Spratly Island and Ladd Reef Vietnam, Spratly Islands
Updated August 29, 2024
Spratly Island, a.k.a., Truong Sa Lon, Vietnam, Storm Island, and Nanwei Island (ROC). This island is occupied and administered by Vietnam.
This is a primary island of Vietnam in the Spratly Islands. This island is 15.8 miles east of Ladd Reef. It is a developed island with a stand-out yellow star on a red roof. It has a protected bay and significant docking facilities. The reef is 1.3 miles and the island is 0.85 miles in diameter. New Google Earth imagery is dated 3/8/2024 and highlights the vibrant colors of the island. The location is 8°38'38"N 111°55'09"E.
According to Wikipedia, this island has an area of 15 hectares (37 acres), and is Vietnamese administered. It was increased in size in 2016. There is a notation that it is still being worked on in the NGA Pub. 161 as of 2019 (land reclamation and construction of a protected harbor basin). It is known as 'The Big Spratly Island' in Vietnamese. Đảo Trường Sa or Đảo Trường Sa Lớn.
Spratly Island, a.k.a., Truong Sa Lon, Vietnam, Storm Island, and Nanwei Island (ROC). This island is occupied and administered by Vietnam.
This is a primary island of Vietnam in the Spratly Islands. This island is 15.8 miles east of Ladd Reef. It is a developed island with a stand-out yellow star on a red roof. It has a protected bay and significant docking facilities. The reef is 1.3 miles and the island is 0.85 miles in diameter. New Google Earth imagery is dated 3/8/2024 and highlights the vibrant colors of the island. The location is 8°38'38"N 111°55'09"E.
According to Wikipedia, this island has an area of 15 hectares (37 acres), and is Vietnamese administered. It was increased in size in 2016. There is a notation that it is still being worked on in the NGA Pub. 161 as of 2019 (land reclamation and construction of a protected harbor basin). It is known as 'The Big Spratly Island' in Vietnamese. Đảo Trường Sa or Đảo Trường Sa Lớn.
This island has a storied past, as it was first claimed by the French in 1930, and in 1933 "merged administration with Spratly Island, Amboyna Cay, Itu Aba Island, Northeast Cay, Southwest Cay, Loaita Island, Thitu Island and other dependent islands with Ba Ria Province." In 1939, it was occupied by Japan, along with 1000 square miles of the South China Sea and was known as Nishitori Jima, or Western bird island. After WWII, the Republic of China in 1946 announced the sovereignty of this island and named it Nanwei Island. In the early 1960s, the Vietnamese Navy improved a number of nearby islands, including Spratly, and in 1974 the South Vietnamese garrisoned troops there. In 1975, North Vietnamese troops evicted South Vietnamese troops and occupied the island, and now Vietnam occupies this island.
In 2007, Vietnam named the island a Commune-level town and it administers all nearby Vietnamese controlled features, including Amboyna Cay and Barque Canada Reef. The island contains the Tru'o'ng Sa District's administrative center, also based on Wikipedia.
This island has a runway measuring 0.75 miles, or about 1,200 meters long. There are two large, apparently newly constructed aircraft hangers on the island. This island has two pair of radomes (four in total), and five distinct docks. It appears that there may be defensive structures on the north side of the island (possibly an anti-aircraft circular cannon).
One of my favorite features are the roofs. They are mostly a universal reddish brown, and one sports a yellow star on a red background.
Also according to Wikipedia, this island has seen extensive land reclamation since 2016, as well as a world meteorological station, cell phone coverage by Viettel, solar panels, wind turbines, a primary school, and other facilities for permanent residents.
In 2007, Vietnam named the island a Commune-level town and it administers all nearby Vietnamese controlled features, including Amboyna Cay and Barque Canada Reef. The island contains the Tru'o'ng Sa District's administrative center, also based on Wikipedia.
This island has a runway measuring 0.75 miles, or about 1,200 meters long. There are two large, apparently newly constructed aircraft hangers on the island. This island has two pair of radomes (four in total), and five distinct docks. It appears that there may be defensive structures on the north side of the island (possibly an anti-aircraft circular cannon).
One of my favorite features are the roofs. They are mostly a universal reddish brown, and one sports a yellow star on a red background.
Also according to Wikipedia, this island has seen extensive land reclamation since 2016, as well as a world meteorological station, cell phone coverage by Viettel, solar panels, wind turbines, a primary school, and other facilities for permanent residents.
The image below shows what the island looked like in 2016, or eight years before the latest photo. Even then we see a Vietnamese island with naval and aircraft facilities, as well as barracks and exercise facilities for staff.
Ladd Reef, Vietnam
Almost to the western edge of the Spratly Islands, we have Ladd Reef, occupied by Vietnam. Ladd Reef is an undeveloped atoll that is 3.7 miles in diameter, although we see a recent development forming at the northwest corner called Dao Da Lat, based around two infrastructure elements. Location: 8°39'30"N 111°41'23"E. There is a navigation light west of the reclamation.
This is underwater, with what looks like a channel on the Southeast carved into the reef. There are two man-made structures connected by a long walkway or enclosed tunnel, for permanent demarcation and land reclamation activities. Ladd Reef had ninety-eight (98) ships in the lagoon at the time of the satellite image, 3/14/2022. That is a large number of ships given our research across the South China Sea, and could indicate a large fishing concentration or reclamation work.
Ladd Reef is north of Rifleman Bank, due east of the southern tip of Vietnam, south of Ca Mau, and north of Sibu.
Almost to the western edge of the Spratly Islands, we have Ladd Reef, occupied by Vietnam. Ladd Reef is an undeveloped atoll that is 3.7 miles in diameter, although we see a recent development forming at the northwest corner called Dao Da Lat, based around two infrastructure elements. Location: 8°39'30"N 111°41'23"E. There is a navigation light west of the reclamation.
This is underwater, with what looks like a channel on the Southeast carved into the reef. There are two man-made structures connected by a long walkway or enclosed tunnel, for permanent demarcation and land reclamation activities. Ladd Reef had ninety-eight (98) ships in the lagoon at the time of the satellite image, 3/14/2022. That is a large number of ships given our research across the South China Sea, and could indicate a large fishing concentration or reclamation work.
Ladd Reef is north of Rifleman Bank, due east of the southern tip of Vietnam, south of Ca Mau, and north of Sibu.
Area
Name 1
Nearest Land
Distance from Land (miles)
Location (latitude & longitude)
Diameter (miles)
Date of Satellite Imagery
Airport Present?
Helipad Present?
Port / Dock Facility Present?
Buildings Present?
Defensive Infrastructure Present?
Athletic Facilities Present?
Hospital Present?
Sand Only Island?
Dredging Infrastructure Only?
Spratly Islands
Ladd Reef and Yellow Star Spratly Island
Vietnam, Malaysia and Philippines
275, and 330 and 340
8°38'47"N 111°55'05"E.
1.3
5/6/2020
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes, Likely
Yes
Not Sure
No
No
Name 1
Nearest Land
Distance from Land (miles)
Location (latitude & longitude)
Diameter (miles)
Date of Satellite Imagery
Airport Present?
Helipad Present?
Port / Dock Facility Present?
Buildings Present?
Defensive Infrastructure Present?
Athletic Facilities Present?
Hospital Present?
Sand Only Island?
Dredging Infrastructure Only?
Spratly Islands
Ladd Reef and Yellow Star Spratly Island
Vietnam, Malaysia and Philippines
275, and 330 and 340
8°38'47"N 111°55'05"E.
1.3
5/6/2020
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes, Likely
Yes
Not Sure
No
No