PLA to reveal hardware at arms show

The People's Liberation Army and its arms contractors will showcase much of their latest hardware at the upcoming 16th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, the largest arms show in the country, which will be held in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, in December.

At a news conference held in Beijing on Tuesday for the biennial exhibition, Major General Gao Xiang, deputy head of the Political Work Department of the PLA Air Force, said that the Air Force will display combat-proven hardware that has already been widely deployed, multiple upgraded variants as well as new-quality combat forces.

"The equipment on display will span the Air Force's reconnaissance, early warning, air defense, combat support, airborne units, unmanned systems, intelligent platforms and munitions segments, fully demonstrating the outcomes of the service's hardware modernization and the continuous refinement of its operational systems," he said.

The officer added that the Air Force's flight demonstrations will feature formations and maneuvers designed for real combat scenarios, offering a look into the force's training proficiency and fighting capability.

According to Gao, the Air Force has planned immersive programs for visitors, including open cargo cabin tours and photo opportunities with iconic equipment. It will also organize face-to-face exchanges between the public and pilots and technical specialists, with the aim of further deepening the bond between the Air Force and the people.

The China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, popularly known as the Zhuhai Airshow, is one of the world's largest defense exhibitions and the only regular occasion for the public to observe Chinese weapons closely, especially those designed for export.

Zhang Hu, executive vice-governor of Guangdong, announced that this year's event will feature three venues — the main exhibition area at the air show center, a display area for unmanned platforms in Lianzhou and an exhibition area for maritime equipment at Gaolan Port — with the layout providing more spacious display and viewing areas.

He said that the Gaolan zone will allow large-scale display of active-duty vessels deployed by the PLA Navy.

He also said that more than 3,000 pieces of equipment will be on display at the upcoming air show, approximately 10 percent of which will be appearing for the first time. More than 170 aircraft will be exhibited, setting a new record.

According to Su Qingyuan, spokesman for China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, the nation's major missile maker, the State-owned defense giant will bring nearly 100 hardware exhibits to this year's air show, demonstrating its capacity to provide more advanced defense systems to customers around the world.

The centerpiece of CASIC's participation will be its brand-new integrated air defense system, which will include the HQ-9BE long-range air defense missile system and the FK-3 medium-to-long-range air defense missile system.

"The system will integrate multiband early-warning and detection systems, multi-tier command and control networks, and multi-layer air defense weapon platforms, building an integrated multi-layer air defense architecture that covers long, medium, short and terminal defense ranges. This design will drastically boost air combat effectiveness and interception cost-effectiveness," he explained.

Meanwhile, CASIC is set to unveil an upgraded counter-drone system as another key highlight. Su added that the system incorporates a range of countermeasures, including short-range air defense missiles, anti-aircraft artillery, micro and small missiles and laser systems.

Wu Jiwei, spokesman for the Aviation Industry Corp of China, said that the State-owned conglomerate will showcase more than 370 products at this year's air show — an increase of over 30 percent compared with the previous edition.

"Those exhibits will include complete aircraft, airborne systems, cutting-edge technologies and manufacturing expertise, and nearly 40 percent of them will be shown to the public for the first time," he said.

The company will also highlight a number of major aircraft designed for export, as well as a full-element combat system, he said.