Chinese UAV/UCAV development
- Thread starter AssassinsMace
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Thanks, but 53237 is well-known!
Good read.
Seems the PLA is more interested in using this drone for surveillance/DF-15 terminal guidance and video relaying instead of a bomb truck as marketed but this is merely JSDF's speculation. Idea seems feasible if they want to narrow CEP of BMs further. I'm curious of its role in the future relative to HALE WZ-7s.
Also interesting to note its first flight was back in 2017, began mass production in 2019 and inducted to PLA by 2021. This again underscores that the new toys we see in the public domain is carefully curated and approved for release by China.
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Are there any Chinese recon/targeting UAVs which have similar capabilities, but are able to reach Guam and/or Wake, followed by long duration loitering at those locations before returning back to bases in China? Preferably without the need to refuel?
Besides, these recon/targeting UAVs can be used as terminal guidance for standoff cruise missiles as well, perhaps even air-to-air missiles, not just ballistic missiles.
Furthermore, such UAVs are akin to those who conduct recon and spying near or behind enemy lines. Therefire, stealth too should be a key requirement for these kinds of UAVs.
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However, even if there aren't recon/targeting UAVs that are capable of such feats, I believe that a refueling UAV, such as the MQ-25 Stingray, would be very useful for this scenario.
Instead of sending the expensive YY-20 far out into the Pacific and risks losing the plane and crew to enemy action, it would be much better to sent one or few of these UAVs.
These refueling UAVs would first head towards the location of which the recon/targeting UAV is operating, meet up and refuel, before returning to base or proceed to refuel other UAVs in the vicinity.
Honestly, back then when I saw some Chinese military commentators lamenting about the uselessness of refueling UAVs for the PLA, claiming that the PLA has no need of such machines because China isn't going to travel very far out into the Pacific, I strongly disagree.
Maybe this could be an even stronger case on why China should truly develop and procure refueling UAVs and their technologies as well.
兔子摸着鹰将过河，摸了几十年了都摸不完呢！
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Closest I can think of is the Divine Eagle although that's still undergoing tests but again, I'm not sure what Tengden is able to do here that a WZ-7 (maybe even WZ-8) can't considering their operational performances.
As to aerial refuelling, a . That makes sense as I don't think you'd want the refuelling drogue to get caught with Tengden's rear push prop.
As to aerial refuelling, a . That makes sense as I don't think you'd want the refuelling drogue to get caught with Tengden's rear push prop.
No, the whole idea of the UAVs being used for lasing targets for DF-15 is retarded. They will not survived in areas where the enemy still has anti-air capability and to have DF-15 relying on them for targeting means the missiles will become useless if the UAVs are shot down.
April 2022
Xi'an Woxiang Aviation Tech in April 2022 completed R&D on the development of equipment for automatic aerial refueling of unmanned aerial vehicles. A UAV similar to MQ-25 is expected soon
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Would be interesting if they can design and fit arefueling drones to use with the future Type 76 LHD ? Would leave place for the fighters airwing in the carriers.
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