China deploys intelligence-gathering ships into the Pacific ahead of Exercise ‘Keen Sword' 2027

The Type 815A-class intelligence gathering vessel, Kaiyangxing , seen here in an image released by Japan's Joint Staff Office on 19 October 2026. (Japan Joint Staff Office)

China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has deployed two Dongdiao (Type 815/815A)-class intelligence-gathering ships into the Western Pacific shortly before the start of the Japan-hosted Exercise ‘Keen Sword'.

According to separate disclosures published by the Japan Joint Staff Office (JSO) on 19 October, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) first detected the Dongdiao-class intelligence-collection ship with hull number 796 at about 11 am local time on 17 October.

It was detected approximately 80 km northwest of Kume Island in Okinawa Prefecture, said the JSO.

The vessel was sailing south and subsequently passed between Okinawa and Miyako islands towards the Pacific Ocean.

A JMSDF P-1 maritime patrol aircraft from the 5th Air Wing at Naha monitored the vessel and conducted intelligence-gathering activities.

About four hours later, at approximately 3 pm on 17 October, the JMSDF detected a second Dongdiao-class intelligence-collection ship with hull number 798 approximately 100 km west of Kuchinoerabu Island in Kagoshima Prefecture.

The ship was proceeding east and subsequently transited the Osumi Strait between 17 and 18 October before continuing towards the Pacific, according to a map released by the JSO.

The JMSDF monitored hull 798 using the training support vessel JS Amakusa and a P-1 maritime patrol aircraft from the 4th Air Wing at Atsugi, the JSO added.

The near-simultaneous movements meant that two PLAN intelligence-collection vessels entered the Pacific via separate passages through Japan's southwestern island chain within about a day of each other.

Hull 796, which corresponds to the fifth Type 815A vessel Kaiyangxing