China has deployed anti-frogmen rocket launchers intended to fend off Vietnamese intrusions on one of its man-made islands in the contested South China Sea, Chinese state media reported Wednesday.
The report, published on the Weibo account of the state-run Defense Times newspaper, said China installed Norinco CS/AR-1 55mm rocket defense systems on Fiery Cross Reef in the strategic Spratly chain — just days after the two rivals said they would work to "manage and properly control" their maritime disputes.
The system has the capability to discover, identify and attack enemy combat divers, according to the report. A similar system known as the DP-65 anti-diver grenade launcher was seen on Fiery Cross in 2012, according to IHS Jane's Defence Weekly.