US software'not used' in China's helicopters
By Yang Jian |
July 27, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S Ministry of Defense yesterday denied that the country's most advanced attack helicopter used pirated US technology.
According to media reports, a Canadian subsidiary of Connecticut-based military contractor United Technologies Corp pleaded guilty in June to federal charges that it helped China develop the Z-10 attack helicopter's engine.
However, Yang Yujun, a defense ministry spokesman, told reporters: "China's attack helicopters and their engines are all self-developed, and have proprietary intellectual property rights."
Yang said the development of China's military equipment had always followed the principle of independent innovation, and relied on its own capabilities in research and production.
The so-called piracy "is far from the truth," he said.
The Canadian subsidiary, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp, violated the Arms Export Control Act by providing the Chinese with 10 engines to power Z-10 helicopters in 2001 and 2002, according to foreign media, citing an announcement by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut.
Export violations
Technology for the engines, the US authorities said, had originally been created for US military helicopters.
Pratt & Whitney Canada pleaded guilty on June 28 to illegally exporting to China the American military software used to operate the engines.
It also agreed to pay more than US$75 million in fines in connection with export violations and for providing misleading information to the US government.
The Z-10 is China's first modern military attack helicopter and considered its most advanced attack helicopter. It seats two people and is designed mainly to attack tanks, armored vehicles and other ground forces.
The helicopter can be equipped with weaponry including machine guns, cannons, rockets and missiles, according to pictures released by Xinhua news agency.
Meanwhile, Yang said China's refitted aircraft carrier won't be commissioned on China's Army Day, August 1.
But he said that the carrier had "attained the anticipated objectives" during its nine sea trials and would be carrying out more scientific experiments as scheduled.
According to media reports, a Canadian subsidiary of Connecticut-based military contractor United Technologies Corp pleaded guilty in June to federal charges that it helped China develop the Z-10 attack helicopter's engine.
However, Yang Yujun, a defense ministry spokesman, told reporters: "China's attack helicopters and their engines are all self-developed, and have proprietary intellectual property rights."
Yang said the development of China's military equipment had always followed the principle of independent innovation, and relied on its own capabilities in research and production.
The so-called piracy "is far from the truth," he said.
The Canadian subsidiary, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp, violated the Arms Export Control Act by providing the Chinese with 10 engines to power Z-10 helicopters in 2001 and 2002, according to foreign media, citing an announcement by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut.
Export violations
Technology for the engines, the US authorities said, had originally been created for US military helicopters.
Pratt & Whitney Canada pleaded guilty on June 28 to illegally exporting to China the American military software used to operate the engines.
It also agreed to pay more than US$75 million in fines in connection with export violations and for providing misleading information to the US government.
The Z-10 is China's first modern military attack helicopter and considered its most advanced attack helicopter. It seats two people and is designed mainly to attack tanks, armored vehicles and other ground forces.
The helicopter can be equipped with weaponry including machine guns, cannons, rockets and missiles, according to pictures released by Xinhua news agency.
Meanwhile, Yang said China's refitted aircraft carrier won't be commissioned on China's Army Day, August 1.
But he said that the carrier had "attained the anticipated objectives" during its nine sea trials and would be carrying out more scientific experiments as scheduled.
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