China is becoming more and more talked about internationally, particularly with its impressive advances in the military field. Between innovations in hypersonic missiles and the use of revolutionary materials, Beijing is clearly showing its ambition to establish itself as a major military power. What is striking is that China is succeeding where others have given up, such as with the famous electromagnetic rail gun.
A game-changing railgun
At the end of last year, the Chine achieved a masterstroke by testing a electromagnetic rail gun. THE UNITED STATES had abandoned this technology after spending more than 500 million dollars over ten years. This success shows not only China’s growing technical capabilities but also its desire to explore avenues that others have deemed too costly or dead-end.
Hypersonic missiles: when stainless steel comes into play
In the field of hypersonic missiles, China is still innovating. Chinese researchers have figured out how to integratestainless steel in the nose cone of the missiles. It was almost mission impossible given the extreme temperatures that these machines can reach. Thanks to this discovery, we could drastically reduce the cost of projectiles while keeping their effectiveness intact.
But there is a catch: the steel begins to deform towards 1 200 °Cwhile a missile can heat up to 3 000 °C ! To get around this, they developed an innovative thermal system combining an ultra-resistant ceramic layer and a special insulator called aérogeljust 5 mm thick (which shows, small size but big effect).
Tungsten: asset or heavyweight?
Tungsten also plays a key role here thanks to its super high melting point (3 422 °C). Perfect for parts of hypersonic vehicles that heat up a lot! But this metal poses a problem: it is rare, expensive and quite heavy. That said, China controls approximately 85 % of its global production (a great strategic asset).
L’People’s Liberation Army (PLA) actively seeks cheaper alternatives to tungsten to better manage its resources while advancing its ambitious military objectives.
Behind these innovations: who are the brains in charge?
This progress is well documented by sources like the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and come from the hard work of dedicated teams. At their head is the professor Huang Fengleia key figure at the Beijing Institute of Technology. Huang is deputy director of a top secret military program and technical advisor to the Central Military Commission.
He also influences the APL’s Equipment Development Department where he is deputy head of a specialized technical unit (a really not insignificant position).
Chinese military advances illustrate not only impressive technological mastery but also a thoughtful strategy to strengthen its place on the global geopolitical scene. These innovations nevertheless raise questions about global balance and international security. They encourage us to think seriously about the future of international relations and how these technologies could redefine our modern world.
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