China’s much-touted “invincible” radar systems suffered a major humiliation in Venezuela, collapsing under US electronic warfare during the operation that led to the seizure of Nicolás Maduro.
The sophisticated Chinese-made systems, marketed as capable of detecting and even “hunting” advanced stealth aircraft like the F-35, failed entirely when it mattered most.
While much of the world has been mocking the poor performance of Russian air defenses, it is now becoming clear that Beijing’s embarrassment may be even greater. The Chinese radar deployed by the Maduro regime was meant to showcase China’s rise as a top-tier military technology power. Instead, on the night of the operation, the system was effectively blinded, rendered useless by US electronic warfare capabilities.
According to assessments, the radar systems did not provide actionable detection or tracking and were unable to challenge US aircraft operating in Venezuelan airspace. What was advertised as cutting-edge technology became, in practice, little more than expensive static metal — impressive in brochures, but helpless in real combat conditions.