I was surprised and, I admit, a bit taken back by some of the images and videos at the recent Zhuhai Airshow.
In one large mural a Chinese WJ-600 UAV flies high above an American carrier battle group. How do I know it merican? Well, the ship images looked as if they had been cut and pasted from the web. The carrier sported angled flight deck with the radomes of E-2C Hawkeyes clearly visible. The destroyers and cruisers were Arleigh Burkes, and there was an LA attack sub for good measure.
The WJ-600 detects the ships, and relays targeting info to a series of attack planes, subs, land-based missiles, and warships. A missile barrage results. Asta la vista, American fleet. The WJ-600, for its part, fires a missile at one of the warships, and shoots down an American helicopter.
A video a few meters away shows UAV's coordinating a saturation missile attack against a fleet of warships and a carrier. While the carrier looks more British than American (before becoming a burning hulk, that is), the point is clear.
While it is probable that such imagery sprung from the minds of over zealous designers, it provided a none-too-subtle impression of what China's military build up is all about.
on November 22, 2010 4:26 PM | Reply
Where are the pictures?