China upgrades Djibouti military base with new intelligence equipment

China has upgraded its military base in Djibouti with new communications and intelligence equipment, according to an analysis by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Satellite imagery indicates that since mid-2024, two new communications compounds have appeared at the People’s Liberation Army base.

The new infrastructure includes high-frequency antennas, satellite communications dishes, and potential 5G towers. Researchers suggest these upgrades could form a command, control, communications, and intelligence network, enhancing the ability to transmit and detect signals across various frequencies. This development may provide the Chinese military with a “much more robust picture” of regional military activity and strengthen long-range communications with Chinese ships and aircraft.

Located near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, the base is situated in a strategically vital maritime corridor. The expansion could enhance China’s capacity for signals intelligence (SIGINT) in a region where the United States, France, Italy, and Japan also maintain military facilities.