Chinese UAV/UCAV development

Re: New Chinese UAV

Here's a better article on the UAV and AR-1 missile:


CH-3 UAV, which has displayed in Zhuhai Airshow 2008, this time is firstly introduced in BRIDEX 2009. CH-3 Unmanned Attacking Aircraft Vehicle is powered by propeller and can carry two AR-1 anti-tank missiles. Chinese company even introduced the detailed information to Brunei Royal Air Force Commander, Brigadier General Dato Paduka Hj Mahmud Bin Hj Saidin. AR-1 missile is also one new “visitor” in this Exhibition. AR-1 has the semi-active laser guided system and can destroy the target at 8 km distance. PTI announces that AR-1 missile can penetrate armor target with 1000 mm armor plate and 1200mm reinforced concrete.

The UAV is intended for attacking targets like vehicles, buildings, bunkers, boats, etc. Not carriers.

Re: New Chinese UAV

An aircraft with the performance characteristics of a Cessna wouldn't last five minutes against any modern army. I'm laughing, this is the same discussion board who's members defended to the death the notion that a MANPAD could defeat a cruise missile, yet here we are with members positing that something as achingly slow and unstealthy as a high wing Cessna could approach near enough to the missile saturated battlefield of a modern army to attack tanks. ROTFLMAO! An Apache or Tiger could is faster and more maneuverable than any Cessna and they have to use terrain or foliage masking to hide behind when attacking armored formations. The latest versions of Hellfire feature an active radar seeker allowing the helo to fire in the blind, letting the missile find it's target while the helo egresses to a safer position.
Those small UAV do not weigh more than 200 lbs. They are no threat to a carrier in and of themselves as weapons, they are just too small to do more than very minor damage, but as disposable reconnaissance platforms they could provide valuable information on the disposition of an enemy naval force. Such a platform would not be able to carry much in the way of sensors or radio gear, so their utility is limited, but perhaps the trade off is a larger and slower UAV like a Predator would not be able to penetrate a carrier's radars successfully.
There could possibly be some mission for them in term of electronic warfare or perhaps ELINT using passive sensors.

Re: New Chinese UAV

relax guy

I think the UAV is small enough to evade detection until its too late. And even if its shot down, much better than losing a helicopter and lives.

Re: New Chinese UAV

Maybe you want to tell the American Military that so they would stop wasting money operating Predators then.

UCAVs are a supplement, not a replacement to a standard manned assets. Better to send in a wave of these and let the enemy waste munitions and expose their positions shooting down cheap drones then to use manned platforms.

Re: New Chinese UAV

His job is to poo-poo everything PLA does. Sorry, PLA generals' IQ are orders of magnitudes higher.

Re: New Chinese UAV

CH-3 belong to a 600 plus kg UAV,by contrast predator weight more than 1000 kg..
unless a follow on to CH-3 that could match predator UAV range and bomb load.

Re: New Chinese UAV

challenge said:

CH-3 belong to a 600 plus kg UAV,by contrast predator weight more than 1000 kg..
unless a follow on to CH-3 that could match predator UAV range and bomb load.

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I think it is a recce/ELINT UAV, and it's small size could work to it's advantage in a radar saturated environment. I'm sure China is looking at every possible way to locate and target American CVSG's. It's inexpensive enough to be built in quantity and be considered expendable.

Re: New Chinese UAV

Ambivalent said:

I think it is a recce/ELINT UAV, and it's small size could work to it's advantage in a radar saturated environment. I'm sure China is looking at every possible way to locate and target American CVSG's. It's inexpensive enough to be built in quantity and be considered expendable.

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What's the range and endurance on it? A carrier group can cover a lot of ocean, and I will bet you that they won't stay still, and that they will stay far enough away to avoid detection.

Re: New Chinese UAV

Where did the idea that the CH3 will be used for carrier hunting come from? Its quite clearly a land recon/ land attack UCAV.

There is the Chinese global hawk lookalike that we have pictures and videos of taxiing about which would make a far more suitable long range maritime patrol and recon UAV.

Re: New Chinese UAV

The more likely use of UAV against a carrier group would be acting as decoy, with modified radar signature to simulate fighter or bomber, with aim of drawing fire and expanding AAM/SAM stocks from carrier group's CAP and escorts.

The UAV will probably be cheap retired J6 and J7s, loaded with explosive or anti-ship missiles and and on a one way kamikaze trip.

The new UAV will serve as designed, in recon and destroy missions against land targets and small sea vessels. They have very slim chance of getting through CAP and escort defence unless they possess stealth.