South China Sea Exercises Modernization

A Regiment of the Southern Theater Command Naval Aviation Conducts Two-Aircraft Coordinated Anti-Submarine Search-and-Attack Training

南部战区海军航空兵某团开展双机协同搜攻潜训练

PLA Daily (解放军报) 17 May 2026

Summary

A regiment of the Southern Theater Command Naval Aviation flew a two-aircraft coordinated anti-submarine search-and-attack exercise over the South China Sea in early summer, with one aircraft deploying sonobuoys while the second conducted surface and low-altitude scans, and both crews working through injected electromagnetic jamming scenarios against a cooperating submarine unit acting as the opposing force. The exercise documents deliberate refinement of 双机协同反潜战法 (two-aircraft coordinated anti-submarine tactics) under complex electromagnetic conditions — a specific tactical problem the regiment's leadership explicitly names, framing the jamming scenario and impromptu special situations (临机特情) as the core training stress rather than incidental friction. The article records a live coordination cycle between naval aviation, submarine, and surface vessel units, extending a visible pattern of Southern Theater Command anti-submarine force integration in the South China Sea, though unit designations, aircraft type, and precise operating area are withheld.

Translation

Early summer in South China, at the first light of dawn. At a certain airfield, two anti-submarine patrol aircraft started their engines and, accompanied by the roar of their turbines, taxied down the runway and lifted off in sequence. A two-aircraft coordinated anti-submarine search-and-attack training exercise by a regiment of the Southern Theater Command Naval Aviation got underway.

Shortly after becoming airborne, the two aircraft adjusted their attitude and formed a tactical formation, proceeding to the designated target airspace. Upon arriving in the mission airspace, the two aircraft executed their operations according to a pre-established tactical plan: Aircraft No. 1 climbed to a designated altitude and precisely deployed sonobuoys based on the hydrological conditions of the sea area; Aircraft No. 2 conducted a comprehensive scan of the sea surface and low-altitude zones to ensure no suspicious target was missed. Between sea and sky, all manner of battlefield data was transmitted in real time, converging into a continuously updated information stream that provided precise support for the anti-submarine search-and-attack operation.

"Suspicious target detected!" Aircraft No. 1 was the first to locate the target and, after determining its nature, immediately reported the track of the "enemy" submarine to the command post. Unexpectedly, just as the crew was preparing to take further action, the "enemy" submarine suddenly released intense electromagnetic jamming; the displays at multiple stations aboard both aircraft were instantly filled with static, and the target signal degraded sharply. Seeing this, the aircraft commander of No. 1 ordered a switch to the backup communications frequency band and activated the anti-jamming search mode. The crew members responded to the order and skillfully adjusted equipment parameters, reconstituted the anti-submarine detection network, and continued to search and track the target.

"Subsurface hydrological conditions are complex, and two-aircraft coordination is an important means of improving the efficiency of submarine search and anti-submarine operations," the regiment's leadership explained. In this training exercise, they joined with a friendly neighboring submarine unit to construct a complex battlefield environment, embedded impromptu special situations (临机特情) throughout, and focused on testing and refining two-aircraft coordinated anti-submarine tactics (双机协同反潜战法), tempering crew members' capabilities in rapid detection and identification, precise fire strikes, and two-aircraft coordinated operations.

Beneath the blue waves, the "Black Shark" ran submerged; above the ocean, the two eagles arrayed their formation. The two aircraft simultaneously adjusted their tactical formation: No. 1 concentrated its efforts on applying electromagnetic suppression against the jamming source while accelerating the processing of suspicious target data to precisely extract target signatures; No. 2 rapidly maneuvered to the flank and deployed sonobuoys again, expanding the detection range. Through close coordination between the two aircraft, the officers and soldiers quickly re-acquired the position of the "enemy" submarine and successfully executed a simulated attack.

"During the training, we employed a variety of new tactics and new methods (新战术新战法), effectively reducing the time from target search to stable tracking and further optimizing the two-aircraft coordinated operational process under complex electromagnetic environments," the regiment's leadership stated. They will sort through training data, summarize coordination experience, and work jointly with submarine units and surface vessel units to strengthen research into tactics, continuously solving the difficult problems of anti-submarine operations in complex battlefield environments and driving sustained improvement in the coordinated operational effectiveness of anti-submarine patrol aircraft.

Original Chinese

初夏华南，晨曦微露。某机场上，两架反潜巡逻机启动引擎，伴随轰鸣声滑出跑道、依次升空。南部战区海军航空兵某团一场双机协同搜攻潜训练随即展开。升空不久，双机调整姿态组成战术编队，飞赴预定目标空域。抵达任务空域后，双机按照预设战术方案展开作业：1号机爬升至预定高度，依据海域水文条件精准布放声呐浮标；2号机对海面及低空区域实施全面扫描，确保不遗漏任何可疑目标。海天之间，各类战场数据实时传输，汇聚成持续更新的信息流，为搜攻潜行动提供精准支撑。 “发现可疑目标！”1号机率先发现目标，判明性质后立即向指挥部上报“敌”潜艇踪迹。孰料，正当机组准备采取进一步行动时，“敌”潜艇突然释放强电磁干扰，两架战机多个战位的显示屏瞬间遍布雪花，目标信号急剧衰减。见状，1号机机长下令切换备用通信频段，启动抗干扰搜索模式。机组成员闻令而动，熟练调整设备参数，重构反潜探测网，对目标展开持续侦搜。 “海底水文条件复杂，双机协同是提升搜潜反潜效率的重要一招。”该团领导介绍，此次训练，他们携手友邻潜艇部队构设复杂战场环境，全程嵌入临机特情，重点检验优化双机协同反潜战法，锤炼机组成员快速探测识别、精准火力打击与双机协同作战能力。碧波之下，“黑鲨”潜航；大洋之上，双鹰布阵。双机同步调整战术队形，1号机集中力量对干扰源实施电磁压制，并加速处理可疑目标数据，精准提炼目标特征；2号机迅速迂回至侧翼，再次布设声呐浮标，扩大探测范围。在双机密切配合下，官兵很快重新锁定“敌”潜艇位置，成功实施模拟攻击。 “训练中，我们采用多种新战术新战法，有效缩短从目标搜索到稳定跟踪时间，进一步优化复杂电磁环境下的双机协同作战流程。”该团领导表示，他们将梳理训练数据、总结协同经验，联合潜艇部队和水面舰艇部队加强战法研究，不断破解复杂战场环境下的反潜难题，推动反潜巡逻机协同作战效能持续提升。