Artificial intelligence (AI), drones and autonomous weapons are taking center stage at the ongoing Farnborough International Airshow in the UK, shifting attention from aircraft orders to defense technologies.
Farnborough, the world's second-largest airshow after Paris, has long been a showcase for commercial aviation. But this year the five-day event, which opened Monday with more than 1,600 exhibitors, is dominated by defense firms and start-ups as manufacturers grapple with supply chain constraints and governments boost military spending.
Defense-related companies now account for nearly half of the record 1,600 exhibitors at this year's show, up from roughly 40 percent at previous editions.
The challenge facing global aviation is not demand but delivery, as supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and engine delays continue to slow production.
China has an increasing presence at the event, with its manufacturers emerging as key players in the industry.
"There is not a single country in the world that can make a commercial aircraft by itself. Airbus and Boeing are buying from China, and are selling to China. It's the same story in China," said Van Gao, Managing Director of IASC.
"Our Chinese titanium sponge could not go overseas in the last five years. But after the Ukraine crisis, a lot of companies, especially for the aerospace market, have approved some Chinese titanium sponge to come in. So for the aerospace market, titanium is increasing, especially in the three or five years," said Tony Liu, Vice General Manager of Hunan Xiangtou Goldsky Titanium Metal.
"In terms of landing gear, we are contributing a very large share for the global supply chain. And for aerostructures, we are also a very important supplier to the supply chain. But we have a long way to go maybe in terms of engines," said Lai Huihui, Project Manager with Erzhong Group Deyang Aviation Technology.
AI, defense tech dominate Farnborough Airshow in UK
An evocative situational song and dance performance has vividly connected the Red Army's perilous crossing of a snow-capped mountain with a modern tunnel engineering marvel during a televised gala commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March on Thursday.
The Long March (1934-1936) was a defining military maneuver undertaken by the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, symbolizing endurance and perseverance which ultimately paved the way for the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Titled "Ode to the Long March," the five-part gala broadcast by the China Media Group (CMG) centers on key historical junctures of the arduous 12,500-kilometer journey.
One of these performance segments sought to bring to life the Red Army's strenuous crossing of a snow-topped peak during the epic military trek. It weaves together two eras -- the soldiers' desperate climb through the blizzards and the modern-day construction of a tunnel through the same mountain -- to show how the spirit of perseverance endures across generations.
Through poignant dialogue and an enchanting song, the piece shows soldiers supporting one another through a fierce snowstorm, culminating in a young soldier's dream of drilling a hole through the mountain once the revolution is won. This vision comes to life as the stage setting shifts to the present day, featuring a powerful exchange between a Red Army commander and a modern engineer, symbolizing their shared determination to conquer nature's barriers.
The segment depicts the Central Red Army's June 1935 crossing of the Jiajin Mountain in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the first major snow mountain they encountered on the Long March.
Decades later, over 600 workers labored for 45 months to build the Jiajin Mountain Tunnel of the G351 highway, an engineering marvel that has permanently ended the winter isolation of over 110,000 local residents.
Integrating music, dance, drama, and folk art, the performances at the Gala vividly recall the immense hardships the Red Army endured and showcase the firm beliefs held by the Communist Party of China (CPC), even in the face of sacrifice and suffering.
The broadcast followed a commemorative meeting held earlier on Thursday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech.
The Long March began in October 1934, when 86,000 poorly armed soldiers began a grueling 12,500-kilometer journey across some of the country's harshest terrain to establish a new revolutionary base. The march concluded in October 1936 when three main Red Army forces converged in northwestern China.
Gala performance bridges past, present with nod to Long March history, modern engineering
Gala performance bridges past, present with nod to Long March history, modern engineering
