SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Strategies & Market Trends : 2026 TeoTwawKi ... 2032 Darkest Interregnum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/18/2025 10:43:04 PM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
perhaps the uncertainty is more re foundational aspects, like electricity generation, cost structure, talent pool, industrial vitamins, global market reception, etc etc etc and have little to do with tariffs ostensibly designed to protect / defend?

tourism
re direction of video entertainment in alignment / tracking with 2026 / 2032 / 2042
from Taiwan RoC media
from China PRC media
from VLOG media



To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/18/2025 11:41:05 PM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
propaganda for game science / black myth wukong




To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/19/2025 3:39:34 AM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
re <<manufacturing development>>

... requiring lots of rare earths, and new class of EV / diesel hybrid vehicles for export, goes well with battlefield modular pebble bed nuclear reactors, data / sensor fusion with all sorts of conflictscape machines, manned, unmanned, autonomous crawlers, swarms of fliers, etc etc

interesting arguments w/r who is enabling the conflict in the Ukraines
defencesecurityasia.com

China Unveils ZTZ-201: Fourth-Gen Medium Tank with Hybrid Propulsion, AI, and Drone-Killer Systems?

Summarise?

China’s new ZTZ-201 medium tank combines hybrid propulsion, AI-driven targeting, and anti-drone defenses, signaling a paradigm shift in PLA armored warfare doctrine.

On Aug 18, 2025
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — China is preparing to unveil its latest innovation in armored warfare, the ZTZ-201 medium main battle tank, during the upcoming Victory Day Parade in Beijing commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II.

The ZTZ-201 is not just another tank; it is a declaration of intent from Beijing that the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) is accelerating its modernization toward lighter, more networked, and more versatile platforms.

This new tank marks a departure from China’s historical reliance on heavy behemoths like the Type 99 (ZTZ-99), signaling a shift toward a doctrine that prioritizes mobility, active defenses, and digital integration over brute armor thickness.

For decades, the PLA armored corps has sought to catch up with, and eventually surpass, the armored doctrines of Russia and the West.

Now, with the ZTZ-201, Beijing appears to have taken a leap that reflects lessons drawn from contemporary conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine, where drones, loitering munitions, and networked fires have rewritten the rules of tank warfare.


ZT-201From Type 99 to ZTZ-201: Evolution of China’s Tank Doctrine

The PLA’s heavy armor legacy is best represented by the Type 96 and Type 99 families, which were designed to match or surpass Western MBTs such as the U.S. M1 Abrams and German Leopard 2.

But while these tanks delivered formidable firepower and protection, they were also cumbersome, logistically demanding, and increasingly vulnerable to modern anti-tank systems.

The emergence of the ZTZ-201 reflects a reorientation toward medium-weight designs that can be mass-produced, rapidly deployed, and integrated into China’s broader doctrine of network-centric warfare.

It is also part of a global trend in which militaries are reconsidering whether traditional 60–70 ton tanks remain viable in contested environments dominated by UAVs, precision strikes, and high mobility engagements.

Design Philosophy: A Tank for the 21st Century Battlefield

At its core, the ZTZ-201 embodies fourth-generation tank design principles—unmanned turrets, hybrid propulsion, AI-based targeting, and active protection systems.

Weighing approximately 35–40 tons, it is significantly lighter than the Type 99, positioning it within the medium tank class while still retaining the firepower needed to compete with NATO-standard MBTs.

Norinco, China’s defense manufacturing giant, developed the ZTZ-201 by building on technologies proven in the lighter Type 15 (ZTQ-15) tank while integrating new features that make it unique in China’s armored fleet.


ZT-201The tank’s modularity suggests Beijing is aiming not just for one vehicle but for a family of armored platforms, mirroring Russia’s Armata Universal Combat Platform concept.

Crew Configuration and Unmanned Turret

One of the most radical design choices of the ZTZ-201 is its unmanned turret, placing the commander, gunner, and driver in a protected capsule at the front of the hull.

This arrangement not only enhances crew survivability by isolating them from ammunition but also reflects a global shift in tank design, with Russia’s T-14 Armata pioneering a similar configuration.

The reduced profile lowers the tank’s silhouette, making it harder to detect and hit, while also minimizing the risk of catastrophic ammunition detonations.

However, unlike some Western designs, the ZTZ-201 appears to lack blowout panels, which raises concerns about whether crew survivability could still be compromised in a worst-case scenario.

Firepower: A New 105 mm Gun with Modular Options

The ZTZ-201 carries a next-generation 105 mm smoothbore gun, a departure from the 125 mm weapons traditionally mounted on Chinese heavy tanks.

Despite its smaller caliber, reports indicate that the new gun achieves muzzle velocities of around 1,706 m/s, giving it penetrative performance comparable to NATO’s 120 mm and Russia’s 125 mm systems.

This is likely achieved through advanced ammunition designs, including improved APFSDS rounds optimized for armor penetration at extended ranges.

Some analysts suggest that a 125 mm gun variant may also be available, indicating modularity in armament to tailor the tank for different mission profiles or export markets.

The ZTZ-201 also integrates a remote-controlled weapon station with counter-drone and air defense functions, underlining how the PLA now sees UAVs and loitering munitions as priority battlefield threats.

Hybrid Powertrain and Mobility

Powering the ZTZ-201 is a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system exceeding 1,500 horsepower.

The system enables the tank to reach road speeds of 84 km/h and off-road speeds of 40–60 km/h, making it one of the fastest tracked vehicles in its weight class.

The hybrid design allows for silent running in electric mode, reducing thermal and acoustic signatures and enabling stealthier operations such as ambushes or night maneuvers.

This innovation not only increases survivability but also reflects China’s investment in energy-efficient platforms designed to operate for extended periods in remote theaters such as the Tibetan plateau or Pacific island chains.

Protection: Active Defenses Over Armor

The ZTZ-201 prioritizes active and modular defenses rather than relying solely on passive armor.

Its Active Protection System (APS) reportedly offers 360-degree coverage, including top-attack intercepts, using millimeter-wave radar and possibly directed-energy or laser-based interceptors.

Modular armor units, combined with anti-RPG grilles, allow rapid adaptation for different operational environments.

Thermal shrouds and reduced acoustic signatures further lower its detectability, although analysts note the tank’s side armor appears relatively thin.

This indicates that Chinese doctrine increasingly emphasizes defeating threats before they strike, rather than absorbing hits through heavy plating.

Electronics, Sensors, and AI Integration

The ZTZ-201 is designed for a digitized battlefield, with at least 13 optical-lidar systems and quad-aspect radars providing comprehensive situational awareness.

AI-driven targeting systems automate detection, tracking, and engagement, reducing crew workload while enhancing accuracy and reaction times.

The integration of a Battlefield Information Management System (BIMS) connects the ZTZ-201 to PLA command networks, UAVs, and other assets, making it a true node in China’s network-centric warfighting ecosystem.

This integration mirrors NATO’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) concept, highlighting how China is converging with Western doctrines in digitalized warfare.

Drone-Killer Capabilities

One of the most striking features of the ZTZ-201 is its reported ability to counter drones.

With electronic warfare suites, vehicle-mounted counter-UAV systems, and X-band radar integration, the tank may be equipped to neutralize both surveillance and loitering munition threats.

This capability reflects lessons from Ukraine, where small drones have proven lethal against even the most heavily armored vehicles.

By integrating anti-drone functions directly into its armored platforms, China is positioning the ZTZ-201 as a survivable option in the drone-saturated battlefields of the 2020s.

Strategic Implications in Asia

The ZTZ-201 carries significant geo-strategic implications for China’s regional posture.

Its medium weight and high-altitude performance make it well-suited for deployment along the Himalayan frontier with India, where heavy tanks often struggle with logistics and mobility.

In a Taiwan contingency, the ZTZ-201’s amphibious and lightweight design could allow it to spearhead rapid island seizure operations in coordination with naval and airborne forces.

In the South China Sea, its modular design and hybrid propulsion make it suitable for deployment in dispersed formations across contested islands.

Comparisons with Global Fourth-Generation Tanks

When compared with the Russian T-14 Armata, Germany’s KF-51 Panther, and South Korea’s K2 Black Panther, the ZTZ-201’s emphasis on light weight and hybrid propulsion sets it apart.

While Western designs continue to rely heavily on large-caliber guns and thick armor, China’s ZTZ-201 reflects an emphasis on scalability, cost-effectiveness, and production volume.

This approach could enable the PLA to field hundreds, if not thousands, of ZTZ-201 units, overwhelming adversaries with numbers and digital integration rather than relying on technological overmatch alone.

Lessons from Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has demonstrated that tanks, while still critical, must evolve or risk irrelevance.

Heavy armor has proven vulnerable to precision-guided munitions, drones, and loitering weapons, leading militaries worldwide to rethink the role of tanks in future conflicts.

The ZTZ-201 is Beijing’s answer to this challenge: a medium-weight, networked, actively protected platform optimized for survivability in environments where UAVs and smart munitions dominate.

China’s emphasis on electronic warfare and drone-killer technologies in the ZTZ-201 directly reflects battlefield lessons observed from both Ukraine and Syria.

Future Variants and Modular Family

Reports suggest that the ZTZ-201 is only the beginning of a broader armored vehicle family.

Norinco is believed to be working on infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) and support variants built on the same chassis, reducing costs and simplifying logistics.

This modularity mirrors Russia’s Armata family and could allow China to field a standardized suite of platforms covering multiple roles from armor to mechanized infantry.

Such an approach would also enhance China’s ability to export the system to allies and partners, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, where cost-effective and digitally advanced armored vehicles are in demand.

Conclusion: A Paradigm Shift in Armored Warfare

The ZTZ-201 is more than just a new tank.

It is a symbol of China’s broader strategy to redefine armored warfare for the 21st century, emphasizing mobility, digital integration, and active protection over outdated concepts of heavy armor dominance.

By unveiling the ZTZ-201 during the Victory Day Parade, Beijing is not only commemorating history but also signaling the future of its military-industrial ambition.

As the Indo-Pacific becomes the central arena of global strategic competition, the ZTZ-201 represents China’s intent to ensure its armored forces remain not only relevant but dominant in the conflicts to come.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA



To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/19/2025 11:44:21 PM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
tourism
location shots in space for coming movie, interesting approach to commerce
back on earth


digging up the past
mining what once was
taking gaming to another level




To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/20/2025 12:47:51 AM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
re <<manufacturing>>








zerohedge.com

Europe To Spend $100BN It Doesn't Have, To Buy Weapons America Doesn't Have, To Arm Soldiers Ukraine Now Lacks

BY TYLER DURDEN

WEDNESDAY, AUG 20, 2025 - 12:00 AM

Part of Zelensky's motive for wearing a suit Monday to the White House has become clearer with fresh reporting in the Financial Times, which reviewed a document showing Ukraine will promise to buy $100 billion of American weapons financed by Europe in a bid to obtain robust US security guarantees.

Additionally, "Under the proposals, Kyiv and Washington would also strike a $50bn deal to produce drones with Ukrainian companies that have pioneered the technology since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022," the report continues. Ukraine pitched its plan during the Monday White House summit, which also involved seven EU leaders - and the $100BN arms deal became part of the key talking points pushed by the European allies.

[url=]Getty Images[/url]

This is an effort by design meant to ensure Ukraine can procure what it wants - and that its war efforts can still be funded uninterrupted - while still ultimately appeasing Trump. "We’re not giving anything. We’re selling weapons," Trump had said Monday in response to a reporter's question on the matter.

It remains very obvious that Europe's demands of keeping up huge pressure on Russia, including through sanctions, are intended to stymie any US-backed deal seen as too favorable to Moscow. The FT report comments on this as follows:
The document details how Ukraine intends to make a counter-pitch to the US after Trump appeared to align himself with Russia’s position for ending the war following his meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week.
It reiterates Ukraine's call for a ceasefire that Trump had espoused but then dropped after his Putin meeting in favor of the pursuit of a comprehensive peace settlement.

Geopolitical analyst and commentator Glenn Diesen has pointed out, however, that Kiev is essentially attempting to create leverage out of nothing.

"Europe will spend $100 billion it does not have, to buy weapons from America that it does not have, to arm soldiers that Ukraine now lacks," he wrote, explaining further: "This is to confront Russia, which for 30 years warned it would respond to NATO militarizing its borders."

Diesen followed by doing something that Washington policy-makers refuse to do, and that is look at the big picture of how we got here [emphasis ZH]:
There was no threat to Ukraine before 2014, as only a tiny minority of Ukrainians wanted to join NATO, and Russia laid no claim to any of Ukraine's territory. Western governments then supported a coup to pull Ukraine into NATO's orbit - something that CIA Directors, Ambassadors, and Western state leaders had warned would instigate a security competition and likely trigger a war.
Russia predictably reacted fiercely. Ever since then, the only acceptable narrative has been that Russia wants to restore the Soviet Union and that Putin is Hitler. Any dissent is labelled as "disinformation", "propaganda", "hybrid warfare", or even treason.
The war has now been lost, and the Americans are pulling away from it, asking the Europeans to absorb the consequences. How do the Europeans respond? By doubling down on this madness, which will destroy Ukraine, our economies, and our relevance in the world - and possibly trigger a nuclear war. - What is the strategy? More of the same? The best thing for Ukraine is to remove it from the frontlines of the geopolitical struggle over where to draw the new dividing lines in Europe: End the war, rebuild Ukraine, and replace expansionist military blocs with the principle of indivisible security.

This week, as negotiations proceed and Europe keeps up its drive to pile more and more pressure on Putin, the big question will be whether the Western side can indeed understand that it has lost the proxy war.

Many immense hurdles remain, and one could also point out there are too many cooks in the kitchen (judging by the over a half-dozen European leaders present in the Oval yesterday), making things all the more unnecessarily complicated - and that's probably by design.

* * *

Glenn Greenwald agrees with this bleak assessment of Europe's role in thwarting peace...



To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/20/2025 1:03:09 AM
From: TobagoJack1 Recommendation

Recommended By
Julius Wong

  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 217573
 
re <<manufacturing>>
... dutch cherry tomatos, chinese lotus roots, bamboo innards, yam, and japanese vinegar, all organic, be this day's lunch



To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/20/2025 2:54:59 AM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
Re <<manufacturing>>

… and clever design, using excess rare earths magnets, since Ford, GM, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Newport News naval yard and such do not need as much given trade war or some such




To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/21/2025 11:54:12 PM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
tourism
the quiet part out-loud
copium from china-china-china channel







To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/22/2025 11:15:13 PM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
re <<manufacturing>> ... for 'when that day comes', am told, at 2-3k per smack, cheaper by the dozen, carried by one operator per squad, say 10 smacks per controller per squad as close-at-hand close-air support, seems good value, and likely un-good for opponents without cure

carrier backpack likely free and reusable

apparently can do friend-foe discernment

day-night operation

prevents opponents from going to toilet or cooking

effective in urban / trench arena-scape as well as good for open-field and cave operations

single-button operation, swarm-able

if dropped out of large unmanned carrier, we do not know what happens as never tried, but would seem to blurred the line between tactical and strategic

unclear if for export, but guessing yes, albeit probably geo-fenced away and out of friendly and otherwise allied territories far and away from Team China on the other side of air-wall




To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/22/2025 11:26:11 PM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
re <<warns>>

end of the line for German automative, for the lady about to swan-song
expression likely by unemployment (say 15%), societal pressure ripping seams, a reasonable guess, given Euro currency protocol

whereas the end to Japan automotive would express primarily by exchange rate (say towards 280 / 250 to 1) as well as unemployment (say 10%), another guess, and

in any case both Germany and Japan likely de-valued towards 3rd-world-dom



To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/23/2025 12:28:26 AM
From: TobagoJack  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 217573
 
re <<manufacturing>>


lots of lots
make make make
one jet fighter per 48 hours, dumpling-style
ouchie






reminders







To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/23/2025 2:35:05 AM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
re <<manufacturing>> nothing important when considered in onesies and twosies

scmp.com

AI scientist Cao Ting leaves Microsoft lab for China’s Tsinghua University?

Summarise?

Updated: 1:48pm, 22 Aug 2025

Cao’s new role follows the tech giant’s decision to restrict work by Chinese scientists and relocate Beijing-based researchers to Canada



Cao Ting, a leading artificial intelligence researcher and former research manager at Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA), has left the US tech giant to join Tsinghua University, as AI becomes a new front in the US-China tech rivalry.

According to the university’s website, Cao left MSRA in July to join Tsinghua’s Institute for AI Industry Research under Zhang Yaqin, a former MSRA managing director.

The Beijing-based MSRA, established by Bill Gates in 1998 to tap China’s “deep pool of intellectual talent” and once hailed as the “hottest computer lab in the world”, is under growing pressure.



To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/23/2025 2:37:26 AM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
re <<manufacturing>> nothing important when considered in twosies and threesies

scmp.com

Award-winning HIV scientist Shan Liang leaves US to join Chinese research institute?

Summarise?

Updated: 2:29pm, 23 Aug 2025


Tenured professor at WashU Medicine is at least third senior researcher to leave the US for Shenzhen medical research academy SMART

Award-winning HIV scientist Shan Liang, a tenured associate professor at the Washington University School of Medicine (WashU Medicine), has taken up a full-time role in Shenzhen, southern China’s tech and innovation hub.

He has joined the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART) as a senior researcher and will head its Institute of Human Immunology, according to an announcement on SMART’s official social media account on August 15.

Shan has dedicated himself to studying the mechanisms of immunobiology of HIV infection and developing strategies to combat the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or Aids.

With the exception of a few bone-marrow transplant cases, nobody has been cured of HIV. “I am particularly interested in identifying unknown immune mechanisms to clear HIV,” Shan said in an interview in the US last year.

SMART hailed his studies as “having laid an important foundation for elucidating the immune mechanisms of HIV infection and developing functional cure strategies”.

“He has discovered new mechanisms by which HIV kills target cells, which is very important for the development of a new generation of drugs,” said Zhang Linqi, director of the Comprehensive Aids Research Centre at Tsinghua University.



To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/24/2025 4:28:16 AM
From: TobagoJack  Respond to of 217573
 
re <<uncertainty>> ... I just no longer know ... and shall stay tuned 3rd September in playroom, TV on, snacks keep coming for 70 min, cold drinks flowing, and get to the bottom of this one featured below if actually real-real as opposed to AI / CGI, like WHAT THE F*&^%$$%#W^K can it possibly be? If real, as all parade gizmos, gadgets, widgets, doodads, then already in service by way of serial production





To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/24/2025 4:57:03 AM
From: TobagoJack1 Recommendation

Recommended By
Pogeu Mahone

  Respond to of 217573
 
dunno, maybe, perhaps, possibly, another but later iteration Message 35235621 , for some utility ?!

depending on service ceiling, like beyond reach of SAMs, might fit into some niche tactics, who can know until we know ?

3rd sept on streaming of parade ?
twz.com
China Reveals Exotic Flying Saucer-Shaped “Armed Helicopter” Concept (Updated)

or

or

or




To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/24/2025 5:16:17 AM
From: TobagoJack  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 217573
 
hmmmnnnn

start at 7:20 mark




To: Julius Wong who wrote (216034)8/24/2025 1:08:23 PM
From: TobagoJack  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 217573
 
Macro