Amid escalating global competition for maritime rights, coastal surveillance radar has become a critical asset for safeguarding national sovereignty and security at sea. Whether it is the frequent multinational military exercises conducted by the Philippines in the South China Sea or Japan’s accelerated modernization of its maritime security forces, both underscore the complexity and urgency of the current maritime security landscape. As a major maritime nation, China is actively developing an all-weather, multi-dimensional coastal defense system through continuous technological innovation, with coastal surveillance radar serving as an indispensable “eyes and ears” within this framework.
Key Technological Breakthroughs in Coastal Surveillance Radar
After decades of development, China’s coastal surveillance radar systems have achieved comprehensive coverage, precise countermeasures, and intelligent coordination, with several key technologies reaching or even surpassing international advanced standards.
High-Frequency Surface Wave Radar
Leveraging the diffraction characteristics of electromagnetic waves along the sea surface, high-frequency surface wave radar enables over-the-horizon detection within a range of 300–400 kilometers. This system has been widely deployed in coastal provinces such as Shandong, Zhejiang, and Guangdong, routinely monitoring vessel activities within China’s exclusive economic zone.
For instance, the high-frequency surface wave radar system on Pingtan Island in Fujian can track ship movements in the Taiwan Strait in real time. In June 2025, the system successfully identified and locked onto a Philippine reconnaissance vessel that had turned off its AIS signal, providing critical coordinates for the China Coast Guard to carry out a precise interception.
Phased Array Radar
Phased array radar employs advanced phased array antenna technology, enabling electronic beam scanning by controlling the phase of array elements. This offers advantages such as rapid response and strong multi-target tracking capabilities.
Unlike traditional mechanically scanned radar, phased array radar utilizes thousands of independent transceiver units to electronically steer the beam, significantly enhancing detection efficiency and anti-jamming capabilities.
The XW/SR237 series coastal surveillance radar, independently developed by Wuhan Lakeda, adopts an azimuth scanning system that allows flexible configuration of detection ranges from 1.2 kilometers to 8 kilometers depending on the application scenario. This radar excels in providing stable, high-refresh-rate tracking of high-speed moving targets such as speedboats and “big flies,” making it widely applicable in critical security scenarios like substations, detention centers, oil pipelines, airport perimeters, and railway lines.
The S-band phased array radar developed by China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) can track up to 150 targets simultaneously, ranging from anti-ship missiles traveling at Mach 3 to fishing vessels moving at just 5 knots. During the 2025 South China Sea joint exercise, this radar locked onto the USS Roosevelt aircraft carrier while simultaneously tracking 12 escort ships and 24 carrier-based aircraft from its fleet, with a target refresh rate as high as 0.1 seconds per cycle, significantly enhancing the Chinese fleet’s battlefield responsiveness.
Phased array radar equipped with adaptive beamforming technology can identify and dynamically respond to over 200 types of interference patterns within 0.05 seconds. In 2024, when Philippine coast guard vessels attempted to disrupt China’s monitoring system using Israeli electronic jamming equipment near Huangyan Island, China’s shore-based phased array radar maintained stable tracking of the targets through sidelobe suppression techniques. The recorded electromagnetic spectrum data also served as compelling evidence in subsequent diplomatic exchanges.
Future Development Trends
In response to increasingly diverse maritime security threats, coastal surveillance radar will continue to evolve in the following three directions:
Building an Integrated “Air-Space-Ground-Sea” Monitoring Network: Integrating satellite remote sensing, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and shore-based radar systems to achieve multi-dimensional collaborative awareness. For example, the coordination between the Gaofen-3 satellite and shore-based radar enables real-time updates of maritime situations, providing comprehensive data support for law enforcement decisions.
Promoting the Engineering Application of Cutting-Edge Technologies: Accelerating the practical implementation of emerging technologies such as quantum radar and terahertz radar to overcome the limitations of traditional radar in detecting stealth targets and operating in complex electromagnetic environments.
Strengthening International Cooperation and Data Sharing: Establishing radar data sharing and joint law enforcement mechanisms to collaboratively address transnational maritime crimes. For instance, radar information exchange has become a routine part of joint patrols conducted by China and ASEAN countries in the South China Sea.
Conclusion
From intelligent monitoring of the Yangtze River waterway to frontline defense of sovereignty in the South China Sea, coastal surveillance radar is redefining ocean governance through innovative technology. This shift from “point defense” to “systematic operations” not only reflects technological progress but also represents a strategic move to safeguard national maritime rights and interests while promoting the vision of a maritime community with a shared future. With the deep integration of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, coastal surveillance radar will gradually evolve into a “super brain” for maritime security, continuing to achieve new milestones in the mission of protecting China’s blue territory.