New variations of “force multipliers” airborne, such as air refueling aircraft (FRA), airborne warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft and electronic warfare (EW) aircraft. China tightens its muscles in an anti-US key and continues to strengthen its army by focusing its attention mainly on some strategic sectors. Of course, Beijing still has a long way to go before reaching the same military level as the US on these specific fronts, but the speed with which the Dragon is making progress is significant of the Asian giant’s intentions.
What is China focusing on?
Airborne force multipliers greatly improve an army’s operational capabilities and increase its chances of victory in the event of war. The various aerial platforms for surveillance, command and control, and communication are a joker on which China intends to rely. Especially in South China Sea, where tensions grow month after month, between the epicenter of the Philippines and the ever-lively Taiwan dossier. What, then, are the arrows in Beijing’s quiver? The site Eurasiantimes he mentioned some of them. Others should arrive between now and the next few years.
The KJ-2000for example, is a Chinese AEW&C aircraft second generation developed by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation. It is built on a modified airframe of the Russian Ilyushin Il-76 and uses designer avionics made in China. After witnessing the successful use of AEW&Cs in the Gulf War, these platforms have become a priority for Beijing. The Shaanxi KJ-200 it is instead a reserve AEW&C for the KJ-2000. This vehicle features a simplified system of the smaller airframe of the Shaanxi Y-8 – the Chinese national variant of the Antonov An-12 tactical airlifter – as well as a “balance beam” side-scan array similar to the Saab Erieye.
Continuing the review, China has developed the Shaanxi Y-9an expanded upgrade of the Y-8 that later served as the basis for the third-generation KJ-500 AEW&C, and it Xian Y-20a large strategic transport aircraft under development for the AEW&C modification.
The KJ-500 it is a third generation AEW&C aircraft that meets four main technical objectives: networking, multifunctionality, high integration and lightness. The KJ-500A variant debuted in 2022 and incorporates an aerial refueling probe. Twenty aircraft are supplied to the Chinese Air Force, 14 to the Navy and others are in the production phase. The aircraft reportedly has a range of 5,700 km and an endurance of 12 hours. It can detect fighter-sized targets at a distance of 470 km.
The other jokers of the Dragon
The Xi’an KJ-600 is a Chinese twin-propeller, quad-tailed, high-wing military aircraft designed for cargo transport and AEW&C. It is intended to be deployed on the Chinese Navy’s Type 003 aircraft carriers starting in late 2024. Four have been built. In all this, China is also working on the contemporary development of conformal antenna technology, which significantly reduces airframe modifications and related aerodynamic complexities.
The Dragon Air Force still has about five old men Bombardier Challenger 850 for the SIGINT and only one Shaanxi Y-8 for surveillance. Overall, however, Beijing lags far behind the United States and its partners when it comes to force multipliers. The United States, just for comparison, has built 68 Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS, most of which are still flying with the USAF or friendly foreign air forces. These have been employed in every major war, including the one in Ukraine.
This is why the Dragon wants to accelerate the pace.
Tags: China tightens muscles force multipliers fight military
