The Diplomat | Author
Rick Joe
Rick Joe is a longtime follower of Chinese military developments, with a focus on air and naval platforms.
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September 29, 2020
003 and More: An Update on China’s Aircraft Carriers
By Rick Joe
Over the past year, disparate elements of the Chinese Navy’s carrier development program have continued to progress and come together.

August 21, 2020
Whispers of 076, China’s Drone Carrying Assault Carrier
By Rick Joe
What do we know so far about China’s next amphibious assault ship?

July 12, 2020
The Chinese Navy’s Destroyer Fleet Will Double by 2025. Then What?
By Rick Joe
China is about to finish the current phase of destroyer construction. What comes next?

May 15, 2020
What Will the Chinese Navy’s Next Frigate Look Like?
By Rick Joe
The U.S. Navy has chosen its next frigate; what will China’s look like?

April 16, 2020
Flankers vs Gripens: What Happened at the Falcon Strike 2015 Exercise?
By Rick Joe
A Chinese test pilot's lecture in December 2019 about the exercise sparked renewed discussion over the details.

March 03, 2020
China’s Military Advancements in the 2010s: Naval and Strike
By Rick Joe
Reviewing major and visible developments of the Chinese PLA Navy and missile force over the last decade.

February 05, 2020
China’s Military Advancements in the 2010s: Air and Ground
By Rick Joe
Reviewing the most major and visible developments the PLA and Chinese military industry have experienced in the 2010s.

December 20, 2019
PLA Watching: A Beginner’s Guide to Analyzing China’s Military Tech
By Rick Joe
How to best track and make sense of new Chinese weapons development.

November 27, 2019
China’s Growing High-End Military Drone Force
By Rick Joe
China's People's Liberation Army is deploying increasingly sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned combat aerial vehicles.

October 21, 2019
Reviewing China’s National Day Parade
By Rick Joe
An in-depth look at the Chinese People's Liberation Army parade on October 1.

September 20, 2019
Beyond China's J-20 Stealth Fighter
By Rick Joe
Is a carrierborne FC-31 in the works? And what about Chinese 6th generation prospects?

August 16, 2019
China's J-20 Stealth Fighter Today and Into the 2020s
By Rick Joe
What's the current status of the J-20 and what may lie in the stealth fighter’s future going into the 2020s?