Satellite images reveal China's deployment of two upgraded H-6 long-range bombers on Woody Island in the disputed Paracel Islands of the South China Sea, marking their first presence there since 2020. This deployment underscores Beijing's intent to demonstrate its expanding military capabilities amid ongoing regional tensions.
The H-6 bombers, modernized from their Cold War-era Soviet design, are equipped with advanced engines and sophisticated flight systems, capable of carrying anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles, with some variants able to deploy nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles. Their presence on Woody Island coincides with heightened activity in the region, including tensions involving the Philippines, military operations near Taiwan, and the upcoming Shangri-La Dialogue defense forum in Singapore.
Defense analyst Collin Koh of Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies stated, “China’s positioning of its long-range bombers on the Paracels appears to serve as a multi-directional signal towards the Philippines, the United States, and other regional actors.”
Recent images from Maxar Technologies also show two Y-20 transport aircraft and a KJ-500 early warning plane at Woody Island, highlighting China’s efforts to bolster command and control capabilities over complex air and maritime operations.
Although satellite data suggests the bombers arrived around May 17 and remained until May 23, experts like Ben Lewis, founder of PLATracker, believe the H-6s are unlikely to be permanently stationed on the island. Instead, rotating forces through such forward positions provides protective flexibility for China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The Southern Theatre Command of the PLA, responsible for the South China Sea, operates two regiments of H-6 bombers, which are typically housed at heavily fortified bases on the Chinese mainland to safeguard them from potential U.S. strikes. The U.S. maintains significant forward-deployed military assets in the region, including fighter wings in Japan, carrier groups, and strategic bombers stationed in Guam.
China’s extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea, including over the Paracel Islands, are contested by several countries, notably Vietnam and the Philippines. A 2016 international arbitration tribunal invalidated Beijing’s sweeping claims under international law, a ruling China continues to reject.
The deployment of China’s advanced bombers on Woody Island follows other assertive military activities, including recent overflights of Scarborough Shoal and proximity exercises near Taiwan, further intensifying the strategic competition in this vital maritime region.
Neither China’s defense ministry nor the Philippines’ maritime and national security councils have publicly commented on the deployment. Vietnam’s foreign ministry also has not responded to inquiries.
