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China is no stranger to high-tech drone technology, including its use in aerial combat. During the Victory Day military parade in Beijing on September 3rd, the world caught a glimpse of China's latest military innovations — this time an unmanned underwater drone system with advanced intelligence capabilities. The People's Liberation Army Navy's new technology could be quite disruptive since they reportedly not only have zero-radius turning and the ability to traverse maritime environments expertly, but will be difficult to detect by sonar since they operate below 90 decibels.
The PLA Navy's new unmanned vessels will coordinate with one another on a variety of operations, including blocking shipping lanes and launching attacks. This will be made possible thanks to their long endurance and eventual ability to charge at underwater stations, according to the South China Morning Post. Their advanced intelligence features will allow them to autonomously decide to identify, assess, and attack threats in a range of environments.
How will China's new drones impact maritime conflict?
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While China's new unmanned underwater drones may seem threatening due to their mobility and intelligence, the real concern is their ability to evade detection. This could disrupt the current global maritime security governance. Since the parade, China has unveiled more stealth-focused marine technologies, which many believe are all meant to continue China's control over Taiwan, even if the United States attempts to intervene.
When combined with the new AJX002 unmanned minelaying system, China seems capable of modernizing its naval forces enough to further disrupt maritime conflict thanks to its navy size and technology.
This doesn't mean that the U.S. is being left behind in the stealthy submersible surveillance stakes. The School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering of Northwestern Polytechnical University has revealed a transparent jellyfish-like robot that is nearly undetectable to sensors as it silently swims through the water. Using hydrogel electrode material, the device has a jellyfish-like shape, tentacles, and movement that could trick the human eye. Fitted with a tiny camera, these jellyfish robots can detect and identify underwater targets.