In mid-November, China held an air show in which it presented its new pieces of armament high tech.
The event took place in the city of Zhuhai, in the south of the Asian country, and units that covered from fighter jets to anti-missile systems.
The fair open to the public had the objective of show China’s military and industrial powerwhile the power seeks to intensify its military presence in the region.
According to information recovered by CNNit was about the first time that the event had an area dedicated to drones.
The instance was positioned In the midst of growing tensions with Taiwan that have been seen during the last few months.
It should be remembered that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) chaired by Xi Jinping considers it to be part of its territorywhich is rejected by local leaders.
And although The United States does not officially recognize Taiwan as an independent state, but maintains informal ties with its authorities. and has spoken out against being invaded or attacked by the PRC.
President Joe Biden himself has suggested that The North American country would be willing to confront militarily the situation in Taiwan.
Analysts consulted by the aforementioned media commented that, in fact, many of the new Chinese weapons were developed to compete with those of the North American country.
Among these is an unmanned ship, a stealth fighter and a drone that has been described by some as a kind of aerial “aircraft carrier”.
Chinese state media claim that the exhibition lasted six days, in which almost 600,000 visitors were received.
Along with this, they affirm that More than 280 billion yuan in global orders recorded.
This figure translates into around 39 billion dollars.
on display A Russian Su-57 stealth fighter was also showna country that has strengthened its relations with Beijing.
Even, according to the Russian news agency, Tass, The first contracts were signed so that Moscow can export it to foreign clients.
However, The identity of those buyers was not revealed.according to rescue CNN.
An aerial “aircraft carrier”, unmanned ships and anti-missile systems: China surprises with new high-tech weapons. Photo: China’s J-35A stealth fighter.
A report from a Chinese media affiliated with the military stated, before the exhibition took place, that The J-35A is “designed primarily for air combat operations and can also conduct air-to-surface attacks”.
It is about the China’s second stealth fighterafter its J-20 entered service in 2017.
In general terms, Stealth fighters are characterized because they can evade radars and other surveillance systemsin order to avoid being detected or attacked by adversaries.
The commissioning of the J-35A would make China the second country—after the United States—to have two types of stealth fighter jets.
Some have suggested that It has a similar appearance to the American F-35.
However, according to data recovered by the aforementioned media, the latter has a single turbofan engine.
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Instead, the J-35A has two engines.
Military expert and former Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force researcher Song Xinzhi told state broadcaster CCTV what Its maximum takeoff weight is probably about 30 tons..
He added that it is “a great advance” for the new generation of medium-sized stealth fighters from the Asian giant and that The J-35A also “has a dual navy variant, which is expected to be presented to the public soon”.
Chinese state media describes the Jetank as a drone with the capacity to carry up to six tons of payload.
It has a wingspan of 25 meters and a maximum takeoff weight of 16 tons.
This jet-powered unmanned attack and reconnaissance aerial vehicle has eight external points to carry missiles and bombs, plus a module that can carry different types of smaller dronesaccording to rescue CNN.
PLA Senior Colonel Du Wenlong said that This is a “significant innovation”, as it “takes the concept of an aircraft carrier from the sea to the air”.
In this sense, he explained that “allows the deployment of numerous drones on the battlefield by launching them into the air”.
The JARI-USV-A, better known as “Orca”, It is a high-speed unmanned surface combatant, which weighs about 500 tons and is designed to be radar resistant.according to Chinese state media.
Its size is 58 meters long, 23 meters wide and 4 meters deep.
The official English news page of the Chinese military, China Military Onlinestates in an article: “As an autonomous combat ship, it is like a mobile fortress at sea that It is capable of performing tasks such as beyond-visual-range fire attacks, air and missile defense, and anti-submarine search and attack.”.
“These platforms can regularly carry out non-military and low to medium intensity military operations, such as patrolling and surveillance around strategic pointshome ports, islands and reefs, and key waterways.”
They detail that it has four phased array radars and a vertical launch system.
Likewise, they affirm that can carry rockets, anti-ship missiles, air defense missiles and remote control weapon stationswhile it also has a take-off and landing platform for unmanned helicopters in its rear.
The HQ-19 system is mounted on an 8×8 high mobility vehicle and It has the capacity to carry six interceptor missiles.
According to Chinese state media, uses a “cold launch” mechanism which reduces stress on the launcher and allows him to redeploy interceptors quickly.
In 2020, the annual report of the United States Department of Defense on the Chinese army assured that HQ-19 has been tested against ballistic missiles with a range of 3,000 kilometers.
Although Beijing has not revealed technical details about the system, Chinese military experts say it can intercept ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere, as well as hypersonic glide vehicles in the atmosphere.
Du Wenlong recognized CCTV what These weapons are “a challenge, due to their unpredictable trajectory”.
“Our radar system, however, can track these complex trajectories and guide the missiles for a final attack.. Many countries address hypersonic warheads by deploying multiple fast warheads, ensuring at least one hit. But with the combination of the HQ-19 missile and our radar system, we have solved this problem with a single radar and a single missile.”
The new version of the PL-15 long-range air-to-air missile Features foldable tail fins and a design that allows for more compact storage, allowing it to fit into stealth fighter jets.
The PL-15E has a range of approximately 200 kilometers and a maximum speed five times the speed of soundaccording to an analysis of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), based in the United Kingdom.
**In light of China’s display of advanced weapons at the Zhuhai Airshow, how should the international community balance the encouragement of dialog and cooperation with the necessity of taking concrete steps to mitigate potential security risks?**
## Open-Ended Questions for Discussion: China’s New Weapons
This article details new weapons showcased by China at the recent Zhuhai Airshow, highlighting the advancements in their military technology and potential implications for regional and global security. Here are some open-ended questions to stimulate discussion and explore diverse viewpoints:
**I. China’s Military Ambition and Technological Advancements:**
1. **How do these new weapons systems signal China’s military ambitions in the region and globally?** Does this showcase indicate a desire for dominance, or simply a pursuit of modernization and defense?
2. **What are the potential implications of these weapons for regional security, particularly in the context of Taiwan?** How might other countries in the region, like Japan and South Korea, react to these developments?
3. **How does China’s focus on unmanned systems, stealth technology, and hypersonic missiles reflect broader trends in global military technology?**
4. **How do these advancements potentially impact the balance of power globally?** What are the implications for the United States and its allies?
5. **What role does China’s partnership with Russia on military technology play in this context?** How does this collaboration influence the geopolitical landscape?
**II. Ethics and Arms Race Concerns:**
1. **What ethical concerns are raised by the development and deployment of hypersonic missiles and unmanned weapons systems?** Should there be international regulations governing these technologies?
2. **Does the focus on advanced, offensive weaponry risk escalating tensions and potentially provoke an arms race?** How can international cooperation help mitigate these risks?
3. **How can transparency and communication between nations help build trust and reduce the likelihood of conflict.
**III. The Future of Warfare:**
1. **How might these new weapons systems change the nature of future warfare?** What are the potential implications for conventional military strategies and tactics?
2. **What are the potential consequences of the increasing automatization and autonomy of warfare?** Who is accountable in the case of unintended consequences or errors?
3. **How can civilian populations be protected from the potential dangers of these new technologies?
**IV. China’s Perspective and Global Impact:**
1. **How do these weapons developments align with China’s stated national security goals?**
2. **How does China justify its military modernization program to the international community?**
3. **What are the potential economic and geopolitical ramifications of these weapons exports, such as the Su-57 fighter jet?**
These are just starting points for discussion. The goal is to encourage a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of the complex issues raised by China’s burgeoning military capabilities and its impact on the world.
