China :: Defence :: Space

I recently had a chance to read "Chinese Aerospace Power: Evolving Maritime Roles". This book is the fifth instalment in the series Studies in Chinese Maritime Development and can be found here on Amazon In the past, I have found works by Andrew Erickson, Lyle Goldstein and the good folks at China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) to be of the highest quality and this book was no exception. This book not only includes contributions from professors at CMSI, but also serving/retired commander/officers, military attach to China, policy makers and numerous China contributors from different think tanks. It does a great job of understanding China's motivations/intentions, while fairly examining PLA's capabilities and training. For those seeking for a greater understanding of China's air force, space development and Second Artillery Command, I think this is a must read. More than anything else, it drew from a wide range of primary research and Chinese sources which ...

August 14, China's first aircraft carrier platform completed four days of sea trials and returned to Dalian, Chinese Navy "88" support ship subsequently returned to the port. By now the first sailing of Chinese aircraft carrier platform completed successfully. August 10, China's aircraft carrier platform for sailing trials. According to the pilot scheme, carrier return will continue in the

The Indian Army today successfully conducted the user trial of BrahMos Block-III supersonic cruise missiles that has the ability to engage inaccessible targets inside hillocks. The test was carried out at a firing range here around 1100 hours and met all the mission parameters, sources said. The Block III version has the capability of scaling mountainous terrain and can take a steep dive to engage targets located inside hillocks which are otherwise inaccessible. This was the 25th test of the cruise missile which has already been inducted in the Army and Navy. Army has plans to induct the missile for mountain warfare. The missile has the capability to engage ground targets from a very low altitude with minimum radar signature and is considered best for surgical operations. Considered one of the fastest cruise missiles in the world, BrahMos can gain a speed of Mach 2.8. It has a two-stage propulsion system, with a solid-propellant rocket for initial acceleration and a liquid-fuelled ramj...

Russia has dispatched 11 MiG fighter jets to India to equip the aircraft carrier it will deliver next year, head of the MiG corporation Sergei Korotkov said on Wednesday. "We have already delivered 11. Five more will be delivered by the end of the year," he told reporters as quoted by the Interfax news agency. Russia signed a contract in 2004 to supply 16 MiG-29K/KUB jets as part of its agreement to modernise the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov for the Indian Navy. The refurbishment contract was initially valued at 974 million dollars and stipulated the delivery of the carrier in 2008. But the price of modernising the ship, which will have the name Vikramaditya (All-Powerful) in the Indian Navy, later grew to $1.5 billion while deadlines extended by several years. In March 2010, the countries inked an additional $1.5 billion deal for 29 more MiG fighter jets. Russia has started work on the order, and the first jet was presented to an Indian representative in the assembly wo...

The second trial of ArjunMark II, the advance version of Indias main battle tank, has begun in Pokharan firing range. The trial is aimed at testing the range and strength of the tank and other weaknesses pointed out in the first trail. Following the first trial, the Indian Army had highlighted the need of some more technical requirements. Arjuns new version boasts of an improved missile firing range apart from a latest laser system, which can detect explosives on the ground. Following the trial, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will be making suitable changes in the tank on the advice of military experts. This advanced version of the tank is likely to be inducted into the Indian Army by next year. The trial of the advance version of Arjun has started in Pokharan firing range. This is a development trial and the tanks will be handed over to the Indian Army after removing all the faults pointed out by the military experts, Col SD Goswamy, Defence spokesperson, sai...

DARPA attempted to fly the fastest aircraft ever built. The Agencys Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2) is designed to fly anywhere in the world in less than 60 minutes. This capability requires an aircraft that can fly at 13,000 mph, while experiencing temperatures in excess of 3500F. The second test flight began with launch at 0745 Pacific Time. The Minotaur IV vehicle successfully inserted the aircraft into the desired trajectory. Separation of the vehicle was confirmed by rocket cam and the aircraft transitioned to Mach 20 aerodynamic flight. This transition represents a critical knowledge and control point in maneuvering atmospheric hypersonic flight. More than nine minutes of data was collected before an anomaly caused loss of signal. Initial indications are that the aircraft impacted the Pacific Ocean along the planned flight path. Heres what we know, said Air Force Maj. Chris Schulz, DARPA HTV-2 program manager and PhD in aerospace engineering. We know how to boost t...

China's refitted aircraft carrier platform left its shipyard at Dalian Port in northeast China's Liaoning Province on Wednesday morning to set sail for its first sea trial. Military sources said that the trial is in line with the carrier's refitting schedule and will not take a long time. Refitting work will continue after the vessel has returned to the port. The carrier was originally built by the former Soviet Union, which failed to complete the ship's construction before collapsing in 1991. The still-unnamed aircraft carrier was an empty shell when it was sold to Ukraine. Ukraine later disarmed it and removed its engines before selling it to China. It is still unknown where or for how long the carrier's first sea trial will last. The Liaoning Provincial Maritime Safety Administration publicized a notice restricting navigation in waters off the Dalian coast, saying that vessels are forbidden from traveling through an area of sea 13.25 nautical miles wide and 22 na...