Overview

• The paper, led by Harbin Engineering University's Ma Benjun with PLA Dalian Naval Academy researchers, was published in the journal Technical Acoustics.
• It outlines long-endurance mines sited in acoustic shadow zones around the Paracel seamounts, using multi-sensor suites and AI to identify and strike pre-approved targets.
• Tests cited by the authors suggest such placement could cut detection rates by as much as about 80 percent, a claim not independently verified.
• The concept is presented as research rather than evidence of deployment, and reporting notes the US Navy has not publicly responded.
• Researchers frame the idea within broader Chinese anti-submarine warfare efforts and reference the 2021 USS Connecticut grounding in nearby waters as context.