China’s 11,000-ton destroyer warns off foreign jets near Taiwan

China’s state broadcaster has aired an unusually detailed look at how the PLA Navy uses electronic warfare to challenge foreign military aircraft operating near Taiwan. The footage shows the Yanan, a Type 055 guided-missile destroyer and one of the most advanced surface combatants in China’s fleet, deploying electronic jamming missiles during an encounter close to the island. 

Released as part of a CCTV series on China’s expanding naval power, the clip marks the first time the warship has been publicly shown carrying out what the broadcaster called electronic countermeasures in waters near Taiwan. 

According to the report, the systems were activated to disrupt and warn off foreign aircraft, offering a rare glimpse into how Beijing integrates electronic warfare into its maritime patrols and regional deterrence strategy.

Warship switches to high-power radar during aircraft encounter

The footage shows the Yanan’s crew moving quickly as potential aircraft are spotted approaching the warship. A sailor scanning the horizon through binoculars is heard ordering the starboard side to prepare, as the destroyer tracks what appear to be several groups of aircraft repeatedly altering their flight paths. 

According to CCTV, the ship then shifts its radar systems into high-power mode to widen its detection range. At the same time, its electronic warfare suite readies missiles capable of both active and passive jamming, signalling a transition from monitoring to full electronic countermeasure posture as the situation develops around the vessel, the South China Morning Post reported.

After reporting the contacts, the Yanan calls in support from the aircraft carrier Shandong, which dispatches three aircraft to confirm the presence of the unidentified planes. Only after the verification does the destroyer proceed to fire four electronic jamming missiles, according to the broadcast.

As one crew member, Wang Liang, explains in the footage, modern naval warfare is no longer just about the power of a single ship, but about how all operational systems work together across air and sea.

PLA Navy official outlines multi-domain warfare doctrine

Speaking in the broadcast, Wang framed the PLA Navy as operating at the cutting edge of both conventional and digital conflict, where confrontations extend far beyond surface combat to include air and missile defence, anti-submarine operations, and electronic warfare.

The broadcast did not identify which foreign forces were involved in the encounter, but it comes against a backdrop of steadily rising tensions around Taiwan. In December, the US State Department approved roughly $11.1 billion in new arms sales to the island, a move Beijing has repeatedly criticised. 

At the same time, China has been trading sharp diplomatic warnings with Japan after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would compel a military response from Tokyo, further underscoring how the issue is drawing in multiple regional and global powers.

Alongside the Yanan segment, CCTV also aired images of the Type 055 destroyer Nanchang carrying out a similar mission while operating with the aircraft carrier Liaoning on a blue-water deployment. In the clip, the warship repeatedly alters its course to block two foreign vessels from attempting to manoeuvre through the carrier group.