Chinese UAV/UCAV development

siegecrossbow said:

You have to keep in mind that Beidou is a relatively recent thing, and even then higher ups in the PLA were skeptical of satellite guided munitions due to potential for satellite jamming/interference. This has changed, however.

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However, PLAGF already used

Biscuits said:

There is no rationale for not having them in service.

IIRC Russian commented on heavy pgm use from PLA forces during the joint exercises.

PLA is mostly releasing photos of the common loadouts, and it is possible that pgms isn't in the usual loadout because the air force fighters have a by default defensive loadout focused on air warfare and sead.


This looks very fanciful even as a concept art given that GJ11 should not be able to keep up speed wise with the J20... Isn't the Gj11 subsonic?

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Only Laser Guided Bomb. But we are talking about JDAM and SDB.

Biscuits said:

This looks very fanciful even as a concept art given that GJ11 should not be able to keep up speed wise with the J20... Isn't the Gj11 subsonic?

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Blitzo said:

Of all the things in that clip which is unrealistic, the idea of J-20 and GJ-11 being able to fly in formation with each other at the same speed as each other for a brief period is one of the few realistic things displayed.

You are correct of course, GJ-11 is subsonic, and would be unable to keep up with J-20 at higher speeds or supersonic speeds.

But why do we think they are flying at supersonic speeds in their depiction?

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Maybe that's just the (rather usual) "doing-only-on-a-need-to-know-basis" work by the CCTV7 illustrators and animators?

But it is true that, if anything, it should be the Dark Sword UCAVs that would be accompanying J-16s and J-20Ss as wingman combat drones. The GJ-11 would mainly be relegated to general ground strike roles (in support of ground troops), and precision strike roles against highly-defended targets thanks to her stealthy design.

There is also the possibility that the Dark Sword UCAVs are still not yet ready to be showcased to the public (either the highly classified status have not been lifted, or the UCAV is still in WIP status, or both), therefore the CCTV7 illustrators and animators are instructed to use the publicly-known GJ-11 as substitute.

ACuriousPLAFan said:

Maybe that's just the (rather usual) "doing-only-on-a-need-to-know-basis" work by the CCTV7 illustrators and animators?

But it is true that, if anything, it should be the Dark Sword UCAVs that would be accompanying J-16s and J-20Ss as wingman combat drones. The GJ-11 would mainly be relegated to general ground strike roles (in support of ground troops), and precision strike roles against highly-defended targets thanks to her stealthy design.

There is also the possibility that the Dark Sword UCAVs are still not yet ready to be showcased to the public (either the highly classified status have not been lifted, or the UCAV is still in WIP status, or both), therefore the CCTV7 illustrators and animators are instructed to use the publicly-known GJ-11 as substitute.

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It's really not worth talking about the details of it.

There is absolutely hypothetically reasonable ways in which J-20AS could command GJ-11s for an operational role, and flying in formation is also fine.

But it's not worth talking about it in such detail

is there a point of having loyal wingman be stealthier than the command fighter? It seems like it would be a disadvantage allowing for the J20 to be targeted first. Would be more economical to lose UAVs rather than pilots.

tankphobia said:

is there a point of having loyal wingman be stealthier than the command fighter? It seems like it would be a disadvantage allowing for the J20 to be targeted first. Would be more economical to lose UAVs rather than pilots.

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The J-20 won't be flying in close formation with the drones; it will instead be staying well behind them.

tankphobia said:

is there a point of having loyal wingman be stealthier than the command fighter? It seems like it would be a disadvantage allowing for the J20 to be targeted first. Would be more economical to lose UAVs rather than pilots.

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The UAV will be further forward of the J20 and closer to the targets which means it is much more likely to be detected, it transmits targeting information to the J20 which fires the missile.

pevade said:

The UAV will be further forward of the J20 and closer to the targets which means it is much more likely to be detected, it transmits targeting information to the J20 which fires the missile.

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The UAV will fire it’s own missiles before the J-20 does, surely?

Andy1974 said:

The UAV will fire it’s own missiles before the J-20 does, surely?

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Does the Dark Sword even have internal weapons bay?

There are very little details about it and I'm mostly unaware about its development status.

pevade said:

Does the Dark Sword even have internal weapons bay?

There are very little details about it and I'm mostly unaware about its development status.

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No idea, I just think it’s logical for some of the J-20 accompanying UAV’s to have the same weapons as the J-20. So they can fly ahead if the J-20 and shoot down other UAV’s and aircrafts. This keeps the pilot out of harms way.

I don’t know if the PLAAF consider the J20 main weapon bay to be akin to the Naval UVLS, but if they do then perhaps we will see UAV’s with this same weapons bay. Thus, all the efforts going into new air launched missiles for the J20 could be used by its drones as well.

I also think the J20S needs at least one kind of UAV that can out-perform it’s own abilities in the air superiority role. Then it can manage those drones in air to air combat while taking a lower risk position, and ideally it would never expose itself.

Most likely, it will fly with all sorts of weird and wonderful UAV’s, it’s a great time to be a PLA watcher.

siegecrossbow said:

Apparently they were used to simulate LRASM attacks against a Type 052D, which managed to intercept them with anti-air missiles/CIWS.

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Specs disclosed. +6g sustained turn/+9g instantaneous turn. Max speed of 0.8MA at altitude (7KM-10KM), capable of carrying not only chaff/flares but also active self-defense EW interference suite. Frontal RCS of 0.05 meters squared (+-30 degrees).

Looks like it is a bit of an overkill for LRASM. I think it could be used to not only simulate stealth cruise missiles but also fighter aircraft.