While it has no immediate prospect of addressing its relative weakness in fighter aircraft, it is keen to boost its role as a provider of the clever electronics that they need.
China's ZTE, which has somehow silently risen through the ranks to become the world's number six phone manufacturer by volume, is said to be prepping a renewed global assault that will see it move beyond its typical role as a provider of low-end dumbphone fare to occupy the low-end smartphone niche, a market with traditionally limited choice.