CURRENT AFFAIRS
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Description
China’s Yuan Wang 5, a major strategic tracking and surveillance vessel, has reappeared in the Indian Ocean region, three years after it last docked at Hambantota Port, Sri Lanka. The ship’s presence near India underscores Beijing’s increasing focus on maritime monitoring, missile testing, and intelligence-gathering in the region, raising strategic and security considerations for India and its neighbouring countries.
Overview Of Yuan Wang 5
Commissioning & Role: Launched in 2007, Yuan Wang 5 belongs to a class of specialized tracking ships developed by China for space missions and missile monitoring operations. The vessel plays a critical role in providing real-time telemetry, data collection, and operational intelligence to the PLA Rocket Force and Chinese Navy.
Strategic Importance: The ship monitors China’s next-generation intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and hypersonic weapons, helping validate weapon performance, propulsion systems, guidance accuracy, and warhead deployment.
Operator: The vessel is controlled by the People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLASSF), reflecting its dual role in space and military intelligence.
Physical And Technical Specifications
Size & Displacement: Yuan Wang 5 displaces around 25,000 tons, measures over 222 meters in length, and has a beam exceeding 25 meters. It can accommodate 400 personnel, including scientific, technical, and operational staff.
Propulsion & Power: Powered by diesel engines, the ship generates sufficient electricity to illuminate a small city of 300,000 residents, highlighting its robust onboard power capabilities.
Endurance: Designed for long-duration missions, it can remain stationed at sea for several weeks, providing uninterrupted monitoring during missile tests or naval exercises.
Advanced Surveillance Capabilities
Ballistic Missile Tracking
Equipped with high-power phased-array radar systems, Yuan Wang 5 can detect missile launches at ranges exceeding 3,000 kilometers.
These radars track missile flight across all stages, from boost and mid-course to reentry, while collecting telemetry on propulsion, warhead separation, and guidance performance.
Satellite Tracking
The ship has sophisticated antennas capable of tracking satellites in low-earth orbit, geostationary orbit, and deep-space trajectories.
Its multi-band operation enables monitoring of both civilian and military satellite launches, contributing to China’s growing space situational awareness.
Electronic Intelligence (ELINT)
The vessel’s Electronic Support Measures (ESM) suite can intercept radar signals and communications from foreign ships, aircraft, and other electronic systems in the vicinity.
This capability allows China to map foreign operational patterns, monitor naval exercises, and gain actionable intelligence.
Strategic Implications
The reappearance of Yuan Wang 5 near India highlights several strategic and security considerations:
Maritime Surveillance: The ship enhances China’s ability to observe naval movements, missile tests, and maritime activities in the Indian Ocean.
Space and Missile Program Support: By providing real-time telemetry and tracking, it plays a crucial role in advancing China’s missile and hypersonic weapons programs.
Regional Influence: Its presence near India demonstrates China’s intent to maintain persistent strategic intelligence capabilities in a region of growing geopolitical competition.
Impact on India: The vessel’s deployment could affect Indian naval operations, surveillance priorities, and regional security strategies, requiring enhanced monitoring and counter-intelligence efforts.
Conclusion
Yuan Wang 5 is a highly capable strategic asset, combining missile and space tracking with advanced electronic intelligence. Its return to the Indian Ocean underscores China’s focus on military readiness, space program validation, and maritime situational awareness. For India, the ship’s operations in the region highlight the need for vigilant coastal surveillance, intelligence sharing, and strategic preparedness to maintain a balance of power in the maritime neighbourhood.
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