UCAVs are most suitable for use in COIN missions traditionally, because of their slow speed, but long loiter time, they are very good at staying on station for hours or days at a time just waiting for a target to present itself.
Traditionally, conventional UCAVs would not normally be used in frontline actions because their lack of self defence capabilities, slow speed and poor reaction times would make them easy targets for enemy air assets and ground based integrated air defences.
However, I have a theory that the PLA may be seeking to use them in a broader frontline role than traditional.
Unlike other major powers, the PLA seems to have neglected CAS in its military modernisation. It has the Q5, but those are both few in number now, and really outdated.
It seems like an obvious and glaring omission in context of the methodical and systematic nature of the rest of the PLAAF's modernisation programme.
As I said, conventional UCAVs are normally best suited for COIN ops, but given that the security situation inside China, the regular police and PAP are able to comfortably deal with any and all armed terrorist or insurgent attacks by themselves without needing to resort to drone strikes.
Thus, the extremely strong interest the PLA (as opposed to the PAP if China really was worried about a significant upsurge in the scale of terrorist attacks inside China) has shown UCAVs, and the many programmes they are funding, I have a theory that the PLA intends to use armed drones like the CH5 as frontline CAS assets in any large scale conventional war.
Their air assets would be concerned primarily with air dominance and deep strike missions against high value fixed targets deep behind the frontline and SEAD/DEAD ops against enemy air defences, thus the emphasis on the likes of the MKK, JH7, J16 and proposed next gen striker/bomber.
I believe the PLA intends to use massed UCAVs to provide the bulk of its CAS for advancing ground troops.
24/7 UCAV support on the front line would give field commanders and maybe even individual platoons and squads real time tactical intel on enemy troop movements in their area of operation, allowing them to direct artillery and deploy troops most effectively.
The drones will be there mainly to provide battlefield surveillance for the ground troops, but would also be able to offer near instant precision fire support if any units run into unexpected trouble.
The PLA has always preferred specialist roles over multi-role, so this fits their mentality perfectly.
Their fighter jocks will be freed to go hunt enemy fighters, while their strikers can focus on striking high value targets rather than spend hours "babysitting" the ground pounders.
If someone does take a shot to the drones with a SAM, that is preferably to them doing it to a manned platform, and would expose them to a visit by PLAAF manned wild weasels.
The PLA are by no means there yet, but I think that is where they would like to be and what they are working towards.
