Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

airship in combat diagram
Imagine a military airship Figure
American newspaper in the United States military airship

special correspondent Xie Zhao newspaper correspondent Roshan Love

after the United States in mid-May, after create the world’s largest airship, including China, States military airship research and development has become a dynamic object of media attention. United States, “Defense News” reported on May 31, the PLA is trying to use the airship to monitor Taiwan, and plans to attack the satellite suffered replaced with the airship. The article said that the next 10 years or 20 years, China will reach world-class airship technology.

war can replace the satellite

According to reports, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Intelligence Center recently released a report entitled “China’s high-altitude detection platform (airship ) of real and potential applications, “the report, which is published outside of China’s first military airship report. “Defense News” quoted the report said, China is working in intelligence and reconnaissance, surveillance, communications, command and control, special operations in large-scale application of airship technology, since these aircraft with vertical take off and land, long stay fixed air, carrying capacity, low noise, low power consumption, the production advantages of low difficulty, is cheap and military platforms. U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Intelligence Center that China airship and related “lighter than air aircraft” technology may in the 1910s or twenty years to reach the international advanced level.

Washington International Assessment and Strategy Center ? expert Richard Fisher said, the PLA Army has used balloons during the exercise, and actively expand the airships and balloons in a variety of military missions in the role of “People’s Liberation Army could deploy the radar at high altitude airship, do topographic mapping and air search mission.” Fisher stressed that China is currently limited to use only a small range and a high degree of airship, but the future will develop in the large m altitude airship operation, then the PLA can be monitored directly from the mainland to Taiwan every move.

Fisher said: “The PLA is trying to build a large airship constituted by the intelligence network, it can be done once a week, region-wide scan, deep in the East or the South China Sea regional implementation of surveillance, navigation, communication Following other tasks, its function is similar to the satellite system when the Chinese satellite was in outer space when the opponent attacks, the airship can maintain the smooth flow of the network command. “

U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Intelligence Center’s report also mentioned China is considering to establish a “high altitude airships early warning monitoring system”, and the AWACS early-warning network for the core support each other. According to speculation, these airships will be 1.5 meters of airspace surveillance and air incoming enemy missiles.

good perform monitoring tasks

public by gathering information in China, “Defense News” that the Chinese Air Force Engineering University, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing University of Aeronautics Aerospace University, Changsha University of Defense Technology and other institutions have engaged in airship design and development, some of which products have been put into use.

some of the manufacturers in their enthusiasm to sell a variety of sites for monitoring and special operations airships and balloons. Suzhou Ark model aircraft company claims its own “police or military security surveillance airship” Malaysian police have received military orders and Myanmar, Beijing, China to teach the company developed HJ-3000 airship was described as “to carry out remote monitoring, clearance and special operations high-altitude platform. ” Beijing Dragon St. aviation technology company also launched its own LS-900 airship, which can carry infrared thermal imaging, radar, signal relay, take remote monitoring tasks.

is worth mentioning that China Special Vehicle Institute of Development FKC-1 airship known as the “over the horizon” airship, that is still beyond the horizon beyond the control of the flight from the airship. This helium-filled airship practical manned flight ceiling of 1,000 meters, the army and the police can be used to perform surveillance tasks. Fisher said in the 2008 Zhuhai air show posters seen FKC-1 airship, when it was part of a network known as battlefield surveillance. He also said that China Special Vehicle Institute also released a more advanced FKC-2 airship images, but the specific performance data is not available.

airship value has been rediscovered

airship’s heyday was in the First World War, the German Count Zeppelin’s airship design and even called “the air carrier “the Germans bombed London into action. But with the emergence of faster and more mobile fighters, the military airship gradually exit the stage.

but the 21st century, the face of terrorist threats and illegal infiltration, countries began to re-recognize the value of the airship. Airship to lift and smooth flight, which carry high-tech equipment is essential. In the maritime surveillance, the military airship value even more impressive. For surface ships, the airship is quite fast, find targets, it can hover over the target for a long time, accurate and efficient detection. In 2008, suffering terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India Navy to Israel bought the airship equipped with synthetic aperture radar, to prevent terrorists from re-invasion from the sea. To experience the benefits of the airship, India in April this year once again to Britain, Israel, the United States, Russian aviation companies to issue invitations to tender, ready to purchase a number of deployment in the territorial waters of the airship, and the existing 3 AWACS airborne early warning command together constitute network. According to reports, the technical requirements of the airship is capable of carrying 2400 kg payload altitude of 10,000 meters to stay 28 days.

(“Global Times” June 10, 2010 No. 08 version)

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