Page 24 - aruba-today-20181110

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Saturday 10 November 2018
China unveils stealth combat drone in development

By DAKE KANG and CHRIS- geveen, director of the
TOPHER BODEEN international security pro-
Associated Press gram at Australia's Lowy
ZHUHAI, China (AP) — A Institute.
Chinese state-owned com- While the CH-7's ultimate
pany says it is developing effectiveness remains to be
a stealth combat drone in determined, if exported, it
the latest sign of the coun- would "mark another step-
try's growing aerospace change for China, which
prowess. has traditionally not offered
The CH-7 unmanned aerial its cutting-edge technol-
vehicle also underscores ogy to foreign customers,"
China's growing competi- Roggeveen said.
tiveness in the expanding Across the Middle East,
global market for drones. countries locked out of pur-
China has won sales in the chasing U.S.-made drones
Middle East and elsewhere due to rules over excessive
by offering drones at lower civilian casualties are being
prices and without the po- wooed by Chinese arms
litical conditions attached dealers, now the world's
by the U.S. main distributor of armed
The CH-7's chief designer drones.
Shi Wen says the aircraft The sales are helping ex-
can "fly long hours, scout In this Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, file photo, China's new-generation stealth unmanned combat air- pand Chinese influence
and strike the target when craft prototype, the CH-7, is displayed during the 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace across a region crucial to
necessary." Exhibition, also known as Airshow China 2018, in Zhuhai city, south China's Guangdong province. American security interests
"Very soon, I believe, in the Associated Press and bolstering Beijing's am-
next one to two years, (we) bitions to lead in high-tech
can see the CH-7 flying in na's latest advancements tion," in the UAV market, country offers," Bronk said. arms sales.
the blue skies, gradually be- in military and civilian avia- said Phil Finnegan, director Alongside its development While the U.S. still holds a
ing a practical and usable tion. of corporate analysis at the of stealth fighters and com- technology advantage,
product in the future," Shi With a wingspan of 22 me- Teal Group Corp. in Fairfax, mercial passenger jets, China wins on price. The
told The Associated Press. ters (72 feet) and a length Virginia. China has advanced rap- fact it is willing to sell the
Shi said manufacturer Chi- of 10 meters (33 feet), the The U.S. has been extreme- idly in the development of CH-7 abroad could indi-
nese Aerospace Science swept-wing CH-7 is the size ly cautious about selling its UAVs, which have a rela- cate the technology is less
and Technology Corpo- of a combat aircraft and its higher-end unmanned sys- tively lower technological than cutting edge, given
ration plans to test fly the single engine can propel it tem, even to NATO mem- entry cost. Sales have also China's desire to guard its
drone next year and begin at roughly the speed of a ber states, opening up an been boosted by the fact technological edge in such
mass production by 2022. commercial jet airliner. opportunity to China in the that China is not a signa- areas, said Ron Huisken, a
He said the drone will likely The U.S., Russia and France export market, said Justin tory to the Missile Technol- regional security expert at
be sold abroad but had no are also developing stealth Bronk, an export on such ogy Control Regime that Australian National Univer-
information on potential cli- drones, while Israel has technologies at the Royal restricts exports of mis- sity. China's exports also
ents. long been a leader in the United Services Institute for siles and other unmanned underscore the growing
A model of the aircraft UAV field. Defense and Security Stud- weapons systems. pervasiveness of drones
is being displayed at this However, low prices and a ies in London. The numbers of drone pro- in modern warfare, even
week's Zhuhai air show in willingness to transfer tech- "It would represent an area grams unveiled in China without strong international
southern China, a biannual nology have endowed of Chinese arms export in recent years has been agreements on where and
event that showcases Chi- China with a "strong posi- offerings which no other "dizzying," said Sam Rog- how they can be used.q

Report: Google planning big New York City expansion

NEW YORK (AP) — Google a 1.3 million-square-foot jobs to a location in Crys-
is planning a major expan- building in the city's West tal City in northern Virginia
sion in New York City, ac- Village neighborhood due near Washington, D.C.New
cording to a report in the to be completed by 2022. York and Washington, like
Wall Street Journal. A Google spokesperson other major cities with ex-
The newspaper reported said the company had no isting clusters of highly edu-
Wednesday that the com- comment on the Journal cated workers, research
pany plans to add space report. The reported ex- universities and other suc-
for more than 12,000 ad- pansion of Google's work- cessful technology com-
ditional New York workers. force would almost match panies, are increasingly in
The Journal cited anony- the 25,000 employees that demand as companies like
mous people familiar with Seattle-based Amazon Google and Amazon ex-
the plans. is reportedly considering pand. That creates a posi-
The paper said Google has bring to New York's Long Is- tive feedback loop that
New York real estate deals land City as part of its own benefits these municipali-
in the works that would In this Dec. 4, 2017 file photo, people walk by Google offices highly publicized search for ties and concentrates op-
give it room for nearly in New York. The Wall Street Journal reports that Google is plan- new office locations. portunity in ways that risk
20,000 workers. Those in- ning a major expansion in New York City. Amazon would also report- leaving other parts of the
clude buying or leasing Associated Press edly add another 25,000 country behind.q