Zhuhai 2016: Big balloons hold sway

11th November 2016 - 01:40 GMT | by Wendell Minnick in Taipei

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While most attendees at last week’s Zhuhai Air Show were focused on sexy weaponry designed to turn heaven into hell, there were also big balloons one might associate with childhood carnivals and not an apocalypse exhibition.

This year’s biennial air show, held in southern China, had the biggest exhibition of aerostats and airships on parade to date, either as static or scale model displays. What was obvious from various examples is China’s determination to use aerostats/airships as offshore maritime platforms for reconnaissance, surveillance, satellite/radio relay, radar and meteorology.

China has been conducting aggressive land reclamation efforts in the South

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Author

Wendell Minnick

Wendell Minnick (顏文德) was Shephard's Senior Asia Correspondent throughout 2017 and 2018. Wendell is an …

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