Winner of National Medals and National Honorary Titles|Wang Xiaomo: Spend his life to create "clairvoyance" for the motherland

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 17 (Xinhua) -- Wang Xiaomo: Spend his life building a "clairvoyant" for the motherland

Xinhua News Agency reporter Wen Jinghua

He presided over the development of China's first three-coordinate radar and many other world-advanced radars, and led China's early warning aircraft industry to achieve leapfrog and serial development...... He firmly believed that "the Chinese will definitely be able to do it" and built a "clairvoyant" for the motherland's national defense throughout his life.

He is Wang Xiaomo, a well-known radar expert on the mainland, a pioneer and founder of the early warning aircraft industry, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. On March 6, 2023, Wang Xiaomo passed away suddenly at the age of 84.

On the eve of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Wang Xiaomo was posthumously awarded the national honorary title of "People's Scientist".

"Stand guard for the country"

Wang Xiaomo said: The great significance of the radar undertaking is to stand guard for the country.

In 1961, Wang Xiaomo, who graduated from Beijing Institute of Technology (now Beijing Institute of Technology) majoring in radio, was assigned to the 14th Research Institute of the Tenth Research Institute of the Ministry of National Defense (now the 14th Institute of China Electronics Technology) to engage in radar research.

Radar is called a defense "clairvoyant". Since the 60s of the last century, three-coordinate radar has become the frontier field of international radar research at that time. Earlier, 14 institutes had begun the development of a three-coordinate radar with the help of Soviet specialists. In 1960, with the breakdown of Sino-Soviet relations, the Soviet Union withdrew its experts, leaving behind only a stack of materials.

At that time, the overall level of the mainland's electronics industry was not high, and there was an urgent need to develop its own radar equipment unit. In the face of the grim situation, Wang Xiaomo secretly decided: "We must make a world-class radar and win glory for the country!" ”

After some painstaking research, Wang Xiaomo creatively proposed the world's leading intra-pulse frequency sweep method at that time, which laid the foundation for future radar development. It was only a year later that the United Kingdom proposed the same technical solution.

In 1969, in response to the call of the country's "three-line" construction, Wang Xiaomo and his colleagues devoted themselves to the mountains of Qiannan, Guizhou, and established the 38th Research Institute of the Ministry of Electronics Industry (now the 38th Institute of China Electronics Industry), which opened the entrepreneurial years of the blue wisp of the road——

Living in a linoleum thatched hut with ventilation on all sides, transportation is inconvenient and food is scarce...... Under such difficult conditions, in 1972, Wang Xiaomo was appointed as the chief designer and presided over the development of the first domestic three-coordinate radar.

After more than ten years of bold innovation, painstaking research and development, and the darkest moment of countless test failures, in 1984, the mainland's first integrated, digital and automated three-coordinate radar was successfully launched in the ravine of Guizhou!

Since then, the mainland's three-coordinate radar has reached the international advanced level in one fell swoop, and the mainland's air defense radar has made a major leap from a single alert function to a precise command and guidance function. As a result, the three-coordinate radar family has become the backbone of the mainland's territorial air defense network.

Building China's Own "Fighting Machine"

The early warning aircraft is called the "air marshal's house", and having an early warning aircraft in the war is like "seeing someone 20 kilometers away striking a match with the naked eye in the middle of the night." In the 90s of the last century, AWACS aircraft have become an indispensable part of the war.

In February 1992, Wang Xiaomo was transferred to the post of director of the Military Industry Bureau of the China Electronics Industry Corporation, and started the demonstration and development of the mainland's early warning aircraft equipment. At that time, two views were at odds: some people believed that the demand was urgent, and "it is better to buy than to build"; Wang Xiaomo and others advocated independent research and development.

"It saves time and effort to buy from abroad, but once the war breaks out, as long as a few accessories are stuck abroad, the AWACS aircraft we bought back will not be used!" Wang Xiaomo argued with reason.

In the end, the state decided to "walk on two legs": while introducing foreign products for emergency needs, while cooperating with foreign parties to develop domestic early warning aircraft.

As the head of China's technology, Wang Xiaomo is well aware that "core technologies cannot be bought", and resolutely advocates and deploys domestic synchronous research and development. During this period, he pioneered a new type of early warning aircraft program with knapsack, large disc, and three-sided active phased array radar in the world.

In 2000, when foreign countries were forced to terminate cooperation with China under pressure, Wang Xiaomo strongly advocated the independent development of an early warning aircraft and took the initiative to ask Ying to preside over the development.

"You have to fight for your breath!" The high temperature of more than 40 degrees Celsius in summer, the severe cold of more than minus 30 degrees Celsius in winter, and the noise of more than 90 decibels did not make Wang Xiaomo flinch. He worked more than 10 hours a day in the poor conditions of the test site, just to realize the blueprint in his mind as soon as possible.

Hardships have been made to great things. After years of research, the research and development team has broken through more than 100 key technologies, and has obtained nearly 30 major patents, and the domestic early warning aircraft has created nine firsts in the history of the development of early warning aircraft in the world, and has become one of the world's farthest seen, most functional, and most complex airborne information weapons and equipment.

In 2009, at the military parade marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, China's early warning aircraft made its first public appearance in front of the world, leading the fleet to fly over Tiananmen Square. On the viewing platform, 70-year-old Wang Xiaomo burst into tears.

"Make China's AWACS the best"

Many old colleagues remember these scenes vividly: at the critical moment of the early warning aircraft project, Wang Xiaomo withstood the double blow of car accident and cancer, and insisted on communicating and working in the ward; Before he died, he had just finished chemotherapy, and he went straight to the venue to explain the overall key technology of the early warning aircraft......

But Wang Xiaomo only said: I feel very lucky to grow up and dedicate myself to this era.

In 2013, Wang Xiaomo won the highest national science and technology award. In the face of the spotlight, he was reluctant to talk more about his achievements, but he took out 4.5 million yuan of the 5 million yuan prize money and raised 20 million yuan from various sources to set up a radar innovation award fund to reward young people who have made contributions in the field of radar and early warning detection technology.

This is the heart of the fist that is willing to be a ladder for others-

In order to train young people, he often organizes thematic discussions and listens to everyone's opinions; He gives young people important project design, and at the same time gives specific guidance; He led the compilation of the "Radar Technology Series", which has influenced the growth of several generations of radar people.

Under his words and deeds, a group of young people have grown into leading talents who are in charge of their own affairs, and have accumulated development stamina for the mainland's early warning aircraft industry.

This is the pure affection of the exhausted child-

Until his old age, Wang Xiaomo still insisted on going to work and discussing technical issues with young people. In 2022, he led the establishment of an air-based technology laboratory to promote the transformation and upgrading of the early warning aircraft industry.

"The Chinese dream, at best, is a strong country and national rejuvenation, and in my case, it is to make China's early warning aircraft the best and outstanding." He said.

Wang Xiaomo left, and the road he opened up, the younger generations will continue to walk firmly. (ENDS)

Source: Xinhua News Agency