China Send H-6 Bomber Aircraft with Anti Ship Missile at Scarborough Shoal

On October 1, 2025, the Chinese military conducted naval and air combat drills near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The exercises coincided with China's National Day and involved an H-6 bomber equipped with YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missiles, Type 054A frigates, and J-16 fighter jets. The People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command stated the drills were aimed at reinforcing patrols, enhancing vigilance, and strengthening control over the area, which China refers to as Huangyan Island.

The H-6 bomber is capable of striking targets up to 500 kilometers away, and newer variants can carry air-launched ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons, giving China extended reach over the first island chain, including the Philippines. Alongside the bomber, Type 054A frigates Chenzhou, Liuzhou, and Bayanner were deployed, as well as at least two J-16 fighter jets and a Z-9 utility helicopter.

The drills occurred amid heightened tensions in the region. In August 2025, a collision took place between a People’s Liberation Army Navy destroyer and a China Coast Guard cutter near the shoal during a patrol involving Philippine vessels. The Philippines has also sent escorted fishing fleets under its Kadiwa initiative to support local fishermen, while Chinese cutters continue to intercept and monitor their movements.

Scarborough Shoal, known to the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc, has long been a point of territorial dispute. China claims it under the Ten-Dash Line, while the Philippines maintains it lies within its exclusive economic zone, approximately 120 nautical miles west of Luzon. China has maintained a near-constant presence at the shoal since 2012, including maritime patrols and air surveillance, and regularly operates from bases in Hainan or nearby artificial islands.

The recent military exercises highlight the strategic importance of the shoal. Small and large naval vessels, aircraft, and missile-equipped bombers are part of China’s broader effort to maintain control and presence in the South China Sea, while the Philippines continues to monitor the area and assert its sovereign rights.