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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
Technology
Asharq Al-Awsat

China's Drone Carrier Hints at 'Swarm' Ambitions for Pacific

Drone China United States Beijing Ocean Pacific Ocean
Last month, Chinese researchers published a drone swarm experiment allegedly showing devices autonomously navigating a dense patch of bamboo forest Handout Yuman Gao and Rui Jin/AFP

Officially it is just a research vessel, but China's newly unveiled drone carrier is a clear sign Beijing is rushing to deploy an autonomous swarm of unmanned devices in its push for military supremacy in the Pacific Ocean.

State media last month showed the launching of the Zhu Hai Yun -- "Zhu Hai Cloud" -- capable of transporting an unspecified number of flying drones as well as surface and submarine craft, and operating autonomously thanks to artificial intelligence, AFP said.

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