Chinese Military Blogger Breaks Down Weapons from China’s Air Show

This year’s Zhuhai Air Show sent a clear message: China’s military technology has made a significant leap forward, advancing beyond the realities of today’s battlefields.

Counter-Drone Game Changer

One standout trend at the airshow was the spotlight on high-powered microwave weapons, which may now represent the most effective solution in counter-drone technology.

Existing counter-drone methods, especially “soft kill” techniques like signal interference, have their limitations. These methods primarily “filter out” drones that are vulnerable to disruption, leaving defensive systems to deal with more advanced drones using “hard kill” measures.

“Hard kill” options, however, come with their own challenges. While inexpensive missiles and smart-fused shells can take down incoming drones at relatively low costs, the widespread availability of cheap, mass-produced electronics has turned these engagements into wars of attrition, eroding the cost advantage.

This differs from the traditional dynamic between surface-to-air missiles and aircraft. Anti-air missiles are designed to destroy increasingly expensive fighter jets—or at least deter them from entering engagement zones. Small drones, however, are treated as expendable. Even if a wave of drones is fully intercepted, it can still exhaust a defender’s ammunition, opening the door for follow-up attacks.

High-energy lasers and microwave weapons offer a way to break this cycle. Lasers, while effective, require several seconds to strike a single target, making them less practical in dense swarm attacks. High-powered microwave weapons, on the other hand, can disable the electronic components of multiple drones at once within their beam’s range. This makes them a “hard kill” solution with a “wide-area” effect, dramatically enhancing their efficiency.

The 625E System High-Powered Microwave Weapon, which Shoigu inquired about its technical specifications.

Originally designed for missile defense—particularly against anti-ship missiles—high-powered microwave weapons were intended to counter saturation attacks.

By the same logic, they are even more effective against small drones, which are slower and lack the defenses of sophisticated missiles. And these systems have been made smaller, more flexible, and less energy-intensive, further boosting their range, deployment options, and impact.

It’s clear why these weapons are being hailed as the ultimate counter-drone solution. Multiple models of high-powered microwave weapons were featured at this year’s airshow, many integrated into existing air defense systems. This suggests their target market is not only international buyers but also China’s own military, with some systems likely already in service. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu notably stopped to inquire about the capabilities of the 625E air defense system’s accompanying microwave weapon, highlighting its strategic importance.

So why is China the first to actively promote these systems internationally? The answer lies in the country’s rapid advancements in the power semiconductor industry. By producing affordable power chips, China can manufacture and sell these weapons at prices other countries can’t currently match—a competitive edge that will be hard to overcome in the short term.

The Displacement of Traditional Artillery

Another significant feature of this year’s airshow was the widespread appearance of swarm systems.

Currently, most drones on the battlefield lack true swarm-networking capabilities. What is often described as a “swarm” is actually a “cluster,” where multiple drones are operated simultaneously by several pilots. Due to communication bandwidth limitations, even with multiple pilots, the scale of a single attack wave remains limited. Alternatively, drones may operate without pilots, relying solely on inertial navigation or satellite signals for attacks—a method frequently seen in Syria in recent years. However, such “clusters” are fundamentally different from true swarms that communicate through data links, enabling coordination, task distribution, target identification, and automated attacks.

At the air show, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) showcased its swarm system in a outdoor exhibit. Similarly, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and NORINCO presented their own swarm technologies, including cloud-based backend control computers resembling typical server “blades.” NORINCO’s “Machine Wolf” system, named after the “wolf pack” concept, demonstrated a ground-based swarm system that functions collaboratively as a cohesive unit.

The current generation of swarm systems ready for battlefield deployment relies on ground-based servers positioned at a safe distance from the target. These servers coordinate the swarm through communication systems, setting up an electronic perimeter where drones autonomously identify and attack targets.

This capability allows loitering munitions equipped with swarm technology to replace traditional artillery in many scenarios. They can perform “fire preparation” missions over a defined area with overwhelming suppression power, effectively paralyzing an enemy position until surrender. This is no longer a theoretical concept or limited to test exercises; it has become a viable operational capability.

Future advancements could see cloud servers directly integrated into drones, significantly extending operational range. Distributed technologies could also enable each drone within the swarm to act as its own server. For example, at this year’s airshow, NORINCO demonstrated a swarm system integrated with the SR-5 multiple rocket launcher. This system launches larger loitering munitions with sufficient onboard computing power for tasks such as tracking moving targets and executing automated strikes. Additionally, its swarm is launched using rocket artillery, meaning the loitering munitions travel tens of kilometers as rockets before deploying the swarm over the target area. This method enables much faster deployment compared to propeller-driven loitering munitions, which typically travel at just over 100 kilometers per hour.

Swarm systems pose a significant threat to traditional self-propelled artillery, particularly those relying on “shoot-and-scoot” tactics. Once a firing position is located, swarms can be deployed to attack. Each loitering munition carries a warhead weighing dozens of kilograms—well beyond what conventional artillery armor can withstand.

The world’s most advanced self-propelled artillery, the SH-16A.

The simultaneous development of swarm technology and high-powered microwave weapons represents a breakthrough in drone warfare. Swarms act as an “unstoppable spear,” while microwave weapons serve as an “impenetrable shield.” These advancements complement each other—swarms enhance offensive capabilities, and microwave weapons provide robust defenses.

China’s rapid iteration of loitering munitions has far outpaced the rest of the world, reaching a turning point in both offensive and defensive technologies. Swarm technology elevates loitering munitions to fulfill much of the role of traditional artillery, while high-powered microwave weapons reduce the operational effectiveness of unprotected targets to nearly zero.

Ground-Based Unmanned Systems

Notably, some equipment garnered significant media attention but may not take center stage on future battlefields.

In recent years, ground-based unmanned vehicles (UGVs) and drones have primarily drawn attention by showcasing their weapon-carrying and combat capabilities.
Many Chinese companies have developed armed unmanned vehicles and robotic dogs, typically mounting a rifle or other weapon onto a robotic platform.

For example, Chongqing Jianshe Industry exhibited the “Machine Tiger,” equipped with a 7.62mm six-barrel rotary machine gun paired with a 1,000-round ammunition box. The gun is fixed to the “Tiger” and relies on the vehicle’s movement to aim, as it lacks a rotating mount.

The “Machine Tiger” showcased by Chongqing Jianshe Industry, represents the most effective solution for achieving reliable firing performance of machine guns on quadrupedal unmanned platforms.

Another standout exhibit was the G-1 high-speed tracked Unmanned Vehicle from Yangzhou Rongke Systems.

The G-1 is fully electric and, according to its technical manual, has a maximum speed of 68 km/h. However, tests suggest it can go even faster, even in extremely muddy conditions, which highlights its impressive performance.

Weighing 2 tons, the vehicle is armored to withstand light small-arms fire. While the exhibition model was equipped with a machine gun, its primary operational function isn’t combat but rather its 1-ton payload capacity. It can be remotely controlled within a 5-kilometer range and has a 4-hour operational time.

The company also displayed a smaller system, the W-1, with similar mobility. It can carry 2–3 personnel and reach speeds exceeding 70 km/h in environments like beaches and wetlands. Powered by a gasoline engine, it can be converted to electric power if needed and is capable of transporting a 300-kilogram payload via remote control.

A New Height for Chinese Drones

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) showcased its CH-7 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at this year’s airshow.

In a video, the drone’s primary mission was shown as serving as an “electro-optical aerial reconnaissance platform.” Leveraging stealth capabilities comparable to the RQ-180—currently the U.S. military’s most advanced stealth aircraft—it is designed to detect and track stealth aircraft, and provide targeting information for friendly fighter jets and long-range air-to-air missiles.

The CH-7 combines advanced stealth features with a large electro-optical payload

Insiders suggest the PLA sees greater potential in the CH-7’s “stealth vision” feature, enabling prolonged surveillance of time-sensitive targets on land and sea.

In the past, the common assumption was to use non-stealth drones like the RQ-9 or Global Hawk to conduct long-range electronic or optical reconnaissance from outside enemy defenses, followed by deploying stealth UAVs like the X-47 for strikes. However, China now has stealth UAVs like the GJ-11 for attack missions and the CH-7 for more effective reconnaissance.

In today’s era of integrated information and firepower, the value of an advanced reconnaissance platform is just as critical as that of an attack platform. A highly advanced and expensive reconnaissance UAV is worth the investment—especially considering that what may seem “expensive” to China might appear incredibly affordable to others, with some joking that the U.S. might say, “Can we order 10,000 of these right now?”

On the other hand, attack platforms can be more cost-effective. For example, the Jiutian UAV, developed by AVIC the First Aircraft Institute, was displayed with underwing mounts for existing air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions. A pod under its fuselage has also led to speculation that it could serve as an airborne UAV mothership.

The Jiutian’s design reflects the developer’s extensive experience with bombers, as its characteristics resemble those of the U.S. A-10 Warthog. Interestingly, the U.S. military is currently transitioning the A-10 from a heavily armed cannon-equipped attack aircraft (famous for its “BRRRT” sound) into a platform carrying a large number of small precision-guided munitions, effectively making it a manned drone.

If viewed this way, the Jiutian could be seen as the ideal unmanned version of the A-10 envisioned by the U.S. military. With its belly modified to house a fixed bomb bay capable of carrying several tons of munitions and its wings supporting eight hardpoints, the Jiutian could provide prolonged on-call fire support to ground forces, fulfilling multiple strike missions over an extended duration.

The Jiutian, powered by a single Qinling engine, forgoes stealth in favor of significantly increasing its payload capacity, enhancing its ability to support ground operations more effectively.

In other words, does a strike platform really need to prioritize stealth? If air superiority is secured and UAVs like the MQ-9 can operate safely, why not deploy a larger, more powerful, and heavily armed unmanned strike platform?

From this perspective, the Jiutian UAV is more cost-effective than current U.S. platforms like the Mojave. It offers significantly greater strike capabilities while maintaining comparable endurance and reconnaissance capacity. Additionally, its ability to operate from field airstrips makes it a viable replacement for several existing reconnaissance-strike drones.

Interestingly, this time China’s Wing Loong X UAV, designed for maritime patrol and anti-ship missions, demonstrated its capability to carry the YJ-21 air-launched anti-ship ballistic missile, reminiscent of how the U.S. equips its B-52 bombers with LRASM missiles for anti-ship operations. Given that China’s missile range already exceeds a thousand kilometers, the emphasis on stealth for such missions becomes less critical.

As battlefield testing has shown, there appears to be a greater need for non-stealthy attack drones paired with stealthy reconnaissance UAVs.

This year, United Aircraft introduced the Lan-Ying 600, a tiltrotor UAV that highlights China’s advancements in military technology from a different perspective.

The most notable feature of the Lan-Ying 600’s design is its use of mechanical transmission for rotor tilting instead of electric drives. While its takeoff weight has yet to match the V-280 Valor, it achieves comparable performance in other areas, including flight speed and range, which are highly impressive.

The Lan-Ying R6000 UAV uses traditional mechanical transmission instead of the more popular hybrid electric drive.

Finally, this year’s airshow showcased numerous new weapons that represent the most commonly used types on today’s battlefields, along with the manufacturers of their related components and parts. The idea of “unprecedentedly cheap electronics” enabling “low-cost high-tech warfare” is far from a global reality. At least for the U.S. and other Western countries, achieving this would require radical transformations across their industrial sectors.