U.S. Drone Capabilities Drive New Global RushJuly 08, 2011
 The United States' fleet of unmanned aerial aircraft, or drones, with defensive and offensive capabilities is the envy of the world. But rival nations are gearing up to develop their own drone capabilities, according to an article in the Washington Post. Most recently, China showed off more than two-dozen models at an air show for the country's aviation industry. One model, the WJ-600, is an armed, jet-propelled drone. But at the moment, it remains only a model with its capabilities depicted in video. Still, China and other countries around the world are speeding up their development of drones, underscoring how the United States' success has changed military strategic thinking worldwide, according to the article. About 50 countries have purchased surveillance drones, but most have to start their own development programs for all armed versions because such drones are not yet available to those other than a handful of the closest U.S. allies. "This is the direction all aviation is going," Kenneth Anderson, a professor of law at American University, told the Post. “Everybody will wind up using this technology because it's going to become the standard for many, many applications of what are now manned aircraft." China has set the fastest pace for catching up with the United States. The Post notes that just five years ago, it displayed only a single drone model in the city of Zhuhai, but now every domestic aerospace company has research centers devoted to unmanned aerial aircraft. The country's ambition, however, is not simply to catch up with the United States. In its push to build rivals to the U.S. combat and surveillance models, the Predator and the Global Hawk, China also sees an opportunity to sell this technology to countries around the world. "The United States doesn't export many attack drones, so we're taking advantage of that hole in the market," Zhang Qiaoliang, an official of the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, told the Washington Post. “The main reason is the amazing demand in the market for drones after 9/11." The United States does not feel threatened by these developments because its fleet uses the most advanced materials and sensors and works in conjunction with satellite telecommunication systems. "We are well ahead in having established systems actively in use," a retired lieutenant general for the Air Force told the Post. "But the capability of other countries will do nothing but grow." |
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