China says drones and counter-drone systems will dominate at biggest Zhuhai air show yet
Sections featuring firms from France, Italy, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the US to go on show as expo seeks more international visitors
The biannual air show, the country’s biggest, is a much-watched event that features displays of China’s civilian and military aircraft for international buyers.
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This year’s China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition – known as Airshow China or the Zhuhai air show – will take place in the southern coastal city on November 12-17. It will be its largest air show yet, with an expanded venue area and a 91 per cent increase in the number of overseas exhibitors from the previous air show held in 2022 during the pandemic.
An additional 330,000 square metres (81.5 acres) of exhibition space will be set up near Zhuhai’s Lianzhou General Aviation Airport for drone display and roadshows, at a time when the technology appears central to the country’s military development.
The dedicated exhibition zone for drones, with both indoor and outdoors areas, would simulate combat scenarios with uncrewed aircraft and vessels, said Huang Zhihao, mayor of the host city.
He said performances would feature combinations of manned and uncrewed platforms, on-site and long-distance, and onshore and at-sea operations.
While drones have emerged as a focal point, the potential debut of domestically developed traditional weapons is also being watched closely.
