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In 2018, the Academy of Opto-Electronics organized the China Aerostat Conference in Beijing with the theme of “military-civilian integration”; in 2017, the academy attended a near space summit aimed at fusing military and civilian technologies, according a summary in state media.

“Third is employing aerostat weapons to implement psychological attacks against the enemy,” the report said.

The aircraft, technically known as an aerostat, appears to be intended to boost China’s reconnaissance capabilities in the hotly disputed Spratly Islands, according to a Nov. 24 tweet by Imagesat International.

“For the first time, #China’s aerostat, probably for #military #intelligence-gathering purposes, seen by #ISI at #Mischief Reef. The use of #aerostat allows China a continuous situational awareness in this resource-rich region,” said the tweet by the company, which provides satellite information to intelligence and defense customers.

The aerostat adds to ground- and ship-based radar and reconnaissance flights by China to monitor and seek to control military activity in the area by other countries, especially the United States.