China Looks to Lead in Early Warning Plane Industry

China has an ambition to produce the world's leading early warning aircraft and lead aircraft development, a senior military scientist said on Saturday.

Chinese "airborne early warning and control" (AEW&C) planes lead the world in aspects such as phased-array radar technology. In the next step, China will focus on smaller AEW&C aircraft with multiple functions, said Wang Xiaomo, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the "father" of Chinese AEW&C planes.

Domestic AEW&C planes have been widely acclaimed by overseas users, said Fan Youshan, vice general manager of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation — one of the leading producers of the planes in China.

"Foreign users believe our early warning aircraft have unique characteristics in technology and cost compared with products of other countries," said Fan. He added that his corporation, which has a military background, is negotiating to export more AEW&C aircraft. "The prospects are bright," he said.

According to the corporation's annual report, venue last year reached 83.9 billion yuan (US$13.6 billion), with an export revenue of US$995 million. The corporation's business has spread over 100 countries and regions worldwide, and it has established eight companies and 40 agencies overseas.
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