Chinese Navy May Deploy Mine-Laying Drones To Block First Island Chain As Tensions With Taiwan Heighten

The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) may use large autonomous underwater vehicles to block the First Island Chain, which stretches from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines.

This chain is vital for expanding China’s naval reach and also for securing U.S. and allied logistics.

China plans to use the AJX002, a torpedo-shaped drone with an estimated range of 1,118 miles or 1,800 km, for this purpose.

The drone is designed for ‘offensive minelaying’, which means deploying mines in enemy or international waters rather than for defensive reasons in one’s territorial waters.

China’s key targets include the Ryukyu archipelago in Japan and strategic chokepoints in the Philippines.

Inspired by recent activities in the Strait of Hormuz, the PLAN believes that the drones are perfect for this manoeuvre.

They are smaller and quieter than submarines and can infiltrate sea lanes without risking human lives.

China is also trying to program sea mines to target specific ship types.

Mine clearing is a dangerous process, and even the suspicion of mines can halt commercial shipping.

While effective for blockading the U.S. and its allies, this strategy carries massive geopolitical risks as it could trigger conflict and global sanctions.

Furthermore, such a blockade could disrupt China’s own commercial trade routes and long-term economic stability.

As tensions in Taiwan simmer, the deployment of the AJX002 could fundamentally shift the balance of power in the Pacific.