Blink and you’ll miss it: Chinese Navy, from modernization to expansion

Lost in translation: how one Chinese submarine breakthrough was mistaken for another

It began on the 30th May, 2017

On that day, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed a new episode of its documentary programme Focus Report…

The first 055 has been launched: here’s seven reasons why it’s a big deal

It’s time

Three years of patience and drip-feeding of information is about to be rewarded, with the launch of the first 055 class destroyer from Jiangnan Changxing shipyard…

J-20 gun armament

Background:

The Chengdu Aircraft Company (CAC) J-20 5th generation stealth fighter made its first flight on 11th of January, 2011. Since then, the aircraft had come under immense scrutiny by Chinese military watchers, general military watchers, defence media, and…

Chinese Navy 2020: the surface combatant fleet of the near future

Introduction:

The Chinese Navy is currently enjoying the fruits of a long planned modernization programme which began in the late 1990s.

Chinese Navy VLS

Background:

The Chinese Navy Vertical Launch System (CN VLS) is a new type of universal, modular VLS capable of carrying and launching multiple types of missiles, similar to the US Navy’s Mk-41. However the CN VLS is also capable of launching missiles in a cold…

J-20 sensors and mission avionics

Background:

Fifth generation fighter aircraft feature many enhanced capabilities compared to older fourth generation fighters, including highly capable and integrated sensor suites and mission avionics.
As a fifth generation fighter, the…

J-20: striker or interceptor?

Background:

Since CAC prototype no. 2001 made its first flight on the 11th of January, 2011, the Chengdu J-20 has been a source of great speculation and discussion in the defence community and general media (Waldron, 2011). The emergence of…

J-16D electronic warfare/strike aircraft

Background:

On the 19th December 2015, Chinese military watching forums began to circulate with rumours that an electronic warfare variant of the J-16 multirole strike aircraft had conducted its maiden flight, and barely a…

Preparing for 055 — what to know about the upcoming Chinese large destroyer

Introduction:

Satellite imagery of JNCX shipyard near Shanghai over the last few months has shown an impressive pace of work on the first unit of the 055 class large…