September.23 (China Defense Mashup Reporting by Johnathan Weng) – Since the public listing on March 26 in Beijing this year, the Defense Division of AVIC Group has become the focus of defense market. At the beginning of September, Mr. Wang Ya-wei, the general manager of AVIC Defense Division says the company has advanced in substantiation and is going to establish China's "skunk works" in future. 

Wang Ya-wei

Wang Ya-wei says the company will set up some R & D centers in specialized areas in accordance with the group’s plan. In future’s new product development, AVIC Defense Division will change the previous pattern and re-design the layout under the distinguished features of company’s plants or research institute. Wang says that AVIC Defense Division will accelerate new product development efficiency and import the idea of U.S.’ "skunk team" to build up a center for speeding new aircraft development.

L-15 Jet Trainer

In the air-war weaponry, the AVIC Defense Division has abandoned the ignorance of air warfare tactics research and started to focus on battlefield environment and combat models research. AVIC Defense Division has invited a great number of civilian or military experts to study the air-combat environment and concepts under the context of Military Revolution and Transformation. The company also makes seminars for deeper discussion of future military aviation equipment system and further designs the mid-term and outlook plan of company development.

J-10B fighter

Wang Ya-Wei stressed that the AVIC Defense Division will continue to focus on improvement of active-duty fighters, to accelerate the development of next generation fighter. AVIC Defense Division will fully push the development and market exploration of L-15 jet trainer to realize the products line of high-end and low-end collocation.

Wang says that the AVIC Defense Division will fully promote the research of uav, especially highlighting advanced drones. He also promises that the company will successfully make breakthrough in air-war missile system to provide cutting-edge weapons for Chinese Air Force and Naval Aviation Troops.

J-11 fighter, not a simple copy of Su-27

In the field of civil aviation, the AVIC Defense Division will actively participate in the development of China's largest commercial airline jet plane C919 and continue to promote the Bombardier C Series project. In the non-aviation products for civilian use development, the AVIC Defense Division will focus on the development of lithium-powered batteries and other new energy industry, expand the share of the automobile industry supporting, develop diesel EFI, electric cars, maglev trains and other key products for civilian use.

Wang Ya-Wei concluded that, according to defense planning to the development of branch in 2017 total output value will be at 160 billion, of which military revenues will account for about 70% of total revenue.

Some PLA Officers inspecting the development of Chinese Air Force Heavy Lifter (left below corner)

Skunk Works is an official alias for Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs (ADP), formerly called Lockheed Advanced Development Projects. Skunk Works is responsible for a number of famous aircraft designs, including the U-2, the SR-71, the F-117, and the F-22. Its largest current project is the F-35 Lightning II, which will be used in the air forces of several countries around the world.