Chinese UAV News & Discussions (Strictly)

[Deino]

翔龍無人機、2015年で量産、実戦部隊に正式配備

Xianglong (Soaring Dragon) UAV in serial production since 2015 and now also in formal deployment to operational units

 

[Khafee]

Wednesday, December 7, 2016, 10:14
New drone to beef up PLA aerial skills
By Zhao Lei
Aircraft is said to have cruise speed of 750 km/h and range of 7,000 km

​

The Xianglong, or Soar Dragon, drone is seen in this file photo. (Provided To China Daily)

The People's Liberation Army will soon have an unusually shaped drone, which is expected to strengthen the Chinese military's aerial reconnaissance capabilities.

An unknown number of Xianglong, or Soar Dragon, high-altitude, long-endurance drones have been produced by Guizhou Aviation Industry Group, which is part of the State-owned aircraft maker Aviation Industry Corp of China, according to aviation sources.

Aircraft is said to have cruise speed of 750 km/h and range of 7,000 km

The aircraft is believed to be undergoing testing and is expected to be delivered to the PLA soon, sources said, adding that it is likely to become China's answer to the United States' Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, considered to be the most well-known unpiloted surveillance drone in the world.

With an innovative "joined tandem wing" design, the drone's configuration is different from all other Chinese manned and unmanned planes - it has a conventional swept wing joined with a forward swept wing, which makes it look like a traditional Chinese kite.

In accordance with Chinese regulations, Guizhou Aviation Industry Group has not, and will not, reveal characteristics of the drone.

However, AirForces Monthly, a British military aviation magazine, said Xianglong has a cruise speed of 750 kilometers per hour and a flight range of 7,000 km. It is capable of operating for 10 hours and can fly up to an altitude of 18,000 meters, the magazine said.

Xianglong was unveiled in 2006 at an air show in China, but later disappeared from public view until 2011 when a prototype was seen at an airport run by the Aviation Industry Corp of China.

No other news on the drone's development has been leaked since then, and whether it has conducted its first flight remains unknown.

However, since July, speculation about the mass production of Xianglong started to circulate on Chinese defense technology websites after Guizhou Aviation Industry Group published a photo of one of its manufacturing facilities on the internet, with two yellow Xianglong models in a corner of the picture, leading observers to discuss whether the inclusion was intentional.

"Xianglong's unique design makes it suitable for long operations at high altitude. Once the drone is commissioned to the military, it will boost the PLA's long-range reconnaissance capabilities," said Wang Ya'nan, editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine.

"Moreover, the jet is a good platform for electronic warfare operations such as signal intelligence collection and electronic jamming," he added.

The PLA has become a big user of unmanned aircraft thanks to the rapid development of the drone industry in China. The military showed three types of unpiloted, fixed-wing planes at the most recent parade in September last year. It is also said to have deployed several other models.

Advances in the nation's drone technology have also benefitted at least 10 foreign countries, including Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan, with foreign media reporting such countries have bought and deployed Chinese military drones.

 

[teddy]

From CMA,, this is a beautiful blue print!!!

The length is like 13 meters long, wingspan like 25 meters?

 

[Dungeness]

翔龍無人機、2015年で量産、実戦部隊に正式配備

Xianglong (Soaring Dragon) UAV in serial production since 2015 and now also in formal deployment to operational units

View attachment 367877 View attachment 367878

Anybody has the photos of this UAV in the air?

 

[Deino]

Anybody has the photos of this UAV in the air?

As far as I know, this - showing it during take-off or landing - is the first image of that UAV close to the air and not only during taxi.

Even more I would be interested in what unit operates that type?

Deino

 

[Beast]

 

[slng]

Rather put it this way, those toys are meant primarily for self-defence and therefore those video, article etc are always in Chinese as it's not meant for sale. Chinese just do a favor recognizing closest ally by providing them necessary toys so they are protected as well.

 

[Dungeness]

This "shin shin choy churr" is illegible to us.
If chinese want global audience then start making these docs in English.

12 new college graduates started CH series UAV in 2001 with a total budget of around $800 K. This is their story. What they have done and how they do it.

 

[unleashed]

Payload

 

[Deino]

Rather put it this way, those toys are meant primarily for self-defence and therefore those video, article etc are always in Chinese as it's not meant for sale. Chinese just do a favor recognizing closest ally by providing them necessary toys so they are protected as well.

Here I think You are wrong; esp. the CH-series is most of all related to export. As such a presentation in English would be helpful if You want to speak to the world ... if only aimed for the own peoples then You are correct.

 

[zestokryl]

What self defense in regard of propeller drones and chinese overall defence assets. These drones are baby toys looking in light of strategic assets of China and much more capable drones, being kept in secret of the time being

Kazakhstan, Nigeria and S. Arabia are not chinese closest partners, but China still sells them drones. China does not sets political obstacles in defence department. Any country with the money and good will would be have granted with same opportunity, with very few exceptions wit the history of hostilities with China, such as India and Vietnam

 

[realsjn]

rainbow4 uav in iraq

if anyone had already post this, sorry

 

[Incog_nito]

Could prove to be an awesome replacement for P-3Cs and other MPAs. I am sure it can work well with JF-17s and we might not need any MPA at all. AShM, Dept charges and Small Torpedoes can be dropped from JF-17s while this UAV-MPA can work on detecting subs and ships...

 

[beijingwalker]

China reveals 'Sharp Sword' stealth drone that can carry two TONNES of bombs

• Drone has two internal bomb bays that could carry payload of about 4,400lbs
• Uses non-afterburning turbofan engine with serpentine inlet to mask from radar
• Sharp Sword could enter service as soon as 2019-2020 for numerous purposes

By Cheyenne Macdonald For Dailymail.com

PUBLISHED: 18:56 EST, 18 January 2017 | UPDATED: 19:27 EST, 18 January 2017

China has revealed a stealth drone dubbed ‘Sharp Sword’ that that could be capable of dropping more than 4,000 pounds of bombs. The unmanned aerial vehicle won second place in China’s National Science and Technology Advancement Prizes


The stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) is being touted a huge win for Chinese aviation technology, Popular Science reports.

It was built by Aviation Industry Corporation of China, and is equipped with two internal bomb bays.

This could carry a payload of roughly 4,400 pounds.

The 33-foot-long Sharp Sword craft has a wingspan of roughly 46 feet, and uses a non-afterburning WS-13 turbofan engine with serpentine inlet to mask it from enemy radar.

Sharp Sword first flew in November 2013, and has a similar appearance to a small B-2 flying wing bomber and the American X-47B.

And, a second, stealthier version may have begun flight tests last year, according to Popular Science.

These craft are able to pack the same amount of payload inside as a manned vehicle, but within a smaller space.

It was built by Aviation Industry Corporation of China, and is equipped with two internal bomb bays. This could carry a payload of roughly 4,400 pounds

They also have a longer range.

The craft could one day be used to for ‘first through the door’ combat missions against high-value targets, or act as an aerial tanker for other craft, according to Popular Science.

Just a few months ago, China unveiled its most powerful drone bomber, which can fly for two days without refuelling within a range of 15,000 miles.

The CH-5 unmanned aerial vehicle, China's largest combat drone, made its first flight last year and appears to be based on the US MQ-9 reaper.

But it was been made public for the first time at a military air show in the southern city of Zhuhai.

It is capable of carrying smart bombs, missiles and high-tech radar jammers, The Daily Star reports.

AsiaOne reportedly described the weapon as 'One of the most powerful unmanned combat aircraft in the world.'

Chief designer Shi Wen added: 'Several foreign nations have expressed intentions to purchase the CH-5 and we are in talks with them.'

The weapon was revealed during a major airshow in China which included the unveiling of the country's J-20 stealth fighter.

It was the latest sign of the growing sophistication of the China's military technology.

At least six prototypes have been produced, according to an annual report on the Chinese military issued by the Pentagon this year.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...Sharp-Sword-drone-carry-two-TONNES-bombs.html

 

[Hassan Guy]

Hmm, we should build some of those...