New China algorithm puts US warships in clearer view

China has developed a new algorithm to use low-resolution satellite images to track US warships globally, marking a significant development in maritime surveillance capabilities and military strategy.

This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that a team from the Dalian Naval Academy, led by Hong Jun, has developed a method to identify and track US warships globally using low-resolution satellite images available to the public.

SCMP mentions that despite the poor quality of images, where a warship might occupy less than a pixel, the researchers focus on analyzing wake patterns, akin to fingerprints at sea, to distinguish different ships.

The SCMP report says that the study, published in the Chinese journal Computer Simulation, reveals physical parameters that can potentially identify specific US warship models under certain conditions when applied with their algorithm.

It asserts that the US fleet’s warships have outdated Cold War-era technologies. The ability to track and identify these ships is crucial for launching attacks on moving targets at sea, as demonstrated by the Houthi’s repeated attacks on the nuclear-powered USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier.

The SCMP report says China has significantly expanded its Earth observation satellite network, boasting resolutions comparable to US Keyhole spy satellites. It mentions that these satellites monitor warships and track high-speed F-22 stealth fighter jets.

The report says that platforms like NASA’s Worldview offer near-real-time imagery for free for entities without advanced satellite capabilities, albeit at lower resolutions. However, it mentions that the researchers note that even these images can be valuable for ship identification due to the