China’s ability to spy on the United States and its allies may be increasing thanks to the development of a high-altitude supersonic drone. According to the Washington Post, surveillance satellites detected two rocket-reconnaissance drones WZ-8 It’s at an airbase in eastern China, about 350 miles from Shanghai. The new drones could allow the Chinese military to detect US warships before the impending invasion of Taiwan.

A US intelligence assessment showed that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had “almost certainly” built its first drone on the base. to mail. The newspaper obtained the information from secret files posted on the Discord messaging app. A member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard was recently arrested on charges of leaking information about the app.

drone wars

It is clear that China has increased its surveillance. The spy drone program comes after it was recently revealed that China has an extensive spy balloon program. In February, an American F-22 fighter jet shot down a Chinese blimp.

“We know that four balloons flew over U.S. territory. Brig said this is what we believe is part of China’s larger surveillance balloon program. This was stated by General Pat Ryder at a press conference after he was shot down. “Previously, this was a multi-year program. You heard us talk about it.”

Tensions rise in Taiwan

Supersonic drones could play a role in any future conflict with Taiwan. According to this to mailThe newly spotted drone base is part of the Eastern Theater Command, a division of the Chinese military responsible for supporting China’s claim to sovereignty over Taiwan..

Taiwan is also developing its drone arsenal. Last year, the country agreed to purchase four MQ-9B SeaGuardians surveillance aircraft from the United States.

Recent events have increased tensions with China over Taiwan’s sovereignty. China claims Taiwan is a secessionist province and has threatened to take the island nation back by force. The Taiwanese president’s recent visit with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy prompted China to hold naval exercises.

The US military is sounding the alarm about the situation in Taiwan. “It’s very disturbing how ignorant and naive the average American can be about China,” Rear Admiral Mike Studeman, commander of the Naval Intelligence Agency, said at the conference. “To sum up, I attribute this to Chinese blindness. We are facing an information crisis and the problem of Chinese blindness.”