HQ 2, intercepted.

This old HQ-2 SAM seems to make an excellent target drone.

Chinese UAVs at Airshow China 2010 in Zhuhai

It seems that UAV has become the main attraction in this year's Air Show China (here), (here), (here) and (here). With coverage ranging from the Wall Street Journal, the Market Watch to the Financial Times, oh my.

Zhuhai Airshow Goes Unmanned
By WENDELL MINNICK
Published: 16 Nov 2010 13:40

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=5056235&c=AIR&s=TOP

ZHUHAI, China - Chinese commercial and defense aviation companies are exhibiting more than 25 UAV models at the 8th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Zhuhai Airshow 2010).

That is a record number of UAVs, according to show officials, and continuing evidence of China's growing interest in unmanned technology.
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Some of the UAVs will serve as combat and battlefield reconnaissance roles. In one video, a UAV locates a U.S. aircraft carrier and relays the information for a follow-on attack by Chinese anti-ship missiles.

About 70 aircraft from 35 countries and more than 600 domestic and foreign exhibitors are showcasing their wares at Zhuhai in China's southeastern province of Guangdong. The show is China's biggest aerospace and aviation show and will run from Nov. 16-21.

Three Chinese companies - ASN Technology Group, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. (CASIC), and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC) produced most of the UAVs on display.

ASN Technology is the largest UAV production company in China, with a history of developing unmanned aerial platforms, including drones, since 1958, said a company press release. The primary customer is the Chinese military and the company controls more than 90 percent of the UAV market in China.

A company spokesperson said ASN works closely with the Northwestern Polytechnical University's UAV Institute.

ASN showed off 10 different UAVs, including the new ASN-211 Flapping Wing Aircraft System, which simulates a bird in flight. The prototype on display has a take-off weight of only 220 grams with a maximum speed of six-to-10 meters a second and an altitude ranging from 20-200 meters. A spokesperson said the micro-UAV would mainly be used for low-altitude reconnaissance for troops in the field.

The largest UAV on display by the company was the ASN-229A Reconnaissance and Precise Attack UAV. Equipped with a satellite data link, it can perform aerial reconnaissance, battlefield surveys, target location and artillery fire adjustment during the day or night. It has a take-off weight of 800 kilograms and a cruising speed of 160-180 kilometers per hour with an endurance of 20 hours.

Though ASN had the most UAVs on display, the most sophisticated unmanned platforms are being produced by CASIC and CASC. Both companies displayed models designed not only to locate the target, but also to destroy it.

CASC displayed the CH-3 multipurpose medium-range UAV system suitable for battlefield reconnaissance, artillery fire adjustment, data relay and electronic warfare. A company official said the CH-3 could be modified as an attack platform carrying small precision-guided weapons. Weapons outfitted on the display included two air-to-ground missiles similar in configuration to the U.S.-built Hellfire.

CASIC took the prize for UAVs capable of intimidating the U.S. military. These included the jet-powered WJ-600. In a CASIC video, the WJ-600 identifies a U.S. aircraft carrier and relays targeting information for a Chinese assault by anti-ship cruise missiles.

The UAV can handle a variety of payloads, including weapons, synthetic aperture radar, electronic warfare equipment and data relay systems. Air-to-ground weapons featured with the WJ-600 include the Hellfire-like KD-2 and two unidentified weapons - the TBI and ZD1.

Other UAVs displays included a little-known company called Zhuhai X.Y. Aviation, which exhibited two new reconnaissance platforms, the 200-kilogram Blue Arrow (UR-J1-001) and 40 kilogram Sky Eyes (UR-C2-008). A company spokesperson said there were three prototypes of the Blue Arrow now being test-flown and that the prop-driven engine was from an unidentified "German company."

The company had produced two prototypes of the Sky Eyes now being test flown.

UAV Control Station

Exercise is good for you

S'pore, China in joint military exercise

The Straits Times
www.straitstimes.com

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_605140.html

Nov 19, 2010

By Hannah Koh

THE Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the People's Liberation Army of China are participating in a counter-terrorism training exercise from Thursday to Nov 26.

This is the second time the training exercise between the two countries has taken place.

About 60 personnel from each side are taking part in Cooperation 2010, which focuses on counter-terrorism security operations for major international events.

The nine-day exercise consists of seminars, planning exercises and response drills.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on Friday, Brig-Gen Teo Jing Siong from the SAF said: 'Singapore welcomes China's continued defence exchanges and interactions with our region at the bilateral and multilateral levels, which would help foster cooperation and better understanding between regional militaries.'

PLA medical team participates in medical rescue joint operation in Peru

(Source: PLA Daily) 2010-11-18

　　According to the agreement reached by the defense departments of China and Peru, the medical team established by the Health Department of the General Logistics Department (GLD) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) left Beijing for Peru on November 17 to participate in the “Peace Angel 2010” Sino-Peru humanitarian medical rescue joint operation.

　　Qin Yinhe, deputy director of the GLD, attended the expedition ceremony for the medical team. It’s said that the contents of the “Peace Angel 2010” joint operation include exchanges, training, rescue exercise and medical service.

　　In recent years, the PLA had sent medical service troops to carry out exchanges and cooperation with foreign militaries for many times, reflecting the active efforts of the PLA in co-building a harmonious world and deepening the traditional friendship of China and its PLA with relevant countries and their militaries.

　　By Yang Zurong

Editor:Cui Xinwen

Second Type 071 Yuzhao Class LPD Launched.

Photos taken last night by HSH in Shanghai. Possible pennant number 999.

To compare --photos of LPD 998 taken in December 23rd, 2006

As always, more discussions on the PLA are ongoing in China-Defense Forum.

998

999

Y-8 AEW Variant Arrives in Pakistani Service

China recently handed over the first ZDK-03 Airborne Early Warning aircraft to the Pakistani Air Force. While the PLAAF has opted for the KJ-200 "balance beam" array on their Y-8GX5 AEW aircraft, this export variant employs a more conventional "rotodome" array. (photo credit to PafFalcons.com)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/China-rolls-out-AWACS-aircrafts-for-PAF/Article1-625868.aspx

China rolls out AWACS aircrafts for PAF
Press Trust Of India
Islamabad, November 13, 2010
First Published: 22:16 IST(13/11/2010)
Last Updated: 22:18 IST(13/11/2010)


The rollout ceremony of first of four Chinese ZDK-03 airborne warning and control systems (AWACS) aircrafts for the Pakistan Air Force was held at Hanzhong in China today. The rollout coincided with President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to China – his sixth since assuming the position in
2008.

PAF chief Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman was the chief guest at the ceremony, which was attended by the Commander of the PLA Air Force and other military and civil officials of China.

The PAF signed a contract in 2008 with China Electronics Technology Group Corporation for the joint development of four ZDK-03 AWACS aircraft configured to Pakistan's specifications.

The ZDK-03 is an advanced AWACS with sophisticated integrated sensors and communications suite, PAF said in a statement.

In his speech at the rollout, Air Chief Marshal Suleman described the event as "another milestone in the exemplary history of cooperation between Pakistan and China”.

This AWACS will strengthen the PAF's capabilities to maintain "peace with honour in the region", he said.

The AWACS is part of PAF's overall strategy of transforming itself into a "lean and technologically advanced air force", Suleman said.

The PAF will not spare any effort to make the defence of the country impregnable, he added.

CETC Chairman Wang Zhigang said the induction of the AWACS by the PAF will have a "positive impact on regional stability, peace and prosperity as well as on the close bond between the two military forces and two countries".

The PAF has also received two of four Saab-2000 AWACs aircraft ordered from Sweden.

The remaining two aircraft equipped with the Erieye radar system are expected to be delivered later this year.

Another example of "make money, not war"

While it is not converted by this FT write-up (here), but owning a private jet has become a huge status symbol (here) in China.

November 16, 2010

http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1289937521.html

China is planning to open its airspace below 13,120 feet (4,000m) to civilian aircraft in a move that will unlock one of the world's largest untapped markets for civil aviation, according to a report in the Financial Times.

The Chinese authorities said in a policy paper that low altitude airspace would gradually be opened to private aircraft, according to reports posted on the websites of the Chinese defense ministry and state council.

Light aircraft and helicopters are currently absent from Chinese skies because of extremely tight military control over airspace with private flights having to be agreed in advance with the military and civil aviation authorities.

"Right now it is basically impossible to use general aviation aircraft in China and some aircraft owners are already pushing the envelope by flying without permission," said Jason Liao, chairman and chief executive of China Business Aviation Group, who was quoted in the FT. Liao has been lobbying for the past decade to get Beijing to open China's lower airspace.

"This is a huge step for China and almost certainly means the country will eventually become the second-largest market in the world for general aviation aircraft like helicopters and turboprop aircraft [after the US]," he said.

Currently the People's Liberation Army has the final say over the use of airspace and often schedules drills at short notice severely disrupting commercial aviation and exacerbating long flight delays.

According to the policy paper any aircraft flying at 1,000 meters or lower will be able to take off and fly without any prior approval or paperwork.

Aircraft flying below 4,000 meters but above 1,000 meters will be required to file a flight plan with the authorities but will not need to get approval in order to fly.

According to state media, as of the end of 2008 China had only 898 private aircraft compared with 222,000 private aircraft in the US.

The paper did not include a timeline but said the government would draw up an administrative and legal framework for aviation over the next decade with plans speeding up from 2012.

(Airwise)

BP-12A long-range, GPS guided rocket, on display at China Air Show 2010.

This new BP-12A VLS rocket system has a module warhead design that can fit different munitions in accordance to different mission profiles. Its SY400 based motor propels it to a range up to 400 KM, making it one of the longest, non-Ballistic, rockets available today.

Close inspection, PAF Style.

You already agreed to buy 36 copies, there is really no need to "kick the tires" anymore.