China is focusing on those fields. The J-20 is just great for national pride.
Chinese UAV/UCAV development
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China is focusing on those fields. The J-20 is just great for national pride.
And a legitimate capability.
A quesrion: do we know if GJ-11 is in service or not? What kind of weapon does it carry? What would be the strike radius with typical loadout?
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GJ-11 mockup was displayed at the parade. Allegedly, a press conference spokesman said all the systems displayed were in service . That was a year ago. So in some likelihood, a small number of GJ-11 are more likely to be in service than not. Possibly in some sort of initial operability phase, where the system is still assessed by PLAAF. Perhaps akin to J-20, when first airframes were delivered to PLAAF testing and training units, but before first frontline unit received them.
As far as I know, there was never any official indication or an image of the weaponry it carries. One can assume that it carries various bombs.
Strike radius is unknown. We don't even know what engine the final variant uses. Judging solely by size and shape, and using other similar demonstrators - one could assume its ferry range is anywhere between 3 and 5 thousand km. Which should translate to combat radius of 1000 to 1500 km, if flying high and carrying some not-unexpected-for-its-size loadout of 2000 kg worth of bombs.
As far as I know, there was never any official indication or an image of the weaponry it carries. One can assume that it carries various bombs.
Strike radius is unknown. We don't even know what engine the final variant uses. Judging solely by size and shape, and using other similar demonstrators - one could assume its ferry range is anywhere between 3 and 5 thousand km. Which should translate to combat radius of 1000 to 1500 km, if flying high and carrying some not-unexpected-for-its-size loadout of 2000 kg worth of bombs.
I assume KD88/YJ83 can fit in its weapon bay but not YJ12? Would it make sense if there is a smaller supersonic AShM in the pipeline? Any word there?
If you can fit a YJ-83, you can probably fit a YJ-91/YJ-93 in it. That's already your smaller airborne supersonic ASHM.
I assume it won't! Both ASM/AGMs are of a much larger calibre and wight that the regular LS-500J (or JG-500) we know, which has a length of 3.53 m, whereas the YJ-83K is 5.14m long.
I know the model does not show any of the discussed weapons but surely not a larger one.
Stealth UCAVs are pretty much taking over the role occupied by the F-117.
I actually disagree with this approach of large stealth UCAVs, geometry and material science may make a large aircraft slightly more stealthy. But the RCS is still going to be massive. Cost goes up because you need bigger engines, hacks to make a large object stealthy, more complex geometry, more complex fly by wire systems, etc.
THE future is not large UAV platforms. It will be small missile carrying micro done operating in a swarm.
Design philosophy should to be making UAVs smaller not bigger. Kind of like MIRV warheads on a ICBM. Multiple small warheads is impossible to intercept compared to one large warhead.
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