China unveils advanced stealth UAV at air show

China on Tuesday unveiled the CH-7 unmanned aerial vehicle, its most advanced combat drone, at the country's biggest air show in the southern state of Zhuhai.

The 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition will also showcase the J-20 stealth fighter jets to woo aviation enthusiasts and potential buyers, Efe news reported.

The latest edition of the biennial exhibition, also known as Airshow China, will have 770 exhibitors from 43 countries.

Some 370,000 people were expected to visit the show, spread over an area of 100,000 square metres, the largest so far for the event that was first held in 1996.

Stealth combat UAV CH-7 is considered to be the most advanced home-grown drone by China till date.

Developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the drone can be used in electronic warfare, reconnaissance missions and other battlefield tasks.

Fighter jet J-20, which debuted in 2016, will also be displayed at the event along with AG600, one of the largest amphibious jets in the world.

The two aircraft are developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China, one of the largest state-owned aerospace and defence conglomerate of the country.

Other military hardware like missiles, tanks, armoured vehicles and radar detectors will also be displayed at the event.

Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology was also showcasing Gaofen-5 (GF-5), the first satellite developed by China to control atmospheric pollution.

In 2016, the exhibition registered 402 commercial transactions worth over $40 billion, according to the organizers.

The event has been growing since its inception, with 400 and 500 exhibitors in its first two editions, to 770 this year, although the number of general visitors has been falling.

Around 225,000 visitors attended each event between 2006 and 2016, down from 700,000 in 1996 and 800,000 in 1998, according to the organizers.

--IANS

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