Satellite Images Uncover China-Backed Spy Facility Upgrades in Cuba Near Florida Military Bases

Recent satellite imagery has revealed ongoing upgrades at a China-linked spy facility near Havana in Cuba, with construction of a larger antenna array raising questions about enhanced monitoring of US military activities in Florida and the surrounding region.

The Bejucal site, long viewed with suspicion by US officials over possible Chinese involvement, forms part of a network of Cuban listening posts. Independent experts released fresh analysis of the developments in May 2025.

Bejucal Facility Sees Expanded Circular Antenna Array Under Construction

April 2025 commercial satellite images show clear progress at Bejucal, Cuba's largest active SIGINT site with roots in the Soviet period. Workers removed six pole antennas from an existing field and began erecting a new circularly disposed antenna array approximately 175 metres in diameter, consisting of 19 antennas surrounding a central movable trailer.

Cable trenches were also visible in the preparations. The new array is markedly bigger than its predecessor, a 16-antenna setup spanning roughly 85 metres (279 feet). The Center for Strategic and International Studies published a detailed assessment of these changes based on the latest imagery, noting the site's evolution over recent years.

Bejucal has appeared in US political debate for some time as a suspected foreign listening post. China has consistently denied any connection to surveillance infrastructure in Cuba.

Upgraded Array Boosts Potential for Distant Signals Tracking

Antenna arrays of this design excel at high-frequency direction finding, locating the source of radio signals from between 3,000 and 8,000 miles (5,100 to 12,900 km) away. The increased diameter at Bejucal should afford better resolution and reach for observing air and maritime traffic.

CSIS analysts stated that 'the addition of what appears to be a circularly disposed antenna array at Bejucal would expand the site's capabilities to spy on the United States and other countries in the region'. The wider facility already features several antenna fields and a radome added more than a decade ago that may house complementary electronic systems.

Open sources have yet to establish direct Chinese operational control, yet the upgrades fit patterns of technical improvement seen in Beijing's other intelligence sites abroad. Intelligence gathered locally could readily complement Chinese requirements if passed through Cuban partners.

Posts circulating on Instagram have noted the facility's location just 90 miles (145 km) from Florida, highlighting public concern over the implications of the satellite images for US security.

Site Upgrades Draw Renewed Attention to Monitoring of US Bases

The northern coastal position of Bejucal offers a vantage point for intercepting communications and movements associated with US military bases in southern Florida, notably the naval air station at Key West, as well as broader Caribbean naval operations and even telemetry from space launches originating in Florida.

US lawmakers have highlighted the risks posed by such capabilities in close proximity to the mainland, especially amid Cuba's expanding ties with China. Imagery of a second suspected site near Guantanamo Bay suggested that activity there had largely halted by the same period in 2025. No additional public satellite passes of Bejucal have been widely analysed since April 2025, leaving the precise completion status of the new array uncertain.

US authorities continue to monitor foreign intelligence infrastructure across Cuba, treating the Bejucal enhancements as indicative of persistent efforts by adversaries to gain insights into American military and space operations throughout the hemisphere.