Chinese UAV/UCAV development

I wonder if that's a VIP plane parked off the side of the runway. You'd figure they would give a first flight a wide space yet you see all those onlookers next to the runway.

AssassinsMace said:

I wonder if that's a VIP plane parked off the side of the runway. You'd figure they would give a first flight a wide space yet you see all those onlookers next to the runway.

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Yes that is indeed a PLAAF VIP plane

Almost a year since the public taxi test, is this the real first flight or just the first public one ?

Schumacher said:

Almost a year since the public taxi test, is this the real first flight or just the first public one ?

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I think it is the real first flight. Otherwise they wouldn't have sent the VIP plane.

Fine !!!!! ... and that flight took place in Nanchang at Hongdu's facility ??

By the way could it be that the images we got posted as the H-18 were in fact psed images of the Lijian simply to confuse ???

Deino

siegecrossbow said:

I think it is the real first flight. Otherwise they wouldn't have sent the VIP plane.

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I honestly don't think this is the first flight. Like all the other test flights, they won't make it public unless they are 100% sure everything is safe. The fact that a VIP plane is parked nearby supports this view. No VIP would park his plane next to another plane that no one knows what would happen when taking into the air. Additionally, they would not invite a VIP and the VIP would not have come if they were not 100% sure of the outcome of the test flight, meaning that they must have done this before, multiple times. If anything happens, the VIP would be embarrassed to be connected to such event and the head of the UAV program would be demoted / fired. No one wants to take that kind of risk, not in China, not in the US, not in anywhere in the world.

This is simply a PR event. They reported their performance to the govn't. And the govn;t is very satisfied with that they have done and a VIP is sent to congratulate them. And they were simply showing the VIP what they have achieved.

All in one image ... But where was this taken ???

We know the Soaring Dragon UAV is a CAC/GAIC project ... the Sharp Sword UCAV is reportedly from SAC/HAIC and the JL-9 again from GAIC !

So what the hell does the Sharp Sword - if it is not a GAIC project to at Anshun/Huangguoshu where GAIC is at home ???? Or am I wrong ??

Deino

Where is lijian in that picture? Is it the hangar? Because it's so doctored I can't even tel

Yes, it's in the hangar. You can make out the shape of it, one of its wings is visible.

Bltizo said:

Where is lijian in that picture? Is it the hangar? Because it's so doctored I can't even tel

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Hmmm I think it looks at least like a flying wing design !

But if it is - IMO from what I've heard nearly sure ! taken at Nanchang, where HAIG is at home, what are the Soaring Dragon and the JL-9 doing there ??? .... or if it is at Anshun/Huangguoshu where GAIC is at home, what then does the Sharp Sword is doing there ???

Deino