China’s weaponry development aimed at offsetting US impact: expert

China’s core weaponry that went on show at the 16th Defence Services Asia (DSA) exhibition which started on Monday, demonstrated advanced military competitiveness when compared with American products, military experts said on Tuesday.

More than 20 Chinese companies, including China North Industries Corp and Aviation Industry Corporation of China, participated in the DSA, exhibiting middle and high-end weapons, including the KJ-200 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircrafts, the AR-3 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), and surfaceto-surface missile TL-7B.

The main rivals of the KJ200 are the US E-2 Hawkeye and British Nimrod aircraft, Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Song said that the “KJ-200 with its active phased array radar has obvious technological superiority and is a more cost efficient solution than other countries’ equivalent models.”

China is one of the few countries that sell AWACS aircraft without any attached political conditions, Song said, while adding that because the KJ-200 is defensive in nature, the sale does not violate China’s principle of exporting weaponry.

Taking the American tactical missile system and M-270 MLRS as rivals, China had developed its own common frame launcher system, which enables China’s People’s Liberation Army to flexibly perform multi-step tasks, Song stressed.

Song continued that “The high-tech weaponry sold by China is defensive and will not deteriorate the regional situation, but instead contribute to safeguarding peace and stability, and help to remedy the partial impact of the US.”

Pakistan had ordered four ZDK-03 AWACS aircrafts from Chinese companies and the first was delivered in 2010 before all four were delivered to the Pakistan Air Force fleet and unveiled at an official commissioning ceremony in February 2015, reported US DefenseNews on February 28, 2015.