China marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with a grand military parade in Beijing. More than 25 world leaders were in attendance on September 3, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
But more than, the world had its attention on the parade itself as China showed off its revamped and cutting-edge military equipment.
During a speech ahead of the parade to mark 80 years since China's victory over Japan in World War II, President Xi Jinping hailed his country as "unstoppable".
Battle-ready China
Among the head turners were the underwater drones. The parade featured two new, extra-large torpedo-shaped unmanned underwater vehicles -- the AJX002 and the HSU100 -- carried on top of long trucks.
The former is "presumably a reconnaissance design", according to defence analyst Alex Luck.
"The latter was more mysterious but is said to be an uncrewed minelaying capability," he told AFP.
While China still lags behind the United States in surface naval power, according to Naval News, it has the world's largest programme of "extra large uncrewed underwater vehicles" (XLUUVs) -- with at least five types already in the water.
The military also marched through the streets with its new-age DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missiles, which are touted to have the capability to strike anywhere on the globe.
The colossal liquid-fuelled nuclear weapons -- part of the country's "Dongfeng" missile series -- were displayed during the parade in the flat beds of large, camouflaged military vehicles.
Generating major buzz ahead of the parade was a powerful weapon touted by one Chinese military-linked X account as the "most powerful laser air defence system in the world".
Several LY-1 -- large, white contraptions with deep blue screens -- were seen carried on top of long military vehicles Wednesday.
"We've seen this configuration first last year around August, but not with clear images," Luck told AFP, adding that the "ship-based" LY-1 "appears to at least be in advanced testing".
Also under active development by the United States, the so-called "directed-energy weapons" can cause significant damage with high precision and low cost-per-shot.
China also flexed its high-tech supersonic and hypersonic missiles, flight-detecting radars and advanced unmanned aerial vehicles.
Among the missiles were YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19 and YJ-20. "YJ" is short for "Ying Ji", which means "eagle attack" in Chinese. The missiles can be launched from ships or aircraft and are designed to inflict critical damage on large vessels.
Several unmanned vehicles were on display, including surface vessels that can be used in maritime military operations. The surface drone can be "optionally crewed to navigate in and out of ports", and is likely intended for mine warfare -- particularly mine clearing.
Early warning radar technology featured heavily, with several large detection devices paraded through Tiananmen. In the sky, radar-equipped aircraft glided above the parade, showcasing the country's surveillance capabilities.
Making its public debut was the KJ-600 early warning aircraft. The KJ-600 is designed for use on aircraft carriers and is expected to enter service on China's Fujian vessel in the coming months, according to state-run China Daily.
