Satellite imagery acquired on 26JUL14 by Airbus Defence and Space and published by Jane’s confirmed media reports that the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning recently underwent a four-month maintenance period at China’s Dalian shipyard. Imagery shows the absence of most flight deck markings, particularly those delineating take-off and landing areas, indicative of surface refinishing undertaken during the […]
Recent imagery from early 2014 continues to show China’s BZK-005 MALE UAV operating out of Shahezhen airfield just to the north of Beijing. The Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA) has built one of China’s more impressive UAVs, the BZK-005. Already in service with the PLA, the UAV has a reported flight ceiling of 8,000 […]
According to Chinese press reports a family of inflatable UAVs were unveiled at the 29-31 August 2014 Tianjin International UAV and Model Aircraft Technology Exhibition. The UAVs were designated SF-1, SF-2 and SF-3 with wingspans of 2.5 m, 3 m and 4.3 m respectively. Chief designer Zhang Bing Yan explained the UAVs have a load of 25 […]
James Hardy writing for IHS Jane’s takes a quick look at the recent expansion of Woody Island in the Paracel island chain using our favorite medium, satellite imagery. Airbus captured this recent multispectral image on 16APR14 showing substantial land reclamation, harbor redevelopment, and additional construction activity since October 2013. While we’ll be watching to see what finally develops, […]
Ian Cameron writing for IHS Jane’s reports on the PLA’s latest SIGINT station on top of Hong Kong’s tallest mountain, the 957 m-high peak of Tai Mo Shan. It would appear the new installation was built sometime in 2010 with the first imagery confirmation observed in Google Earth in 2011. It is thought the facility has been in operation […]
The latest satellite imagery acquired by DigitalGlobe shows an empty dry dock at Iran’s Sadra Island shipyard located in Bushehr. In 2006, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) was in the market to buy 42 tankers to replace its fleet by the end of 2012. PDVSA’s objective was to transport 40% of the company’s production with its own fleet and ultimately […]
