods attached underneath its wings. China Central Television said the PLA’s South China Sea Fleet has already deployed the aircraft in its most recent combat maneuvers in December 2017, marking the first time that the bomber has played a supporting role in electronic warfare. Global Times cited an anonymous expert as saying “The upgrade of H-6G has extended the aircraft’s fighting range, which can now cover basically the whole South China Sea, as well as waters in the southeastern part of Taiwan.” He said more ECMs can be added to the aircraft to disrupt more enemy radar. It said according to experts, the upgraded aircraft can be used to degrade the effectiveness of enemy radar and radio systems by using radar jamming and deception methods, as well as attacking various targets on the sea surface from a long distance. In addition to the H-6G, other PLA fighter jets, including the JH-7 bomber, have been equipped with similar ECM pods to improve the army’s combat capability. Song Zhongping, a military expert, said “Using the ECM pods on fighters is the most efficient and effective way to obstruct the enemies’ electronic jamming devices.”
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