China continues building military radar stations on seven reefs in the Spratly Islands, some of which it seized illegally from the Philippines, that extend the coverage zone of its anti-access, anti-denial (A2/AD) network in the South China Sea.

Military radar stations have been built on Cuarteron Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Gaven Reef, Hughes Reef, Johnson Reef, Mischief Reef and Subi Reef, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), an interactive website that aims to promote transparency in the Indo-Pacific to dissuade assertive behavior and conflict. It also works to generate opportunities for cooperation and confidence building.

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AMTI's website can be seen here. AMTI was conceived of and designed by Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a U.S. think tank based in Washington D.C. AMTI says it and CSIS take no position on territorial or maritime claims.

AMTI believes these Chinese radar stations constitute a network that together significantly expand the real-time domain awareness and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) over a large portion of the South China Sea. The stations will allow China to better track military aircraft of the United States, the Philippines, Vietnam and other nations standing-up to China's coercive diplomacy.

China keeps insisting these radar installations will be used to support search and rescue. Experts said the reality is these stations are critical to the PLA's keeping control of the islands China should have returned to its rightful owners following the July 12 decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that nullified China's nine-dash line and with it China's claim to own the South China Sea.

AMTI said these dispersed radar systems extend the PLA's ISR capabilities throughout the South China Sea. It will allow better real-time tracking of warships and military aircraft transiting the South China Sea.

AMTI also noted that China is building satellite uplink equipment to its Beidou-GPS system on many of the features. Satellite communications equipment permits reliable over-the-horizon targeting for China's anti-ship ballistic missiles. It also extends the zone covered by China's A2/AD network to maneuvering targets such as U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike groups and other Navy warships.

Tagschina, seven reefs, spratly islands, South China Sea, radar stations, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, Center for Strategic and International Studies, nine dash line