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LA NUOVA VIA DELLA SETA AEROSPAZIALE: La Cina sfida il monopolio occidentale

        From exercises in Qatar to global co‑production agreements: China’s geopolitical and commercial offensive to build a defence ecosystem alternative to the West’s     In mid‑May 2026, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV aired a report destined to draw the attention of international defence analysts. In the segment, later picked up by Asian media and the Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) community, Beijing claimed that the Chengdu J‑10CE fighter had achieved a “9‑0” result against an unspecified “advanced European aircraft”, comprising five close‑range dogfights and four beyond‑visual‑range (BVR) engagements .   Although the Chinese state network did not officially name the countries involved, most OSINT analysts linked the report to the “Zilzal‑II” bilateral exercise held over Qatar in January 2024, between Pakistan Air Force (PAF) J‑10CEs and Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) Eurofighter Typhoons. The exercis...
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When Safety Flies on the Edge of Paper: The Air India Case

Recently, India has been in the global spotlight due to an incident that highlighted how the commercial aviation safety system, while robust, can have vulnerabilities. An Air India Airbus A320 operated eight commercial flights without a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC), a fundamental document that certifies an aircraft meets safety standards and is fit to fly.

The case came to light when an engineer, during a routine check, noticed the aircraft’s ARC had expired. The plane was immediately grounded, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of India launched an investigation. Initial findings suggest the error occurred during the post-merger phase between Air India and Vistara, and a series of administrative and communication failures allowed the aircraft to depart despite the expired certificate.

How Could This Happen?

Many might assume that airline safety is solely controlled by the airline itself. In reality, the system is multi-layered and independent:

National and international aviation authorities (DGCA, EASA, FAA, ENAC) verify certificates, procedures, and maintenance.

CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation) monitors certificate validity and scheduled maintenance.

Part-145 organizations certify that maintenance work has been correctly performed.

Pilots and operational staff hold the final responsibility to refuse an unsafe flight.


However, as the Air India case shows, none of these layers prevented the aircraft from taking off in real time, largely because the airport tower and air traffic control do not have access to technical certificates. They can only stop a plane if visible issues or crew reports arise.

Technology as a Solution

Today, digital tools exist that could completely prevent such scenarios. A global database compiling all aircraft certificates, maintenance records, and crew qualifications in real time would allow towers and air traffic control to receive a simple Go/No Go before departure, making it practically impossible for an airline to bypass the rules.

Indeed, ICAO’s experimentation with digital systems, including electronic certificate registries and blockchain-based maintenance tracking, shows that this vision is already underway. One day, thanks to technology, incidents like the Air India case could become a thing of the past.

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