Stealth fighter jets and attack drones took centre stage as China’s largest air show officially opened yesterday, an opportunity for Beijing to showcase its growing military might to potential customers and rivals alike.
China has poured resources into modernising and expanding its aviation capabilities as it faces off against countries like the United States.
The star of Airshow China, which showcases Beijing’s civil and military aerospace sector every two years in the southern city of Zhuhai, is the new J-35A stealth fighter jet.
Its inclusion in the airshow suggests it is nearly ready to enter operation, which will make China the only country other than the United States to have two stealth fighters in action, experts said.
The J-35A is lighter than the existing model, the J20, and looks more similar in design to a US F-35.
A group of J20s performed a display flight yesterday morning, flying in a diamond formation across a grey sky.
China’s state news agency Xinhua quoted military expert Wang Mingzhi as saying that the combination of the two models greatly enhances the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLAAF) “ability to conduct offensive operations in high-threat and contested environments”.
The airshow will feature a dedicated drone zone for the first time, reflecting their increased prominence in warzones, including Ukraine.
This year, the show’s focus is squarely on the military sector as it coincides with the 75th anniversary of the PLAAF, but China’s burgeoning space industry will also be showcasing developments.
A model of a homegrown reusable space cargo shuttle will debut at the show, Xinhua reported.
Named Haoloong, the shuttle is designed to be launched on a commercial rocket, and then dock with China’s space station Tiangong.
“It can re-enter the atmosphere, fly and land horizontally at a designated airport, allowing for recovery and reuse,” Xinhua said.
Beijing has poured huge resources into its space programme over the past decade in an effort to catch up to traditional space powers the United States and Russia. — AFP
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