Highlights Of Airshow China 2012 In Zhuhai Part-2

For the People’s Liberation Army, all conceptual, doctrinal and tactical issues pertaining to tri-services integration and joint warfighting are thrashed out and articulated at the Beijing-based Combined Forces Wargaming Centre (CFWC), which was created in the early-1990s by China’s National Defense University. For the first time ever, the CFWC at Zhuhai showcased some of its multiple scenario-based applications software products (see below). If India’s three armed services are seriously interested in evolving joint warfighting doctrines, strategies and postures, then there is no other option but to first establish a similar tri-services wargaming centre under the leadership of HQ Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) where all issues of consequence will be tried out and articulated prior to being presented to the MoD for final authorisation and issuance of related directives. Without such essential simulation tools, the process of tri-services integration for joint warfighting will at best remain a distant pipedream for India’s armed forces.    

It appears that the Shenyang Aircraft Co-developed Anjian (Dark Sword) supersonic reconnaissance UCAV (below), powered by a single turbofan, recently made its maiden flight. Unveilled in scale-model form at the Airshow China 2006 expo six years ago, the UCAV sports an elongated delta airframe with highly swept aft-mounted wings, four cantilevered tail-fins, the larger two of which are mounted at the top of the main delta wing, with the other two being mounted beneath. The forward fuselage is dominated by an extremely large belly-mounted intake and two apparently retractable canards.

In another development, the PLA Navy’s Rear Admiral Yin Zhuo on November 16, 2012 confirmed that China now is developing a new-generation 40,000-tonne LHD-type amphibious assault ship (reportedly the Type 081 LHD, shown below) capable of housing heavylift multi-role helicopters like the Z-8K, as well as attack helicopters like the Harbin ZW-10, which was unveilled at the on-going Airshow China 2012 expo.

Unlike India, where during aerospace exhibitions like the Aero India series the country’s space research and applications ventures/achievements have always been relegated to some obscure corner of the expo site and where entities like ISRO and Antrix Corp occupy no more than a tiny booth (a most pathetic spectacle!), China’s space research and applications ventures/achievements have always dominated the successive expos at Zhuhai, with an entire pavilion (occupying more than a half of an exhibition hall) being devoted to various national exhibits.

In all probability, the tandem-seat FTC-2000G LIFT (below) will utilised by FC-1/JF-17 customers (like Pakistan) for operational flight conversion.

The L-15 'Hunting Eagle' LIFT aircraft (below), to be powered by twin Minshan 4,200kg thrust turbofans, will be inducted into service by the air forces of China (as the JL-10) and Venezuela.

Pakistan has 'in principle' selected the LY-80E MR-SAM (below) to replace its existing Raytheon-built MIM-23B Improved Hawk MR-SAMs.

Indonesia has already procured the C-705 ASCM (below) in both air-launched and ship-launched versions.

Pakistan Air Force's JF-17 MRCAs will in future be equipped with the CM-400AKG (below) tactical ASM.

Iran has acquired the helicopter-launched version of the CM-802AKG ASCM (below), while Pakistan's JF-17 MRCA is presently being qualified to launch this missile. Ship-launched versions of this missile are presently operational with the navies of Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Thailand.