Analysis of the Development and Application of China’s Coastal Security Radar Technology: From Imitation to Independent Innovation

In today’s complex and ever-changing international landscape, coastal security has become a critical component of national security. Events such as the joint U.S.-U.K. naval patrol in the East China Sea in June 2025 and the joint air-sea cruise organized in the South China Sea in July have continuously influenced regional security dynamics, further highlighting the strategic value and urgency of coastal security radar technology.

Development of China’s Coastal Security Radar

In the initial stage, China primarily relied on the import and imitation of basic radar equipment from abroad. During this period, the equipment had limited functionality, short detection ranges, low accuracy, and poor anti-interference capabilities. It could only handle basic monitoring tasks for small vessels near the shore, failing to meet the complex and diverse demands of coastal security.

As the nation’s industrial and technological capabilities advanced, coastal security radar gradually entered a phase of technological accumulation and practical application. Traditional radar systems began to be deployed in major ports and key maritime areas, enabling preliminary routine monitoring of some coastal regions.

Entering the 21st century, with the country placing significantly greater emphasis on maritime rights and interests, coastal security radar entered a new era of systematic development and rapid growth. Advanced technologies such as high-frequency surface wave radar and phased array radar were widely adopted, contributing to the establishment of a more comprehensive and intelligent coastal security monitoring system.

Current Status of Key Coastal Security Radar Technologies

High-Frequency Surface Wave Radar

With advantages such as over-the-horizon detection, wide-area coverage, all-weather operation, and low cost, high-frequency surface wave radar has become one of the core technologies in modern maritime monitoring. Widely deployed along China’s coastal areas, it enables continuous surveillance of vast maritime regions, effectively identifying the movements of distant vessels and providing critical support for early warning systems.

Its working principle is based on the diffraction propagation characteristics of high-frequency electromagnetic waves over the sea surface, allowing efficient detection of sea-level targets. It is particularly suitable for routine monitoring tasks in exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of various countries.

Phased Array Radar

Phased array radar employs electronic control of antenna unit phases to achieve rapid beam scanning and multi-target tracking, significantly enhancing detection efficiency and system response speed.

For example, the XW/SR237 series coastal security radar, independently developed by Wuhan Lakeda, adopts azimuth scanning and pulse Doppler technology. It features high data refresh rates and stable target tracking capabilities, making it widely applicable in various security scenarios such as substations, detention centers, oil pipelines, airport perimeters, and railway lines.

Currently, phased array radar has achieved significant improvements in the accuracy of target distance, azimuth, and altitude measurements. Some advanced models offer distance accuracy at the meter level and azimuth accuracy at the milliradian level, providing reliable data support for target identification and command decision-making.

Continuous Upgrades in Anti-Interference Technology

Faced with various interference sources in complex maritime electromagnetic environments—such as ship communication signals, ionospheric fluctuations, and adverse weather clutter—coastal security radar has continuously integrated multiple anti-interference technologies, including frequency agility, pulse compression, and moving target indication (MTI).

For instance, the filtering anti-interference and asynchronous signal filtering technologies employed in Wuhan Lakeda’s XW/SR237 series radar enable stable operation even in environments with same-frequency radar interference, ensuring the continuity and reliability of monitoring tasks.

Conclusion

The development of China’s coastal security radar technology is a history of progress from technological catch-up to independent innovation. Starting from early imitation, China gradually broke through key technologies, systematically applied cutting-edge technologies such as high-frequency surface wave radar and phased array radar, and deeply integrated them with artificial intelligence and big data. Today, the nation has established an “electromagnetic barrier” covering its maritime territories.

This journey not only reflects the growing awareness of maritime rights and interests but also highlights the outstanding contributions of Chinese scientists and engineers in critical fields. In the future, China’s coastal security radar will continue to innovate and break new ground in safeguarding the deep blue.

Further Reading

• China Radar Industry Association - Official Platform
• National Defense Science and Technology Industry Bureau - Authoritative Information Portal
• Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences - Ocean Remote Sensing Research
• IEEE Xplore - Frontier Research Papers on Radar Technology

These authoritative resources will help readers gain an in-depth understanding of the latest advancements and future trends in China’s coastal security radar technology.