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Why Can China Easily Replicate Soviet Weapons, But Struggles with American Ones?

Mr. Nobody
5 min readMay 9, 2024

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The terrifying aspect of American military technology

In 1956, China unveiled its first jet fighter, the J-5;
In 1958, China produced its inaugural domestic tank, the Type 59;

In 1984, China imported the American “Black Hawk” helicopter, yet the domestic counterpart, the Z-20, wasn’t operational until 2016.

China acquired a complete “Chinook” helicopter in 1975, but has yet to successfully replicate it…

Why Can China Easily Replicate Soviet Weapons, But Finds American Ones Challenging?

Could it be, as some online commentators speculate, that American weapons feature more sophisticated technology?

Such a view seriously underestimates Chinese researchers.

China’s reluctance to replicate American weapons stems not from incapability, but from a deliberate choice, driven by three main reasons.

Differences in Industrial Systems Between China and the USA

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Mr. Nobody
Mr. Nobody

Written by Mr. Nobody

Since I was young, I have always enjoyed reading biographies of historical figures, especially those about World War II, including documentaries and novels.

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