What function can the plane have? It could be a flying lab to test quantum communications, or something related to defense and security
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After the spy balloon was shot down by the US off the coast of South Carolina in February, it is a large Chinese army airship that has military experts in the upper atmosphere of the Dragon Forces racking their brains over space plans. First spotted at a remote base in the desert of northwest China, BlackSky satellite images obtained by CNN last November and could signal significant advances by Beijing in airships that are more versatile and maneuverable than those previously known, writes Antonio Fatiguso detailed study for Ansa.
The plane is about 30 meters high, standing at the center of a nearly a kilometer long runway in a desert military complex, probably in Xinjiang, the heart of other strategic assets among dozens of huge silos for long-range missiles with nuclear warheads and models on the scale of American Nimitz aircraft carriers -Class for study and attack simulations. Several experts in the aerospace industry have confirmed the hypothesis of an airship, a runway and a huge hangar of almost 300 meters: a “submarine of the skies”, in other words, with possible propulsion and navigation capacity for a longer overflight of an area .
But what could be the defensive uses of a seemingly outdated and anachronistic medium? In general, a sector source tells ANSA, “it is reasonable to think of a flying laboratory, perhaps to test quantum communications protected from eavesdropping or standards that can neutralize hostile systems,” like a satellite network. “Of course, it has something to do with defense and security,” said President Xi Jinping’s priorities.
Not surprisingly, amid efforts to consolidate the armed forces in the face of possible conflict, starting with Taiwan’s hottest dossier, China on Monday enacted revisions to military service discipline that allowed retired personnel to be reinstated to ensure experienced soldiers in the People’s Liberation Army and the Recruiting science and engineering students trained in high technology — like artificial intelligence and robotics — to fight new types of conflict in areas like space and cybersecurity.
The Chinese military is also focused on researching “intelligence warfare,” which uses artificial intelligence and other technologies. The new measures aim to “build a conscription system capable of responding quickly and without disruption from peacetime to emergencies,” commented Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei.
The Dragon’s forces have dwindled to about 2 million men while military capabilities have been developed on land and sea, including amphibious assault ships, submarines and bombers, culminating in the third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, launched by Xi in June 2022 Ambitions as Commander-in-Chief are a world-class military force “ready to fight and win a war”. Qiushi, the CPC Central Committee’s theoretical journal, warned of the need to “secure personnel to strengthen the army.” But the number of conscripts is falling due to an aging population, which in 2022 fell for the first time in 61 years and was almost surpassed by India. Contingencies of a strategic plan written in the state and party constitution, which provides for the reunification of Taiwan, if necessary by force.
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