Recently, CCTV News made a rare public disclosure of the combat capabilities of my country's WZ-8 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.
This national strategic asset, dubbed the "Airborne Blade," first appeared at the 2019 National Day military parade. Its unique rocket-powered design, near-space flight capabilities, and precise aircraft carrier positioning have made it a focus of global military attention.
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The WZ-8's core advantage stems from its revolutionary technological design. It employs a flying-wing aerodynamic layout and a liquid rocket engine, eliminating the need for air-assisted combustion and carrying its own oxidizer, allowing for stable operation in near-space at an altitude of 20-100 kilometers.
This altitude falls between the upper limit of traditional air defense missile launch altitude and the lower limit of anti-missile system interception, creating a natural defensive vacuum. Combined with its hypersonic speed of Mach 3-6, it makes it "visible but undetectable" to enemy interception systems.
Simultaneously, its fuselage is covered with radar-absorbing materials, and its tailless design significantly reduces its radar cross-section. This perfect blend of stealth performance and high-speed maneuverability allows it to penetrate heavily fortified air defense systems.
In terms of combat capabilities, the WZ-8 reconnaissance aircraft is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar and electro-optical imaging system, achieving meter-level resolution. It can penetrate clouds and fog for all-weather reconnaissance, covering 200,000 square kilometers of sea area within 10 minutes, and can clearly identify the types of carrier-based aircraft on aircraft carrier decks.
It can be carried by a H-6K bomber to an altitude of 10,000 meters and launched, climbing to the predetermined altitude within 3 minutes. It then performs high-speed gliding reconnaissance and transmits target data back in real time, providing precise guidance for anti-ship missiles such as the DF-21D and DF-26. After completing its mission, it can autonomously glide back to base for reuse.
Of particular note is the WZ-8, the world's only operational near-space high-speed unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, unmatched by any other similar equipment.
Its development not only fills the gap in reconnaissance of high-value targets in the far seas but also disrupts the existing air defense landscape with its asymmetric advantages, significantly reducing the operational space of carrier battle groups.
