China displayed for the first time its first unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), the Pterodactyl UAV, at the Paris Air Show last week. Defense analyst Wendell Minnick explains in Defense News how China’s new toys can change the power balance by circumventing current embargoes and other regulations.Read More →
Defense analyst Wendell Minnick got hold of an advanced copy of the upcoming book by former US Army officer Larry Wortzel, who also served as assistant Army attache at the Beijing embassy during the Tiananmen crisis in 1989. “Wortzel argues that the “PLA is turning into a modern armed force with its own unique operational doctrine.” he writes in Defense News.Read More →
Just before Xi Jinping and Barack Obama sat down for their California summit, the region’s military representatives sat down in Singapore for the 12th Shangri-la Dialogues. Our defense analyst Wendell Minnick saw a classic Shakespeare act deploying, although with less drama than in the past, he writes in Defense News.Read More →
In its 2013 Defence white paper Australia is not seeing China as an adversary, but picks a position between the two power blocks, the US and China, notes military analyst Wendell Minnick in Defense News. In China it sees “a strategic partner”.Read More →
As the conflict about the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands heats up yet another time, it is useful to recognized the meaning of the signals Beijing is sending out. Military analyst Wendell Minnick picked up for Defense News some reading tips from Taiwanese Defense experts.Read More →
Military analyst Wendell Minnick discusses in Defense Newsthe emerging US “AirSea Battle doctrine and the so-called Asia Pivot, many in the Asia-Pacific are asking for clarification on a subject that could involve them in an unnecessary war with China.” A review of a paper by Benjamin Schreer, a senior analyst for Defence Strategy at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.Read More →
The latest SIPRI report shows that China has replaced in 2012 the UK from the fifth place on the list of exporter of conventional arms, defense specialist Wendell Minnick writes in Defense News.Read More →
China’s military, the PLA, belongs to the largest users of UAV’s, unmanned aerial vehicle, according to a new report, seen by defense analyst Wendell Minnick. “More UAV research-and-development centers complete comprehensive product testing and move into mass production,” he writes in Defense News.Read More →
Much of the news this week is dominated by the discovery of China hacks into the US, linked directly to the People’s Liberation Army, with names, addresses and pictures of offices. Defense analyst Wendell Minnick tells the VOA he is not really surprised by the report.Read More →
The latest nuclear test by North-Korea shows the rogue country is not going to be stopped, not even by its closest ally China, writes defense analyst Wendell Minnick in the Army Times.Read More →
China and Russia are negotiating about the purchase of Russian bombers Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire long-range strategic bombers and Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers. Very much is unclear about China’s requirements, but defense analyst Wendell Minnick has some backgrounds on what China is going, he writes in Defense News.Read More →
Despite bad memories on the first deal with the Sukhoi Su-27/J-11A fighter, Russia seems to move forward in negotiations on a second fighter deal with China, writes defense specialist Wendell Minnick in Defense News. Reason: geopolitical considerations, rather than business sense.Read More →