it's an official disclosure of a capability they do not wish to disclose ... at all.
When they say all the inputs are manual, it doesn't work, it has low rate of success, it needs debugging, it's got teething issues etc etc, you can trust that there is a degree of a requirement to downplay literally every *revealed* capability... capabilities they don't even want to reveal. In this case they only mentioned some part had a manual input. I mean it could have actually been manual input in pursuing target or firing.
In this case, some bare deterrence comes from letting others know you do have *some* unknown level of a purposeful, established, organised, BMD system that isn't just IAD but a dedicated command/military sub-branch. You can't exactly just tell them that you've already perfected all the components and systems, they work well, they have been mass produced for many years, you're trained up, you've been practicing non stop (although Americans know this since they surely observe all the hundreds of tests from space and from aegis destroyers in west pac.), and that being a leading nation in IOT, automation, software, narrow AI, computing etc, China has been integrating this established BMD command with machine learning and automation where suitable. I mean this very much a given. In fact it's one of the easier parts to do in establishing a dedicated BMD command structure... easier for China that is, after all, them's their specialties as much as fanboys and copers want to deny to themselves.
China has always been a player in BMD ever since the 1960s with Project 640 and its successors. With actual BMD missiles since early 1970s (disclosed so possibly even earlier). HQ-19/26/29 were being tested before Russians were shooting their S-500. Intercepting LEO sats flying at mach 20 or so first go 100% kinetic kill hit in 2007 only shows the tracking and electronics tech.
We've known about the next generation of BMD interceptors since hints began flying in the 2000s. Next gen as in replacing the FJ series of BMD interceptors from the 1960s to 1980s.
We've had China officially disclosing tests (which the Americans can attest to I'm sure) for over a decade now. And these aren't ASAT tests but against MIRV, MaRV, and probably much more these days.
To believe the current establishment uses manual inputs is falling for the most clear and obligatory downplaying China simply has to do as a nation in second place gunning for position 1. Second place never wants first place to know exactly where it is and exactly how things are. First place always needs to overplay and overstate because it helps cement their lead in the eyes of their own and others, second place gains nothing from exposing just how close or how much of a peer it actually is. That only invites unnecessary attention. This is also often why you have third rate nations and fanboys claim they are the real number 2 or actually number 1s lol. They simply don't matter at all and it risks nothing for them to reveal everything they have and can do. No one of importance is after Turkey so they can parade a plastic model and claim to be world's premier drone hyperpower just on the back of TB-2 propaganda victories. TB-2, a thoroughly average second rate MALE drone with componentry sources from many places.
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