Great Underwater Wall

The Great Underwater Wall is a People's Republic of China military program to monitor submarine, surface, and aerial vehicle activity in the seas adjacent to China.

Developer
The program is being developed by China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).

System composition
The program plans to create a monitoring system of surface and underwater conditions. The system will include:


 * Passive sonar systems located on the seafloor
 * Active sonar systems
 * Remote controlled underwater drones (UUV)
 * Remotely controlled surface vessels (USV).

Construction and deployment plans
Currently, work is underway to create individual elements of the system. Infrastructure is under construction. According to one of the plans, the first elements of the system will be deployed in the South China Sea.

The basis of the system will be hydroacoustic sensors located on the seabed at depths of up to 3000 meters. The coastal elements will be located at military bases on artificial islands that are being built in the Spratly Archipelago, between the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.

The cost of the program is 2 billion yuan (313 million US dollars)