China has presented an extravagant display of high-end military technology at its largest air show. The once-secret technology in China’s arsenal for space exploration and self-propelled commercial aircraft is already out in the public in daylight.
The country’s officials placed travel restrictions related to the pandemic in the city. This means that the air show in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai was essentially an internal affair. However, foreign observers have been monitoring the situation from afar as China strengthens its military.
Kelvin Wong is a Singapore-based defense editor at Janes. According to him, key platforms that were previously behind strict protection were first seen by the public.
The Chinese reconnaissance aircraft, the WZ-7 Xianglong, is analogous to the US-made Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, albeit with a low engine.
China is working hard to improve the performance of domestic engines. At the show, for the first time, J-20 fighter jets flew with a Chinese engine. In parallel, testing is underway for two types of internal engines.
A J-16D electronic combat fighter was shown on the ground. Technology, experts say, they may be helpful in the event of a conflict. Wong noted three locks hanging on the plane, indicating that each part was designed to disrupt different parts of the electronic spectrum.
The company is looking for a loyal wing aircraft to help expensive crews protect the state in China’s position. Many foreign observers attended the presentation.
Conclusion
China is waiting for the launch of the next generation of heavy missiles. The state plans to send a crew spacecraft to the moon in 2028 – two years earlier than expected. China is stepping up efforts on commercial aircraft to become more self-sufficient in critical technologies amid trade tensions with the United States.
China Aerospace Corporation has demonstrated a rotating, full-scale model of the CJ1000 engine for the C919 narrow aircraft. However, it’s worth noting that the C919 certification and production targets were difficult to achieve. This was largely due to strict US export regulations.
According to the Editor-in-Chief of Aerospace Knowledge, with the growing participation of the domestic market and private investment, external technical blockades for China may resolve soon.
Lastly, the creators of the Western plan find it difficult to obtain certification for new models that will compete with Chinese-made aircraft. The Chinese aviation regulator has not yet approved Embraer E-Jet E2, Airbus A220, and ATR 42-600 turboprop. It has been serving elsewhere for years, hindering local sales chances. Boeing at the show hoped the 737 MAX would get permission to return to China by end of the year.
COMMENTS