China conducts coastal strike drills in eastern theater

China’s Eastern Theater Command Navy has conducted a series of realistic combat exercises involving coastal defense missile forces, focusing on rapid deployment, strike coordination, and multi-layered air defense against unmanned aerial threats.

The drills, held in unfamiliar terrain, were designed to test and improve the unit’s battlefield adaptability under high-tempo conditions.

According to Chinese military media, the unnamed coastal missile regiment conducted long-range cross-regional maneuvers before executing live-fire training centered on “small-unit mobility,” “follow-up strike capability,” and “integrated layered defense.” The exercises emphasized rapid command and control, precision targeting, and dynamic battlefield response.

During the drills, early warning systems rapidly identified incoming targets, transmitting real-time data over secure datalinks to the command post. The command team then coordinated multiple assault groups, quickly plotting optimized strike paths and assigning high-value aim points based on evolving threat assessments.

As the operation unfolded, assault teams executed synchronized launches, engaging maritime targets with precision-guided missiles. According to the unit, the new decentralized formation increased engagement efficiency compared to traditional, more rigid formations.

In scenarios where initial salvos failed to fully neutralize the target, reserve units were ordered to conduct immediate follow-up strikes. During one such training segment, a notional “enemy” vessel attempted to evade destruction following the first wave of missile attacks. Based on updated reconnaissance data, the command post rapidly deployed a secondary strike group.

Operators leveraged preloaded targeting data and made swift parameter adjustments. With support from airborne early warning platforms, the secondary unit successfully destroyed the remaining target, demonstrating the formation’s ability to conduct layered, time-sensitive engagements.

The unit also introduced a new operating mechanism to track dynamic targets, continuously update targeting data, and iterate strike plans within compressed decision cycles. According to unit commanders, these upgrades reduced the time required to revise missile targeting parameters to under three minutes.

To address the growing threat of drone harassment during field deployments, the regiment implemented a three-layered counter-drone defense system. This structure integrates electronic jamming, kinetic intercepts, and camouflage techniques to degrade adversary reconnaissance and strike capabilities.

In one scenario, decoy assets were deployed to confuse and divert hostile UAV surveillance, thereby protecting critical assets and preserving the missile teams’ combat effectiveness.

The training emphasized the need for mobility, deception, and real-time coordination in response to evolving battlefield threats, particularly in a coastal or near-shore conflict scenario. While the PLA has not specified the exact location of the drills, the Eastern Theater Command’s area of responsibility includes Taiwan and surrounding maritime zones—regions of growing operational focus in China’s strategic planning.

The Chinese military continues to develop and refine its coastal missile force structure as part of a broader shift toward high-readiness, technology-enabled joint operations. The recent drills underscore the PLA’s intent to field agile, survivable, and digitally connected coastal defense units capable of countering both conventional naval assets and emerging threats such as swarming drones.