China’s largest air show takes off with fighter jets, attack drones
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Visitors are seen around planes participating in the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai on Nov 12.
PHOTO: AFP
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ZHUHAI, China – Stealth fighter jets and attack drones took centre stage as China’s largest air show officially opened on Nov 12, 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 the US and others around regional flashpoints like Taiwan.
Record numbers of Chinese warplanes
The star of Airshow China, which showcases Beijing’s civil and military aerospace sector every two years in Zhuhai, is the new J-35A stealth fighter jet
State media videos show the warplane rearing up into the air, engines roaring, before flipping upside-down and speeding away.
Its inclusion in the air show suggests it is nearly ready to enter operation, which would make China the only country other than the US to have two stealth fighters in action, experts said.
The J-35A is lighter than the existing J20 and looks more similar in design to a US F-35.
A group of J20s performed a display flight on Nov 12 morning, flying in a diamond formation.
State news agency Xinhua quoted military expert Wang Mingzhi as saying the combination of the two models enhances the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLAAF) “ability to conduct offensive operations in high-threat and contested environments”.
For the first time, a PLA naval jet will be present at the air show, said state broadcaster CCTV.
The J-15T’s design suggests it may be intended for use on China’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian.
Another key piece of hardware making its debut is the HQ-19 surface-to-air missile system, designed to intercept ballistic missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles, said state media.
The air show features a dedicated drone zone for the first time, reflecting their increased prominence in war zones.
The SS-UAV – a massive mothership that can rapidly release swarms of smaller drones for intelligence gathering, as well as strikes – will be on display in Zhuhai, according to the South China Morning Post.
In October, the US unveiled sanctions targeting China-based companies linked to the production of drones that Russia has deployed in Ukraine.
Moscow and Beijing have deepened military and defence ties since Russia’s invasion of its neighbour three years ago and the secretary of its Security Council, Mr Sergei Shoigu, is due to visit Zhuhai.
Russia’s Su-57, a stealth jet, also took to the skies on Nov 12. In another display, soldiers descended on ropes from helicopters.
The show’s focus in 2024 is squarely on the military sector, as it coincides with the 75th anniversary of the PLAAF, but China’s space industry will also be showcasing developments.
A model of a home-grown reusable space cargo shuttle will debut at the show, Xinhua reported on Nov 11. Named Haoloong, the shuttle is designed to be launched on a commercial rocket and then dock with 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 with the US and Russia. AFP
