China Deploys Bombers Armed with Anti-ship Missiles to Scarborough Shoal

Beijing deployed several warships, cutters and a bomber combat patrol escorted by fighters to Scarborough Shoal in a show of force against Philippine and American forces at the disputed South China Sea maritime feature. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command announced Wednesday that its forces had conducted combat readiness patrols around Scarborough Shoal throughout December. Along with the forces shown to have deployed to the disputed maritime feature, Chinese state media highlighted a pair of H-6K bombers armed with supersonic YJ-12 anti-ship cruise missiles alongside Su-35 fighters. Beijing’s routine deployments of long-range bombers equipped with maritime strike packages