How to Track Chinese Military Flights: A Beginner's Guide to OSINT

By Taiwan Strait Tracker Intelligence Team | February 2026

You do not need a classified security clearance to monitor the People's Liberation Army. You just need an internet connection and the right methodology.

Our intelligence team relies heavily on public data to verify rhetorical threats against physical troop movements. Here is how we monitor Chinese military flights around Taiwan.

The Unfiltered Radar: ADS-B Exchange

OSINT analysts bypass commercial filters by using ADS-B Exchange. When a PLA aircraft broadcasts its GPS position and leaves its transponder on, it appears here.

Official Telemetry: Taiwan MND

Every morning at 6:00 AM, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defence releases a detailed daily briefing of PLA activity from the previous 24 hours.

Decoding Flight Paths

South West ADIZ: Flights here are routine and generate a low risk score.
Median Line Crossings: Since 2022, these are daily occurrences and gauge immediate frustration.
Encirclement Flights: Flights around the eastern coast trigger "Elevated" risk metrics as they simulate access denial.

Track the Data

Read our War Games and Wall Street briefing to understand why institutional investors usually ignore these ADIZ incursions.

→ Read War Games Analysis