Some Troubled Science Reporting at South China Morning Post
A review of the SCMP's recent cable-cutting blockbuster and 8 other science stories in the past year.
I have long refrained from public criticism of news reports from international media on China, especially those written by journalists based in China or of Chinese heritage, for a number of reasons. One primary reason is that journalism, in general, is under siege worldwide, and, in particular, reporting on China has become increasingly difficult. I see no reason to add pressure unless there are compelling grounds. However, I feel compelled to make an exception today, specifically regarding some science news reporting in the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The SCMP occupies a uniquely significant role in reporting on China. The Chinese mainland has been unable to establish a robust English-language news platform for international audiences. This will likely remain the case for the foreseeable future. Western mainstream media will - rightfully - continue to treat news about China from their perspective and as peripheral, which is understandable given that their audiences, like those everywhere, are primarily concerned with domestic affairs. Furthermore, stringent visa restrictions and various other obstacles have hindered access to the Chinese mainland since Beijing’s reciprocity against the mass expulsion of Chinese journalists by the Trump administration in the first term.
This is where the 122-year-old Hong Kong newspaper of record steps in. With its enduring focus on China and sizable, professional reporting staff, SCMP fills a critical gap, offering reliable, around-the-clock news in English, the global lingua franca. In this sense, SCMP has become the most essential global source for news on China today.
Regrettably, alongside its wealth of credible reporting, SCMP has also developed a distinct genre of science stories based entirely on a single paper published in a Chinese (sometimes quasi-) academic journal. A recent prime example is a recent article, China unveils a powerful deep-sea cable cutter that could reset the world order, which has since spread widely, misleading Bloomberg, CNN, MERICS, and Lowy Institute, as well as top China experts on Twitter.
Before analyzing this poorly reported SCMP story as a case study—and expanding to cover 8 other reports to illustrate a recurring pattern of problematic reporting—let me first outline some issues that span this entire genre of articles:
These reports exaggerate early-stage findings, concepts, and designs, presenting them as finished deployments without sufficient scrutiny despite the well-documented low conversion rate of academic research to actual industrial application.
The low conversion rate of science research to industrialization plagues Chinese universities and is a well-recognized fact. 3.9% of university-originated invention patents found their way to industrialization, a Chinese government survey revealed in 2022, the latest number available. And there is a long distance between academic papers and invention patents. And don’t forget that many self-reported numbers by the Chinese government are often taken with a pinch of salt.
These reports sensationalize and politicize the research by taking it out of context and linking it to current events, even when there is no prima facie evidence to support such associations. A key tactic is attributing everything to the actions of the Chinese government, not just disregarding the agency of individual researchers and institutions but also dismissing apparent evidence that sidelines the significance of these papers, for example, the poor quality and remote locations of the Chinese journals that publish them.
These reports uncritically source a single paper in a Chinese mainland journal, with little apparent effort to verify or question its credibility, a fundamental journalism malpractice.
In doing so, these reports take at face value whatever is printed in these Chinese mainland journals, despite their documented variability in quality. Sometimes, and as you will read in the first case study on the cable-cutting story, these journals lack robust peer-review processes or have standards that may not align with international norms. Moreover, on many occasions, the SCMP fails to adhere to best practices followed by reputable English-language outlets, which often consult external experts in relevant fields to provide readers with a more comprehensive and impartial view of scientific developments.
Another issue is the overwhelming focus on research with potential military implications, in effect “othering” and “securitizing” Chinese scientific work. This approach portrays Chinese research through a lens of threat and aligns with prevailing narratives in the Anglosphere that emphasize fear and suspicion about Chinese science and technology.
You will probably feel I’m making a political argument. But I believe this is, in fact, a technical one. That’s because this selective bias is compounded by SCMP’s position as a primary source in global China reporting, and exacerbated by the fact that neither SCMP nor other reputable international English-language media outlets routinely report on scientific research from the West, particularly the U.S., in a similar manner.
The descriptions and narration in these reports are so hyperbolic that they sometimes sound like science fiction.
I should also mention that this is not my first criticism of this problematic reporting in the SCMP. In January 2024, an SCMP report shaved 36 billion HKD off Baidu, the Chinese tech company, on Monday, January 14.
I published a critical analysis in the early hours of Tuesday, January 15, the only publicly available rebuttal at the time. When the market opened that morning, Baidu’s stock price rebounded by several percentage points before going down with the rest of the market.
On that Tuesday afternoon, after the market closed, the SCMP published a correction, withdrawing its core, baseless assertion that there was some sort of bilateral cooperation between Baidu and the PLA.
An earlier version of this story said the PLA lab had forged a physical link between its AI system and Baidu's Ernie. The story has been amended to say the PLA lab tested its system on the Baidu model. There is no dedicated line between the two.
One notable nuisance with the SCMP is its refusal to embed links within online articles to external sources, a pattern that The New York Times and Washington Post have shunned. While this practice helps drive traffic to other stories within the newspaper, it significantly hampers readers’ ability to quickly fact-check by forcing them to search for sources separately—a task that few undertake.
This approach creates considerable obstacles for fact-checking this genre of reporting, as the sources, namely papers from Chinese journals, are not easily accessible on the Web. They are in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, which requires Chinese-language keyword searches upon subscription-based access. For most English-speaking readers, this barrier is insurmountable, posing a significant challenge to accurate fact-checking.
To facilitate transparency, accessibility, and verifiability, I have uploaded the corresponding Chinese-language papers cited as the sole source in these articles from CNKI. Most of these Chinese-language papers include an official English-language title and abstract, and I’ve also included them for you to compare with the SCMP story plot.
I would like to emphasize that I write this piece out of deep respect for the time-honored newspaper—or precisely because of it. I hold no grievances against the paper or its reporters, many of whom work under challenging circumstances, and some put themselves on the line for nothing but journalism.
While the following reports predominantly bear the bylines of a tiny group, I choose not to name individuals and encourage others to refrain from doing so. The persistent issues point to a systemic erosion of editorial standards within this particular genre of reporting. Such problems demand systematic remedies. I hope addressing these issues will ultimately benefit the paper, not harm it.
In that spirit, I urge SCMP’s leadership to take this matter seriously, conduct a thorough review, make necessary corrections or withdrawals, and institute relevant editorial changes based on the paper’s Editorial Standards and Code of Ethics
Accuracy is a top priority.
Journalists should seek truth, fairness, objectivity, impartiality and comprehensiveness. They must ensure accuracy, fairness and balance at all times. They will not quote out of context or distort facts.
Journalists should not pander to prurience, indecency and sensationalism
But please don’t fire anyone; it’s hard to find a job these days.
The SCMP is an institution with considerable resources and influence, and I’m just a guy with a newsletter. So, in case something unexpectedly arises, let me also state unequivocally that this piece is entirely my personal effort. No one else is involved in it. Nobody put me up to this or compensated me for it.
1.
2025-03-22 China unveils a powerful deep-sea cable cutter that could reset the world order
(Subtitle) Beijing now has the power to disrupt global communications after scientists revealed a device that can sever undersea cables
(Lede) A compact, deep-sea, cable-cutting device, capable of severing the world’s most fortified underwater communication or power lines, has been unveiled by China – and it could shake up global maritime power dynamics.
The revelation marks the first time any country has officially disclosed that it has such an asset, capable of disrupting critical undersea networks.
The tool, which is able to cut lines at depths of up to 4,000 metres (13,123 feet) – twice the maximum operational range of existing subsea communication infrastructure – has been designed specifically for integration with China’s advanced crewed and uncrewed submersibles like the Fendouzhe, or Striver, and the Haidou series.
Developed by the China Ship Scientific Research Centre (CSSRC) and its affiliated State Key Laboratory of Deep-sea Manned Vehicles, the device targets armoured cables – layered with steel, rubber and polymer sheaths – that underpin 95 per cent of global data transmission.
While it was created as a tool for civilian salvage and seabed mining, the dual-use potential of the tool could send alarm bells ringing for other nations.
For example, cutting cables near strategic chokepoints such as Guam, which is a linchpin of the US military’s second island chain, a defence strategy used to contain China, the tool could essentially destabilise global communications during a geopolitical crisis.
The cutting tool’s design has overcome several formidable technical challenges arising from the deep, according to the team led by engineer Hu Haolong in a peer-reviewed paper published in Chinese-language journal Mechanical Engineer on February 24.
At 4,000 metres, water pressure exceeds 400 atmospheres. The device’s titanium alloy shell and oil-compensated seals prevent implosion, even under sustained use.
Traditional blades also falter against steel-reinforced cables. The solution, according to Hu and his colleagues, was a 150mm (six-inch) diamond-coated grinding wheel spinning at 1,600rpm – enough force to shatter steel while minimising marine sediment disturbance.
Title: Design of an Electric Cutting Device for Deep-sea Cables
Abstract: In order to cater to the demands of lightweight and compact working tools, as well as deep-sea cable fracturing, this paper develops an electric cutting device for deep-sea cables. Based on the main structural forms of deep-sea cables, we determine the suitable structural failure forms for deep -sea cables, and carry out the structural scheme design, main parameter design, and experimental testing of the electric cutting device for deep-sea cable. The experimental results show that the electric cutting device for deep-sea cables can complete the cutting of armored cables with a diameter of 60 mm, and the cutting failure rate reaches 100%.Exaggeration of Early-Stage Design and Sensationalism:
The SCMP article drastically exaggerates the early-stage design presented in the Chinese paper, titled “Design of an Electric Cutting Device for Deep-sea Cables,” to a device that the paper portrays as deployment-ready, by conflating lab engineering with operational capability.
The Chinese paper did NOT present a deepwater-tested prototype. Its test was completed in a shallow water tank, NOT 4,000 meters underwater, as the SCMP article cunningly hinted through writing tricks
The cutting tool’s design has overcome several formidable technical challenges arising from the deep, according to the team led by engineer Hu Haolong in a peer-reviewed paper published in Chinese-language journal Mechanical Engineer on February 24.
At 4,000 metres, water pressure exceeds 400 atmospheres. The device’s titanium alloy shell and oil-compensated seals prevent implosion, even under sustained use.
Traditional blades also falter against steel-reinforced cables. The solution, according to Hu and his colleagues, was a 150mm (six-inch) diamond-coated grinding wheel spinning at 1,600rpm – enough force to shatter steel while minimising marine sediment disturbance.
Mounted on submersibles with constrained power budgets, the tool’s one kilowatt motor and 8:1 gear reducer balance torque (six Newton-metres) with efficiency, though prolonged cuts risk overheating. Operated by robotic arms in near-zero visibility, the tool is also designed to work with advanced positioning technology to avoid misalignment.
But then the picture the SCMP inserted into its report betrays the rudimentary nature of the Chinese paper and its test - does this look like “At 4,000 metres, water pressure exceeds 400 atmospheres “ and “mounted on submersibles”?
The Chinese paper’s self-conflicting language is also worth mentioning: “The underwater electric manipulator was used to set up cutting test in a tank, which verified that the deep-sea cable electric cutting device can cut through armored cables with a diameter of 60 mm, achieving a 100% cutting failure rate.” (通过水下电动机械手搭建了水槽切割试验，验证了深海缆线电动切割装置对直径60 mm铠装缆的切割，切割破坏率达到100%) In effect, the paper admits the test was in a tank but then claimed the test “verified that the deep-sea cable electric cutting device.”
The SCMP report also hid crucial context such as that the entire tested device weighed only 5.14 kilograms (水中质量为5.14 kg) and its fuel tank is merely 450 ml (内部充油容积为0.45 L), the size of a Coca Cola bottle. In shielding its readers from key details, it perpetuates the illusion it invented right at the beginning
China unveils a powerful deep-sea cable cutter that could reset the world order
A compact, deep-sea, cable-cutting device, capable of severing the world’s most fortified underwater communication or power lines, has been unveiled by China.
And let’s, for the sake of argument, imagine that the Chinese government invented an unprecendentedly powerful cable cutter, industralized the whole process, and then deployed it. Will that “reset the world order” as the SCMP’s title hypes?
Uncritical Sourcing
The SCMP article uncritically sources its claims from a single paper published in a Chinese journal, 机械工程师 Mechanical Engineer. The article does not demonstrate any due diligence in assessing the quality of the source. So I will.
As seen from the snapshot above, the Mechanical Engineer promises to respond with an admission decision to all submissions in five working days, raising questions to the robustness or even the existence of a peer-review process. The SCMP article ignored the unusually fast review process, characterizing it as “peer-reviewed.”
Another red flag with the journal is that, as shown in the snapshot, a fee is charged to authors for all published papers.
As shown in the snapshot above, from a crowd-sourced, anonymous review website for Chinese journals, one user on November 27, 2024 claimed to have paid 3,000 yuan ($413) for their paper to be published in the Mechanical Engineer.
As shown in the snapshot above, one person said on December 27, 2015 that “The review process was very fast, and the next day I received a manuscript acceptance notification, along with a page fee of 1,400 yuan ($193), which shocked me because when I published papers in other provincial journals before, the page fees were only a few hundred yuan. I’m not sure whether it’s because my writing is more rigorous or the reviewer wasn’t in the right field, but there were no revision suggestions. They just told me this is a practical work paper and that only the English title was needed, while everything else, including the English abstract, should be removed. This used to be a core journal, but it has now been kicked out. Based on the feedback from my submission, I feel like the journal is quickly turning into a money-making tool, which makes me quite disheartened about the current state of Chinese science and technology journals.”
In China, a “core journal” (核心期刊, hexin qikan) refers to a relatively better academic journal. Core journals are typically indexed in key databases and are considered important for publishing academic work. These journals are often peer-reviewed and are seen as a mark of quality in academic publishing.
When a journal is no longer considered a core journal, it often indicates a decline in its academic credibility, influence, or editorial quality. It may no longer meet the standards required for inclusion in major indexing systems, and its reputation could be tarnished. Being kicked out of the core journal list suggests that the journal may have shifted its focus, possibly prioritizing profitability over academic rigor, or it might have failed to maintain its quality and reputation in the field.
On top of the demonstrated low quality of its source, the SCMP report includes no comments from external experts in the field, missing an opportunity to offer a more nuanced and reliable perspective, which is a standard practice for reputable English-language outlets.
Plus, mutilple links in the Mechanical Engineer’s ugly homepage are dysunctional, further evidence of a lesser quality publication.
Attribution to potential Chinese foul-play despite zero evidence
As outlined in the beginning, this genre of SCMP reports routinely attribute the entire research project to the Chinese government, without acknowledging the individual agency of the researchers involved. While, admittedly, it’s become increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to convince Western readers even the possibility of personal agency of Chinese individuals, this particular SCMP report doubles down on the simplistic narrative to a strikingly new low.
(Title) China unveils a powerful deep-sea cable cutter that could reset the world order
(Subtitle) Beijing now has the power to disrupt global communications after scientists revealed a device that can sever undersea cables
(Lede) A compact, deep-sea, cable-cutting device, capable of severing the world’s most fortified underwater communication or power lines, has been unveiled by China – and it could shake up global maritime power dynamics.
The revelation marks the first time any country has officially disclosed that it has such an asset, capable of disrupting critical undersea networks.
Falling into the trap set by the SCMP report, one scholar at the Australian thinktank Lowy Institute ponders that “the very public unveiling of such a device indicates that China’s intent is less technological innovation and more strategic communication.”
Recall that the Chinese paper was published on Feb 24 in a pay-to-play journal churning out admission decisions within a week and only available in a subscription-based database, until being drummed up by the SCMP a full month later on March 25. It’s mindblowing that “China unveils” and “officially disclosed” it, as the SCMP story fictionalized, quickly translates to the “very public unveiling” received in the Down Under where some “strategic communication” is now speculated.
It should be acknowledged that intentions can seldomly be fact-checked, but it’s still too rich that the SCMP only dismissively paid lip service to the Chinese paper’s stated aim of “for civilian salvage and seabed mining,” before fantasing about Chinese hostilities against the U.S. without any shred of evidence
While it was created as a tool for civilian salvage and seabed mining, the dual-use potential of the tool could send alarm bells ringing for other nations.
For example, cutting cables near strategic chokepoints such as Guam, which is a linchpin of the US military’s second island chain, a defence strategy used to contain China, the tool could essentially destabilise global communications during a geopolitical crisis.
And from there, the SCMP story quickly degenerates all the way to the war in Ukraine
The debut of the device comes as China’s foothold in undersea infrastructure is expanding.
Beijing now operates the world’s largest fleet of crewed and uncrewed submersibles, capable of reaching any part of the world’s oceans.
Construction of a 2,000-metre-deep “space station” on the floor of the South China Sea started last month to support at least six people staying for a month.
Meanwhile, America’s ageing deep-sea fleet is struggling to keep pace. And Japan’s sole crewed submersible, Shinkai 6500, faces retirement in a few years without a successor.
Guam remains a cornerstone of the US Indo-Pacific strategy, hosting more than a dozen fibre-optic cables that serve both military and civilian clients, including Google.
China’s tool, operable from stealthy unmanned platforms, could exploit such bottlenecks without surfacing – a scenario that has drawn increasing discussions in military research communities since Russia’s seabed natural gas pipeline was blown up by unknown players during the war with Ukraine.
Perhaps I should add that the paper’s only connection I could possibly imagine to Russia is that the journal Mechanical Engineer is edited and published in China’s northernmost, Russia-neighouring backwater Heilongjiang province.
This newsletter intends to present a troubling pattern at the SCMP reporting so more examples are required. But neither you nor I have unlimited time so I’ll try to be more succinct in the following analysis of 8 other stories, all from within a year.
2.
20241011 Was doomed US submarine caught by a monster whirlpool in the South China Sea?
It is the stuff of science fiction. A giant whirlpool, spanning hundreds of kilometres, suddenly appears in the ocean, threatening anything in its path.
But now, after the declassification of a Chinese operation, it appears this particular whirlpool was all too real. And it could be the explanation behind an international incident involving an American nuclear-powered submarine.
In September 2021, a massive operation was launched by China to hunt and record an enormous whirlpool, more than 200km (124 miles) across, which appeared to the east of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.
China’s most advanced research vessel and the largest drone fleet ever assembled were sent to conduct comprehensive tracking of this vortex from the air, sea surface and under water.
Around the same time, the USS Connecticut, a Seawolf-class, nuclear-powered fast attack submarine operated by the US Navy, was also in the area.
On October 2, 2021, it hit an unknown object and had to make an emergency breach. It suffered serious damage, with repairs ongoing to this day.
A US military investigation assigned blame to the negligence of the officers and crew on board as well as their unfamiliarity with the terrain.
Now, on the third anniversary of the incident, the Chinese government has declassified its whirlpool hunting operation, with the scientific data that was collected at the time published last month in the Chinese language academic journal Scientia Sinica Terrae.
It remains uncertain whether there is a connection between the US submarine collision and the whirlpool. Scientists involved in the project refused to comment on this.
This is such an egregious case with so many holes that I don’t even know where to begin.
First and foremost, as the headline betrays, the SCMP report was asking “Was doomed US submarine caught by a monster whirlpool in the South China Sea?” So the story should be concocting some link between the submarine incident and a whirlpool, NOT the Chinese scientific research to study the whirldpool.
However, the SCMP had the audacity to detail and thus fabricate an impression that the Chinese might have played a role
China’s most advanced research vessel and the largest drone fleet ever assembled were sent to conduct comprehensive tracking of this vortex from the air, sea surface and under water.
Around the same time, the USS Connecticut, a Seawolf-class, nuclear-powered fast attack submarine operated by the US Navy, was also in the area.
Second, the ambiguous language “around the same time” and “was also in the area” tricks deployed speak for itself.
The fact is that the U.S. Navy submarine incident happened on October 2, 2021, and the Chinese research took place, as reported in the Chinese paper and not disputed by the SCMP report, from September 15 to 21.
The exact location of the USS Connecticut incidence is not publicly known. That’s easy to understand as submarine routes are typically closely guarded by any navy in the world. So the SCMP story had to cite an estimate of an open-source intel estimate to put the incident “within the influence range of the swirl,” another extremely vague characterization.
Third, the Chinese research was always conducted in an open manner and was never classified, but the SCMP report twice in its first eight paragraphs suggested otherwise - “after the declassification of a Chinese operation” and “Now, on the third anniversary of the incident, the Chinese government has declassified its whirlpool hunting operation”
In 2018, six years before the SCMP report, the Chinese researchers reported they were initiating the study. One month after the conclusion of the observation, in October 201, they reported that outside Chinese experts reviewed their observation. In January 2023, one researcher reported their observation in an conference that was livestreamed. No later than May 2024, which is four months before the Chinese paper’s publication, the metadata from the vehicles and drones in the observation were released for downloading
Is that a classified research???
The SCMP story says “the Chinese government has declassified its whirlpool hunting operation.” What it actually meant was that after repeated public disclosures, the researchers published the paper in a Chinese journal!
In summary, the SCMP fabricated a story of possible links between a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine incident and a whirlpool with no evidence, and then deviously shifted the plot to hint at the possibility of Chinese scientific research - “most advanced research vessel and the largest drone fleet ever assembled,“ no less - involved in the submarine incident.
Along the way, the SCMP story blatantly manufactured the lie that Beijing classified the research.
3.
2024-09-13 Starlink radiation makes stealth target glow on Chinese radar
（Title) Starlink radiation makes stealth target glow on Chinese radar
(Subtitle) A team of Chinese scientists have developed a groundbreaking method for detecting stealth objects on radar
An unprecedented radar experiment conducted by Chinese scientists in the South China Sea could change the game of future warfare.
Taking a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone – about the size of a bird and with a radar cross-section comparable to that of a stealth fighter – the team launched it off the coast of Guangdong.
The ground-based radar did not sent out any radio waves to produce an echo, but the target appeared on screen. This was because the drone was illuminated by electromagnetic radiations emitted by a Starlink satellite flying over the Philippines, according to the scientists.
No other country has demonstrated this capability before.
Stealth aircraft, such as America’s F-22, reduce electromagnetic wave reflection through geometric shapes and absorbing coatings to cheat radars.
Title: Methods and experiments for forward scattering detection of UAV targets based on opportunistic illumination from low-orbit satellites
Abstract: With the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology, the demand for efficient monitoring of typical "low, slow, small" targets UAVs was rising. Given the difficulties in UAV detection, this paper proposed a new type of UAV low-altitude detection method using low-orbit satellites as the source of opportunity illumination, combining the miniaturization of the forward scattering system, anti-stealth, and the all-weather and easy-to-acquire characteristics of satellite signals, and researched the potential applications of satellite signal forward scattering radar for UAV detection.
First of all, this paper analyzed the geometric structure of satellite signal forward scattering radar, introduced the signal processing flow of forward scattering radar, constructed the radar evaluation model based on the horizontal baseline distance of the target, and simulated the maximum horizontal baseline distance that can be detected by the radar under the different target flight heights. The simulation result showed that when the flight altitude of the UAV is 100m, the maximum horizontal baseline distance detected by the radar is 77.2m. The modeling analysis of the satellite motion and antenna beamform on the time-frequency characteristics of the UAV target was carried out. The analysis results show that the motion of LEO satellites has less influence on the time-frequency characteristics; when the antenna beam is too narrow, the time-frequency response changes from a "V"-shaped image to a "vertical bar" image. Then, a low-orbit satellite signal-receiving system was designed for the characteristics of high-speed movement of low orbit satellites, and system test experiments were carried out, and the results of the test experiments showed that the designed system was able to receive low-orbit satellite signals in a stable and real-time manner. Finally, the low-orbit satellite forward scattering radar UAV detection experiment was carried out, and the time-frequency characteristics of the forward scattering when the drone crosses the baseline were obtained, and the experimental results matched the simulation results, which proved the correctness of the theoretical analysis and the feasibility of detecting the UAV target with the proposed system.As you have read, this SCMP report tries really hard to hype the supposed Chinese capability against “stealth aircraft, such as America’s F-22.”
However, the Chinese paper, titled "Methods and experiments for forward scattering detection of UAV targets based on opportunistic illumination from low-orbit satellites," was targeting something completely different, saying in its abstract “With the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology, the demand for efficient monitoring of typical ‘low, slow, small’ targets UAVs was rising. Given the difficulties in UAV detection, this paper proposed a new type of UAV low-altitude detection.” Both the title and the abstract are available in English in the Chinese paper above.
Therefore, the entire plot of the SCMP story was misdirected. The only possible reason for this conflation and sensationalization, as my analysis has revealed, is that absent the fabricated drama there would be no story - who would be interested in detecting “typical ‘low, slow, small’” drones? America’s F-22, on the other hand, makes a story.
Now let’s revisit the story by the SCMP
An unprecedented radar experiment conducted by Chinese scientists in the South China Sea could change the game of future warfare.
Taking a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone – about the size of a bird and with a radar cross-section comparable to that of a stealth fighter – the team launched it off the coast of Guangdong.
The ground-based radar did not sent out any radio waves to produce an echo, but the target appeared on screen. This was because the drone was illuminated by electromagnetic radiations emitted by a Starlink satellite flying over the Philippines, according to the scientists.
What did the paper actually say?
The slow-moving drone had to be manually controlled to cross a pre-set baseline: “The receiving system tracks the Starlink satellite signal in real-time while controlling the drone to cross the baseline; due to the baseline shift caused by the movement of low-Earth orbit satellites and the narrow antenna beam, the drone needs to be maneuvered across the baseline multiple times during the experiment to ensure the collection of more data.” (接收系统实时跟踪星链卫星信号，同时操控无人机穿越基线；由于低轨卫星运动导致基线变动，同时天线波束较窄，则在实验中需操纵无人机多次穿越基线以确保采集到更多的数据。)The SCMP story also claims, in its usual playbook of politicizing and securitizing Chinese research, said "The experiment was supervised by the Chinese government’s State Radio Monitoring Centre."
There is no such information in the paper. The only possible rationale of this fabrication is that Hao Caiyong, the fifth of the five-member team, is an engineer of the Shenzhen Monitoring Station of the State Radio Monitoring Centre and also a PhD student at the school of electronic information at Wuhan University, where the rest of the team are affiliated. All relevant information can be located in the Chinese paper.
Hao has also taken part in other research published by the Wuhan team or with his colleagues, according to papers available in the CNKI database.
4.
2024-08-23 Huawei’s polar code beats Nato protocol in South China Sea submarine communication test
The title and lede of the story had to be completely rewritten. When it was published, it read
Huawei’s polar code beats Nato protocol in South China Sea submarine communication test
A milestone for underwater communication has been achieved following testing of new technology that features a powerful method of data encoding developed by Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies, according to scientists involved in the project.
China sets a new record in South China Sea submarine communication test
A milestone for underwater communication has been achieved following testing of new technology that features a powerful method of data encoding, according to scientists involved in the project.
With a note of correction saying
This story has been updated to clarify that the polar code is a widely used technology and not only owned by Huawei."
What exactly is the supposed link, if there is any, between the Chinese research that the SCMP was hyping and Huawei?
Five pages into the 10-page paper, the authors wrote “The method in this paper is verified based on the Bellhop simulation of the deep-sea acoustic channel. The frame format of the transmitted signal is shown in Figure 3, with a length of 1532 symbols, including a training sequence of 508 symbols and an information sequence of 1024 symbols. In the method, Polar coding adopts the channel polarization method with polarized weights (HPW) proposed by Huawei [31]. This method uses a fixed channel reliability ranking approach, achieving precise channel polarization independent of the channel state. It also demonstrates stability in channel polarization for different code lengths.” （其中, Polar 编码采用由华为提出的极化权重的信道极化方法 (HPW) [31], 该方法采用固定化的信道可靠性排序方法, 独立于信道状态实现精确的信道极化, 且对不同码长的信道极化具有稳定性）
Don’t understand a word of it? Me neither. But basically, the authors cited, as one of many components of their research, an openly-available paper presented at the IEEE Global Communications Conference in Singapore in 2017, and that paper was written by Huawei researchers.
The embarrasing correction - to both the title and lede, the most important parts of a news report - is a slap in the face of the original SCMP story’s unjustifiable exaggeration and sensationalization.
5.
2024-04-16 Tech war: how Chinese scientists rigged a low-cost AI computer chip to power a hypersonic weapon
(Subtitle): Using a Nvidia module widely available online, Chinese researchers overcome significant obstacles to boost performance of hypersonic vehicle. Jetson TX2i chip installed in the scramjet engine control system boosted range, stability and significantly cut research and development costs.
(Lede): A research team in China has created a step-by-step guide that allows anyone with a low-cost artificial intelligence chip to boost the performance of hypersonic weapons.
To accomplish the task, the researchers installed a Nvidia Jetson TX2i GPU computer module – which can be purchased online – into an air-breathing hypersonic aircraft capable of speeds exceeding Mach 7.
Tests have suggested that this particular module can process computational fluid dynamics models with unprecedented efficiency, meaning calculations that previously took seconds to complete could now be done in just 25 milliseconds – four times faster than the blink of an eye.
The module’s response speed made it ideal for “real-time optimisation of the fuel supply system, fault diagnosis, and fault-tolerant control in scramjet engines”, according to a joint project team from Beijing Power Machinery Research Institute and Dalian University of Technology. Their peer-reviewed paper was published on March 13 in the Chinese academic journal Propulsion Technology.
Headquartered in the United States, Nvidia is the world’s largest supplier of AI chips. Nvidia began selling the TX2i for industrial applications about six years ago. The module’s peak single-precision performance is 1.26 TFlops, about one-fiftieth of the capability of the company’s most powerful AI chip, the H100.
The H100, however, costs tens of thousands of US dollars and is in short supply. The TX2i, on the other hand, can be obtained for a few hundred dollars, is not subject to US export controls and is widely available online.
When contacted by the South China Morning Post on April 12, Nvidia said it had no comment on the matter.
Title: One-dimensional modeling of scramjet based on GPU parallel acceleration
Abstract： The engine model serves as the foundation for various technologies such as control plan optimization, model-based control, and observer design, all of which significantly impact the performance of control systems. However, the computational requirements of one-dimensional models for scramjets are immense, making real-time execution on onboard controllers challenging. To address this issue, this study delves into the research of GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)-based parallel computing techniques and explores methods such as grid decoupling and partitioning, serial/parallel heterogeneous design, memory optimization, code optimization, compilation instruction optimization, and hardware mode optimization. By integrating these approaches, an efficient CPU (Central Processing Unit)+GPU heterogeneous model is designed and validated on the embedded controller based on VPX (Virtual Path Cross-Connect) bus. To adequately verify the effectiveness, efficiency, and real-time performance of the designed heterogeneous model, baseline tests, hardware and software optimization acceleration tests, and parallel computing tests are conducted in this paper. In the tests, the time consumption and data errors of the one- dimensional model on CPU, single-core GPU, and multi-core GPU are compared. Finally, leveraging data analysis, graphical representations, and monitoring tools, the study conclusively demonstrates that the designed heterogeneous model achieves an acceleration exceeding 6.7 times without compromising model accuracy. Importantly, none of the execution times surpass 25 ms, aligning with the real-time requirements essential for engineering applications. The methodologies investigated in this study showcase promising prospects for practical implementation.So what the Chinese paper reported was a “one-dimensional modeling” or “methodologies.” They did NOT, as the SCMP told in the subtitle and the second paragraph, “install(ed) a Nvidia Jetson TX2i GPU computer module – which can be purchased online – into an air-breathing hypersonic aircraft capable of speeds exceeding Mach 7.“
The last sentence in the abstract made it abundtanly clear that it was far from “practical implementation,” but merely shows “promising prospects.”
The Chinese researchers cautioned at the end of the paper
“However, this study is only focused on the combustion chamber serial model. To apply it to hypersonic vehicles, further research on intake modeling, shock wave correction, data reshaping, and others are required.” (但本文的研究仅针对燃烧室串行模型，为应用到高超声速飞行器，还需开展进气道建模、激波修正、数据修模等研究。）Conveniently burying that crucial detail to the 17th paragraph, the SCMP report then blabbered on and on for a dozen more paragraphs, imposing irrelevant context as far-fetched as “the Houthis, an Iranian-backed rebel group that controls most of Yemen,” and “North Korea successfully test-fired a hypersonic gliding missile, and on Monday, Iran claimed to have used hypersonic missiles to attack Israeli military bases in retaliation for Israel’s bombing of the Iranian embassy.”
Perhaps realizing the absolute absurdity, the report then had to qualify with the statement “Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that China or Russia provided weapons or technical support to either country.”
How does that have anything to do with, basically, some mathematical optimizations?
Last but not least, just think about the story lede:
A research team in China has created a step-by-step guide that allows anyone with a low-cost artificial intelligence chip to boost the performance of hypersonic weapons.
Anyone with with a low-cost artificial intelligence to boost the performance of hypersonic weapons???
Anyone?
6.
2024-04-13 ‘Subdue the enemy without fighting’: how China’s powerful water cannon will change the game in South China Sea
(Subtitle) An AI-controlled water cannon developed by Chinese researchers can hit targets with an error of only two metres in rough conditions. It is a 33 to 54 per cent improvement over traditional water cannons and could assist China during clashes in contested waters.
(Lede) he world’s first “smart” water cannon, controlled by artificial intelligence (AI), has been developed by researchers in central China – and it could take the non-lethal weapon to new heights.
Beijing increasingly sees the weapons as vital to bolstering its hold over the disputed waters while also lowering the odds of armed clashes.
The use of water cannons in South China Sea disputes is likely to increase in frequency and intensity, potentially changing the rules of the game in this sensitive region, according to some Chinese coastguard researchers.
A water cannon is a device driven by a high-pressure water pump to generate a strong, high-speed jet. A powerful water cannon can attack targets over 100 metres (328 feet) away, generating a pressure of more than 1.2 megapascals. An adult male facing that head-on could be subjected to an impact force of nearly nine tonnes, equivalent to being stepped on by an African elephant.
In recent months, Philippine ships have frequently been hit by water cannons during stand-offs with Chinese coastguard vessels. In one notable incident last month, a cockpit windscreen was shattered, injuring several personnel.
In another clash at Second Thomas Shoal, known as Renai Reef in China and Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines, crew members of a Philippine supply ship waved a white flag due to the relentless barrage of the weapons.
However, based on videos released by both sides, the accuracy of these weapons leaves much to be desired, often missing their mark in rough seas.
It is a problem the smart water cannon aims to address. Developed by the Wuhan Marine Electric Propulsion Device Research Institute, it can automatically identify targets and adjust its power and jet trajectory based on real-time feedback from a photoelectric camera.
The water cannon is also equipped with motion sensors that collect the swing state of the ship to alter the ballistic parameters.
Title: Water cannon jet stabilization system based on dual feedback
Abstract: In the process of maritime law enforcement by using water cannon, the marine police and marine surveillance ships usually encounter the situation that the vessel shakes due to wind and waves, which leads to the shaking of water cannon and the failure that jet can not accurately hit the target. The existing water cannon systems mostly adopt the single feedback control method, without considering the interference of the carrier movement on the water jet. In order to reduce the disturbance of carrier motion to water cannon jet, this paper proposes a water cannon jet stabilization system based on dual feedback. The system uses IMU to collect motion pose of carrier, and uses autoregressive sliding average model to compensate pose of carrier. The system collects information of landing point of water by camera, and uses back propagation algorithm to adjust the parameter of jet model in real time and adjust the water cannon joint angle with feedback. The experimental results on the intelligent water cannon platform show that after adopting the dual feedback mechanism, the shooting error of the water jet can be effectively reduced more than 33%.The SCMP would like to convince you what the Chinese have invented is this
or this
But in reality, what the Chinese developed was this, as included in the Chinese paper
This is “how China’s powerful water cannon will change the game in South China Sea” ???
Visuals aside, it’s essential to note that the Chinese paper reports a "jet stabilization system” which was then tested in what appears to be a small river while fixed on the ground with an overwhelming majority of the paper devoted to just mathematics - after all, the key here is an algorithm. But when told by the SCMP, it’s “the world’s first “smart” water cannon, controlled by artificial intelligence (AI)” that is a South China Sea game-changer.
Recall my summary at the beginning about the habitual exaggeration of early-stage concepts and and designs. Also, how AI is it?
The abstract of the Chinese paper says
In order to reduce the disturbance of carrier motion to water cannon jet, this paper proposes a water cannon jet stabilization system based on dual feedback.How does the “dual feedback” work? “The system uses IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) to collect motion pose of carrier, and uses autoregressive sliding average model to compensate pose of carrier. The system collects information of landing point of water by camera, and uses back propagation algorithm to adjust the parameter of jet model in real time and adjust the water cannon joint angle with feedback.”
While I may not be in a position to pass negative judgment on how “smart” the whole thing is, the SCMP elevated it to another level “AI-controlled water cannon” and “the world’s first “smart” water cannon, controlled by artificial intelligence (AI),” at the top of its report. A camera and then an algorithm that adjusts the water cannon based on captured video footage is now AI?
Also, the Chinese paper did not talk about “subdue the enemy without fight,” which the SCMP report appropriated from another entirely unrelated Chinese paper.
7.
2025-03-04 How China is solving F-22’s stealth coating cracks with 3,000-year-old silk weaving tech
(Subtitle) While the US struggles with deteriorating radar-absorbent materials, China has looked to the past for its cutting-edge solution
(Lede) While US stealth fighters like the F-22 Raptor grapple with delaminating radar-absorbent coatings – a vulnerability likened to “moulting cicada wings” – China claims to have found an ancient solution for its fifth-generation jets.
Recent revelations by defence industry researchers suggest that cutting-edge stealth technology aboard China’s smooth-skinned stealth fighters may owe its resilience to a 3,000-year-old textile innovation: the art of silk jacquard weaving.
Modern stealth aircraft, including the F-22 and F-35, rely on layered coatings to deflect radar signals. But these materials degrade rapidly under stress.
US maintenance logs reveal that even minor abrasions from high-speed flight or desert sandstorms can slash stealth efficacy, forcing crews to reapply radar-absorbent materials (RAM) every three weeks at costs exceeding US$60,000 per flight hour, according to some US media reports.
Plus, in regions like Florida, humidity exacerbates bonding issues, while corrosion near coastal bases further compromises performance.
Chinese aerospace engineers have long criticised such band-aid approaches. Instead, they sought a structural solution – something woven into the material’s bones.
According to a study published last month in Chinese peer-reviewed journal Knitting Industries, the answer lies in a dual-layer composite fabric inspired by Han dynasty (206BC-AD220) jacquard looms – a silk-weaving technique dating back to 200BC.
By integrating conductive yarns into a warp-knitted “double-sided jacquard” structure, researchers with China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) and Tiangong University engineered a material that absorbs 90.6 per cent of radar waves in the 8-26GHz spectrum, outperforming conventional coatings.
Title: Property Evaluation of Electromagnetic Composite Based on Double-sided Jacquard Structure
Abstract：In this study， the Milano rib double－sided jacquard fabric is prepared by using conductive yarn through weft knitting technology and a knitted composite material with both good mechanical property and electromagnetic absorption is prepared by Resin Transfer Molding （RTM）． In the frequency band of 8～26 GHz， the composite material exhibits good impedance matching， and the absorption of electromagnetic waves reach 90.6％ （course direction） and 89.0％ （wale direction）， respectively． The tensile fracture stress of the electromagnetic composite reaches 34.1 MPa （course direction） and 93.5 MPa （wale direction）， respectively， which proves good mechanical property and absorbing property． Therefore， developed material meets the application requirements of high－performance absorbing materials in the stealth field， and has broad application prospects in military， aerospace and other fields．The four-page Chinese paper, published in a journal dedicated to the knitting industry, reports the results of 2 tests conducted upon a newly developed material. One is the “Methods of Measurement of Radio-Noise Emissions from Low-Voltage Electrical and Electronic Equipment in the Range of 9 kHz to 40 GHz” (ANSI C63.4-2003), an outdated U.S. national standard that has been superseded. The other is “Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials” (ASTM D3039-2014), another U.S. standard.
Based on the results, the paper then claims the material “meets the application requirements of high－performance absorbing materials in the stealth field, and has broad application prospects in military, aerospace and other fields.”
That is enough for the SCMP to make the outlandish claim “China is solving F-22’s stealth coating cracks.” Worse, the SCMP characterized it, evidence-free, as “cutting-edge stealth technology aboard China’s smooth-skinned stealth fighters” despite what has been documented in the journal is merely a step in the lab.
The paper has four authors and all of them hail from the School of Texile Science and Engineering of Tiangong University. The lead author is a 27-year-old master’s student there. Two of them are full-time faculty members. And the other one is identified in the Chinese paper as affiliated with both the school and a China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) subsidiary in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province which has been publicly reported as working on civilian aircrafts.
Despite their ovewhelming concentration at a texile school, part of a not particularly prestigious university, the SCMP’s characterization is, simply, “defence industry researchers,” probably - Yes, I know perfectly how to employ these writing tricks too! - so that it suits a grossly reductive narrative that the thin paper means “China is solving F-22’s stealth coating cracks”, “China has looked to the past for its cutting-edge solution”, and “China claims to have found an ancient solution for its fifth-generation jets.” As I have demonstrated throughout this analysis, in the eyes of the SCMP, it’s always ONLY China, China, China! and never individual human beings.
8.
20241012 Chinese scientists hack encryption in quantum computer experiment: paper
(Subtitle) Breakthrough poses a ‘real and substantial threat’ to password-protection mechanism employed across critical sectors, team says
Chinese scientists have mounted what they say is the world’s first effective attack on a widely used encryption method using a quantum computer.
The breakthrough poses a “real and substantial threat” to the long-standing password-protection mechanism employed across critical sectors, including banking and the military, according to the researchers.
Despite the slow progress in general-purpose quantum computing, which currently poses no threat to modern cryptography, scientists have been exploring various attack approaches on specialised quantum computers.
In the latest work led by Wang Chao, of Shanghai University, the team said it used a quantum computer produced by Canada’s D-Wave Systems to successfully breach cryptographic algorithms.
Using the D-Wave Advantage, they successfully attacked the Present, Gift-64 and Rectangle algorithms – all representative of the SPN (Substitution-Permutation Network) structure, which forms part of the foundation for advanced encryption standard (AES) widely used in the military and finance.
AES-256, for instance, is considered the best encryption available and often referred to as military-grade encryption.
While the exact passcode is not immediately available yet, it is closer than ever before, according to the study.
“This is the first time that a real quantum computer has posed a real and substantial threat to multiple full-scale SPN structured algorithms in use today,” they said in the peer-reviewed paper.
(Title) Research on Quantum Computing for Practical SPN Structure Symmetric Ciphers Attacks Using the D-Wave Advantage
(Abstract) The emergence of quantum computers brings new challenges and opportunities for the security analysis of modern cryptography. The nascent interdisciplinary realm of quantum computing and symmetric ciphers holds immense potential, with numerous unexplored problems awaiting comprehensive investigation. As of 2023, Google’s quantum supremacy chip Sycamore is still not capable of performing cryptanalysis. Quantum computing is widely regarded as a significant threat to the security of public key cryptography, but it has little impact on symmetric ciphers. The prospect of quantum computing attacks on symmetric ciphers presents both an exhilarating and formidable challenge. Currently, the industry is starting to actively explore quantum computing attacks on symmetric ciphers, initially focusing on reduced-version algorithms. Substitution-Permutation Network (SPN) structure is a representative structure of symmetric cipher algorithms, and currently, various quantum algorithms have not been able to attack full-scale SPN structure symmetric cipher algorithms. The quantum annealing algorithm proposed in 1994 aims to solve the problem of finding the minimum value of a multivariate function. The quantum annealing algorithm can empower various fields with diverse applications, including but not limited to financial services, manufacturing logistics, deep neural networks, cryptanalysis and design, machine learning, and city brain. Thanks to the unique tunneling effect of quantum annealing algorithm, this algorithm is advantageous for exponential search space exploration of scientific problems. It can be regarded as a class of artificial intelligence algorithms with global optimization capabilities. Inspired by traditional cryptanalysis methods, we proposed a novel computational architecture for symmetric cryptanalysis: Quantum Annealing-Classical Mixed Cryptanalysis (QuCMC), which combines the quantum annealing algorithm with traditional mathematical methods. Utilizing this architecture, we initially applied the division property to describe the propagation rules of the linear and nonlinear layers in SPN structure symmetric cipher algorithms. Subsequently, the SPN structure distinguisher search problems were transformed into Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) problems. These MILP models were further converted into D-Wave Constrained Quadratic Models (CQM), leveraging the quantum tunneling effect induced by quantum fluctuations to escape local minima solutions and achieve an optimal solution corresponding to the integral distinguisher for the cipher algorithms being attacked. Experiments conducted using the D-Wave Advantage quantum computer have successfully executed attacks on three representative SPN structure algorithms: PRESENT, GIFT-64, and RECTANGLE, and successfully searched integral distinguishers up to 9-round. Experimental results demonstrate that the quantum annealing algorithm surpasses traditional heuristic-based global optimization algorithms, such as simulated annealing, in its ability to escape local minima and in solution time. This marks the first practical attack on multiple full-scale SPN structure symmetric cipher algorithms using a real quantum computer. Additionally, this is the first instance where quantum computing attacks on multiple SPN structure symmetric cipher algorithms have achieved the performance of the traditional mathematical methods. Future work might consider extending the methodologies discussed here to other SPN structure symmetric cipher algorithms. As quantum computing technology further develops, this field is expected to achieve more breakthroughs. Through this exploration, it is expected to establish a computing architecture that combines artificial intelligence algorithms with quantum effects and mathematical methods in the future.This is one of the lesser offenders in that the main problem is only that the sensationalization is a bit too much.
The SCMP report omitted a crucial detail, highlighted in the paper's opening abstract section, which is available in English, that the research only "achieved the performance of the traditional mathematical methods."
The SCMP report also buried the key fact that the research is about presenting the computing architecture and conceptually establishing its feasibility, rather than hacking any specific military grade encryption, as it hyped in the headline.
The researchers underlined their achievement is only conceptual, saying "Through this work, we conceptually validated the feasibility of the QuCMC computing architecture," which went unmentioned in the SCMP report.
In line with the sensatiionalization, that "while the exact passcode is not immediately available" from the method is buried to the 7th paragraph.
9.
2024-04-18 Chinese scientists increase F-22 fighter jet’s radar signature 60,000 times with new detection method: study
(Title) Chinese scientists increase F-22 fighter jet’s radar signature 60,000 times with new detection method: study
(Subtitle) Researcher Xie Junwei and team say innovation enables China’s radar system to pinpoint F-22 real-time position with remarkable accuracy. Impact of study on US military’s F-22 fighter jet could be great given range of its air-to-air missiles and required radius for ground bomb attacks: team.
(Lede) Researchers from the Chinese air force say they have developed radar technology aimed at better detecting the F-22 and other stealth aircraft.
The US military has touted the F-22 as the world’s most formidable fighter jet, with a radar cross-section (RCS) believed to be as small as 1 sq cm (0.16 sq in) – about the size of a fingernail.
The Chinese team led by Xie Junwei, from the air and missile defence college of the Air Force Engineering University in Xian, Shaanxi province, said the researchers’ method could make a stealth fighter with the same configuration as the F-22 appear on the radar screen with a signal strength comparable to that of an ordinary fighter with an RCS of over 6 square metres – an increase of 60,000 times.
Their detection method covered a vast battlefield of around 63,000 sq km (24,300 square miles), ensuring that regardless of the F-22’s manoeuvres it would remain firmly within the sight of China’s radar network, said Xie and his colleagues in a peer-reviewed paper published in the Journal of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics on February 26.
These results suggest the potential impact of their research on the F-22’s combat effectiveness could be considerable, given that its air-to-air missiles had a range of about 100km (62 miles) and, for smart bomb attacks on ground targets, it must be within a 20km radius. The F-22 must evade detection or locking by enemy defence systems before it could reach its effective strike range.
(Title) A resource optimization allocation algorithm for radar networked system for stealth target tracking
(Abstract) In the detection process of traditional collocated multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar networks, the radar cross section (RCS) statistical model is usually used for resource optimization. However, the RCS of stealth targets changes dynamically, which can lead to the degradation of target tracking accuracy or even target loss. To address this problem, a collocated MIMO radar networked system resource optimization algorithm for stealth target tracking is proposed. Firstly, the target state is estimated using the Covariance Intersection (CI) fusion filtering algorithm, and the predicted Bayesian Cramé r- Rao Lower Bound (BCRLB) under the CI fusion criterion is derived. After that, the target RCS is predicted based on the property that the target RCS is related to the radar predicted observation angle, and the objective function is consisted of the weighted sum of individual target BCRLB. Consequently, a beam and power optimization algorithm under the RCS predicted model is established. Subsequently, a contribution-based fast solution algorithm is proposed to solve the model. Simulation results show that under the stealth target RCS dynamically changing scenario, compared with the RCS statistical model strategy, the proposed scheme can effectively utilize the target RCS information to achieve a better resource allocation, which can improve the stealth target tracking accuracy.First of all, the Chinese paper reports “a resource optimization allocation algorithm,” and the tests reported in the Chinese paper are all conducted on computers. For example, the Chinese paper says
To further verify the timeliness of the proposed algorithm, a simulation was conducted using MATLAB R2022b software on a computer equipped with an i9-13900HX processor and 64GB of memory. (为进一步验证所提算法的时效性，在一台搭配 i9-13900HX 处理器、 64GB 内存的计算机上，利用 MATLAB R2022b 软件进行仿真。)But that’s not the impression invented by the SCMP report, which, among its numerous characterizations, claims
Xie’s team employs multiple radars to scan for stealth fighters from different angles…The researchers said their “smart resource scheduling” method allowed a centralised networking radar system to adjust beam parameters and the power of each radar based on the characteristics and real-time positional changes of stealth aircraft in the theatre.
Let me just ask this: how could the Chinese scientists possibly fly some F-22s across their radars? Where in the world would they get the F-22s?? Did the U.S. Air Force help them, or just lose some F-22s to them???
What the Chinese researchers reported in their paper was
In this experiment, the fluctuation of the target’s RCS (Radar Cross Section) is considered, and the RCS database is assumed as known. During the simulation, a 1 GHz vertically polarized electromagnetic wave is used to irradiate the scaled model, resulting in the target’s RCS data in a two-dimensional plane...
Set the number of Monte Carlo simulation runs to Nsim = 100, with a total sampling time of Ttotal = 240 seconds, and a sampling interval of Ts = 3 seconds. The data for each sample is one frame, and a total of 80 frames of data are used for the simulation experiment.In plain English, the Chinese team never “employs multiple radars to scan for stealth fighters from different angles“ or “adjust beam parameters and the power of each radar based on the characteristics and real-time positional changes of stealth aircraft in the theatre,” as the SCMP article vividly told.
Second, the SCMP article went to great lengths to extrapolate extremely technical information from the Chinese paper without disclosing at all its projection, much less cautioning readers against the numerous assumptions in its projection.
For example, the word “F-22” appeared 21 times in the SCMP report, inventing the impression that the Chinese paper was obsessed with F-22s. However, the word F-22 or its equivalent cannot be found once in the Chinese paper! (download the Chinese paper above and search for yourself.)
Then where does the F-22 come from? This question alone costs me at least an hour. My conclusion is that in the 3rd paragraph, the SCMP gave a hint by saying “a stealth fighter with the same configuration as the F-22.” The SCMP was eseentially equating something in the paper to an F-22. So what exactly?
As far as I can tell, it’s this picture in the Chinese paper.
I spent hours comparing the SCMP report and the Chinese paper, and in the process had to teach myself Radar 101. It turns out that, each plane has its distinct radar cross-section (RCS), a measure of how easily an object is detected by radar. The RCS of F-22 and F-35 are, understandably, classified. Publicly avilable estimates, by way of an artilce in Page 27, VOL. 163 NO. 19 of the Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine on November 14, 2005, as cited here, say "From the front, the F/A-22's signature is -40dBm2 (the size of a marble) while the F-35's is -30 dBm2 (the size of a golf ball).
So the SCMP article was essentially saying that Fig.4 in the Chinese paper means a F-22, although the center of the picture is -30 dBsm (square meter=m2), closer to the F-35 (?). Please correct me if your major is Radar or F-22.
Third, even accounting for the extreme extrapolation, I still can’t find many details reported in the SCMP report from the Chinese paper.
For example, the SCMP title boasts
Chinese scientists increase F-22 fighter jet’s radar signature 60,000 times with new detection method: study
But I can’t really find the “60,000” in the Chinese paper. (If the Chinese indeed convincingly made such a breakthrough, shouldn’t they put it at least in their paper’s abstract?)
Also, the SCMP says
Their detection method covered a vast battlefield of around 63,000 sq km (24,300 square miles)
I can’t find it either.
I’ll concede that it’s probably because I’m just too illterate on radar technology to understand the paper, unlike the SCMP team who apparently also possesses enormous knowledge in deep sea cable cutting, whirlpool studies, underwater communications, supersonic weapons, water canons, stealth coating, encryption, quantum computing, F-22s, and, of course, artificial intelligence.
Debunking the SCMP report that shaved 36 bln HKD off Baidu
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Friday, January 12, published China’s military lab AI connects to commercial large language models for the first time to learn more about humans. As a result, Baidu, the publicly traded Chinese technology giant named in the report, dived 11.5% in Hong Kong on Monday, January 15, the