By akademiotoelektronik, 30/09/2022

Drones, electronic warplate: China exposes its new weapons

Surveillance or attack drones, electronic warplate: China presented the new equipment of its air force on Tuesday, in a context of tensions with the United States and Taiwan.

The presentation of these weapons during the country's largest air show, the """"Airshow China"""" organized in Zhuhai (South), comes as Beijing hopes to have completed the modernization of his army by 2035.

If China is far from having the military power of the United States, in the three-time defense budget, it gradually fills its delay, underline the experts.

A recent report of American intelligence services was alarmed by the growing influence of Beijing, which he considers the greatest threat to America.

Among the main innovations exhibited Tuesday at the Zhuhai Motor Show: a large WZ-7 drone (14 meters long), intended for recognition and maritime patrol missions.

On the planes side, China presented the J-16D, a hunter dedicated to """"electronic war""""-that is to say to the exploitation or destruction of radio and communication systems of theopponent.

According to experts cited by the Chinese media, this aircraft can attack radar installations or airborne detection and command systems (AWACS).

The drone like the hunter, already at the active service, """"will play a major role in the Taiwan Strait and in the Southern China Sea,"""" Chinese military analyst Song Zhongping, to AFP told AFP.

In these areas of tension, the territorial claims of China are regularly thwarted by the passage of American warships.

- Export objective -

Another machine presented Tuesday: a prototype of the versatile Drone of Recognition and Attack CH-6 (from the CH series for """"Caihong""""-""""Arc-en-ciel"""").15 meters long, more than 20 meters away, it should make test flights in 2023.

Capable according to its designers to evolve at high altitude (10.000 meters), at high speed (500-700 km h) for 20 hours, it can embark radars, recognition systems, missiles or even air-ground bombs.

All these unanswered aircraft allow Chinese armed forces to observe and lead strikes in places hitherto inaccessible for them.

Faced with Westerners who are reluctant to sell their most advanced drones to other countries, except for their relatives, China is also positioned """"as an alternative supplier"""", at affordable prices, told AFP KelvinWong, from the CabinetBritish Janes, specializing in defense.

The Zhuhai show also presents this year an """"unprecedented"""" number of drones, which demonstrates the growing confidence of China in its technological mastery, underlines M.Wong.

Chinese drones are already used by several foreign armies, such as Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

- """"important advance"""" -

The J-16D hunter demonstrates """"the overall improvement"""" of China's combat capacities, says James Char, expert at the Nanyang technological university in Singapore.

""""We can talk about significant advances because it gives the Chinese army an advantage in terms of air electronic war, against targets that have major air defense capacities.""""

But according to many experts, China is still behind the United States, especially in the field of engines for its military aircraft and the number of communication satellites necessary to carry out its operations.

If Beijing remains incapable of truly projecting its power beyond the Chinese continent, it however has a credible maritime and air defense system to counter a potential American offensive, estimates Justin Bronk, analyst of the British Royal United Cabinet Institute Institute.

""""Near their bases, the Chinese have an advantage in the face of Americans who are far from their.China has already reached a point where it poses a serious challenge in the United States at this level.""""

In addition to the manufacturers of military equipment, the Zhuhai show brings together the main Chinese and worldwide actors in civil air, such as Boeing or Airbus.

Initially scheduled for the end of 2020, the meeting usually biennial had been postponed due to the pandemic.