China has reportedly established a new military department to develop new technology and state-of-the-art weapon systems.

The Scientific Research Steering Committee was set up early this year and revealed for the first time in a documentary that aired recently on state broadcaster CCTV, the South China Morning Post reported .

The committee will fall directly under the Central Military Commission chaired by President Xi Jinping.

The newspaper reported two episodes of the 10-part series -- Carrying Reform Through to the End -- which was broadcast Sunday and Monday.

The broadcast suggests the new agency is similar to the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, also known as DARPA.

"As everyone knows, the internet, global positioning systems, stealth fighters, electromagnetic guns, laser weapons as well as other advanced technologies -- most are DARPA-related," a voice-over is the series says. "We should make greater efforts to promote scientific technology in our army if we want to win the competitive advantage."

China is one of several countries in Asia, including Japan and South Korea, launching a military research and development arm to counter the advancements of DARPA -- and with good reason, experts say.

"It is natural that China and other countries are trying to establish DARPA-like organizations that can marry cutting-edge science and technology for defense applications," Richard Weitz, director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute, a think tank in Washington, D.C., told Science last March.

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Slovakia deploys Saab's Carl-Gustaf M4 weapon
Washington (UPI) Jul 18, 2017
Slovakia has received Saab's new Carl-Gustaf M4 multi-role weapon, becoming the first country to deploy the new variant of the weapon system. The delivery of the 84mm man-portable reusable anti-tank weapon system took place this month, Saab said Tuesday in a news release, but offered no further details of the order. Slovakia currently uses the M3 variant of the shoulder fired wea ... read more

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