Kathrine Frich
Knowledge can be as decisive as firepower.
The side that gathers intelligence first and keeps its plans hidden often holds the upper hand before a mission even begins.
But secrecy does not always hold. Recent controversies, including reports that sensitive details of a U.S. strike in Yemen were shared in a Signal group chat involving senior officials, have shown how quickly operational security can be compromised.
Even the most carefully planned missions can leave traces, or be exposed, long before the first strike is carried out.
Signal detected
A Chinese defense technology company now claims it was able to detect signs of a U.S. operation before it unfolded.
According to the South China Morning Post cited by WP, Jingan Technology says its Jingqi monitoring system intercepted radio signals from B-2 Spirit stealth bombers during the March 1 strike on Iran.
The company linked those signals to the U.S. bombing mission and said it tracked the aircraft as they returned.
Weeks of buildup
Jingan Technology also claims it identified a broader military buildup weeks before the attack.
The system reportedly detected increased U.S. activity in the region as early as January, describing it as the largest American deployment in the Middle East in nearly two decades.
During early February, as talks between Washington and Tehran were ongoing, the system is said to have recorded a steady rise in troop and equipment movements.
How it works
According to SCMP, the Jingqi system combines satellite imagery, flight path data and publicly available military records.
It analyzes transport aircraft routes, reconnaissance missions and naval deployments to build a picture of military activity.
The system is designed to identify patterns and reconstruct potential operations using open-source intelligence.
Unverified claims
On March 2, the company said it had reconstructed the bombers’ flight path and released an audio recording of the intercepted signals.
The U.S. military typically enforces strict communication silence during such missions.
The claims have not been independently verified.
Sources: South China Morning Post, WP.
