China's geoengineering projects raise climatic concerns

On 2 December 2020, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China announced an ambitious plan under which China will develop a “weather modification system” by 2025. According to the press release announcing the plan, the “total area of artificial rainfall (snowfall) operation will reach beyond 5.5 million square kilometers, and for hail suppression it should go beyond 580,000 square kilometers”. This announcement was met with scepticism, caution, and concern in the international media, especially around China’s neighbourhood.

Weather modification is one of the most frequently discussed geoengineering techniques, aimed at tackling climate change impacts. According to multiple academic sources – including Emeritus Professor of Earth System Science John Shepherd’s widely cited September 2009 report Geoengineering the climate: science, governance and uncertainty – geoengineering is “the deliberate large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment to counteract anthropogenic climate change”. However, the report concluded that efforts to reduce global emissions should be a priority and stated, “Nothing now known about geoengineering options gives any reason to diminish these [emissions reduction] efforts.”

Rockets are fired for cloud seeding in an attempt to prompt precipitation in Huangpi, Hubei province, on 10 May 2011. A long-term drought affecting central China had left more than 1 million people without drinking water and crippled hydroelectric power as water levels at nearly 1,400 reservoirs in Hubei province fell below the operational level. (AFP via Getty Images)


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PLA WZ-7 HALE seen over East Sea for first time

by Akhil Kadidal

The Japan MoD has disclosed two airborne ELINT flights by Chinese PLA aircraft near Japanese airspace on 26 and 27 March 2024. (Japan Ministry of Defense/Janes)

A Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Guizhou WZ-7 Xianglong (Soaring Dragon) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was observed near Japanese airspace over the Sea of Japan (East Sea) for the first time.

This high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) UAV appeared from the direction of the “continental area” on “the morning of 26 March 2024”, the Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD) said.

A map issued by the MoD showed the WZ-7 flying a counterclockwise route over the Sea of Japan (East Sea) before turning northwest towards North Korea and Russia. The event prompted the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to scramble fighter aircraft from its Chūbu (Central) Air Defense Force (of the JASDF Central Area sector), according to the MoD.

The WZ-7 “circled over the Sea of Japan [East Sea],” the MoD said.

Based on the MoD's map of the incident, Janes


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Israel announces that Oron intelligence aircraft is operational

by Yaakov Lappin & Jeremy Binnie

Oron arriving at Nevatim Air Base in April 2023. (Israeli Air Force)

The Oron intelligence-gathering aircraft is carrying out missions in support of Operation ‘Iron Swords' against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Israel Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on 26 March.

“The aircraft became operational quickly for use in Operation ‘Iron Swords' and has already recorded hundreds of operational flight hours and close to 100 sorties,” the MoD said in a statement.

Developed by the MoD's Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and the Israeli Air Force (IAF), the Oron is a Gulfstream G550 business jet equipped with an advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar produced by IAI subsidiary Elta, as well as electro-optical and signals intelligence (SIGINT) sensors and advanced data-processing systems.

“What makes Oron unique is its ability to perform a wide range of intelligence missions in the same sortie and to transmit in real time to all relevant entities,” the MoD's statement said. It added that the aircraft can collect a larger volume of information than any other Israeli platform.


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New Zealand launches experimental military communications payload into space

by Oishee Majumdar

Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle taking off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on 21 March. The rocket carried a US satellite, which includes an experimental communications payload developed by the NZDF. (Rocket Lab)

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has launched an experimental communications payload into orbit with the help of a research satellite developed by the US Navy's (USN's) Naval Postgraduate School (NPS).

This communications payload, named ‘Korimako', will “allow defence scientists to conduct space communications research”, the NZDF said on 28 March. Korimako is the first payload to be launched into space by the NZDF.

“A team of scientists from the NZDF's Defence Science & Technology (DST) will monitor and interact with Korimako via our Whangaparaoa Ground Station, north of Auckland,” the NZDF added.

The NZDF said initial tests conducted by the DST indicate that Korimako is “operating as expected”.

“[Korimako will facilitate DST to conduct research that] aims to build practical experience in space science and technology, test processes for New Zealand government space operations, and generate knowledge to enable future NZDF and wider government space development,” David Galligan, DST director, said.


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https://www.janes.com/defence-news/terror-insurgent-group/latest/chinas-geoengineering-projects-raise-climatic-concerns

On 2 December 2020, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China announced an ambitious plan ...

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