China military plans to produce nearly 42,000 land and naval unmanned weapons and sensors 1005153

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Defence & Security News - China
 
China military plans to produce nearly 42,000 land and naval unmanned weapons and sensors.
China's military plans to produce nearly 42,000 land-based and sea-based unmanned weapons and sensor platforms as part of its continuing, large-scale military buildup, the Pentagon's annual report on the People's Liberation Army (PLA) disclosed Friday, May 8, 2015.
     
China's military plans to produce nearly 42,000 land-based and sea-based unmanned weapons and sensor platforms as part of its continuing, large-scale military buildup, the Pentagon's annual report on the People's Liberation Army (PLA) disclosed Friday, May 8, 2015. China has designed and developed a full range of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) since many years.
     
China currently operates several armed and unarmed drone aircraft and is developing long-range range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for both intelligence gathering and bombing attacks.
 

"The acquisition and development of longer-range UAVs will increase China's ability to conduct long-range reconnaissance and strike operations," the report said.

China's ability to use drones is increasing and the report said China "plans to produce upwards of 41,800 land- and sea-based unmanned systems, worth about $10.5 billion, between 2014 and 2023."

Four UAVs under development include the Xianglong, Yilong, Sky Saber, and Lijian, with the latter three drones configured to fire precision-strike weapons.

"The Lijian, which first flew on Nov. 21, 2013, is China's first stealthy flying wing UAV," the report said.

During the last Zhuhai China Air Show in November 2014, China unveiled a large range of new developments in unmanned warfare drones, including a new holographic control display. AVIC (Aviation Industries Corp.), China's top aerospace manufacturer, unveiled its new GCS (Ground Control Station) in which holograms display the flight of an attack drone on a large screen.
     
Sharp Eye III drone helicopter from Norinco, which looks like an aluminum model helicopter without windows, to the super-futuristic looking Blue Fox, an unmanned jet aimed at simulating a manned jet and flying into an enemy's area to detect air defense systems. Chinese-made Sharp Eye III helicopter drone at China AirShow
     
Zhuhai China Air Show showed that China is developing a wide range of military drones, ranging from the Sharp Eye III drone helicopter from Norinco, which looks like an aluminum model helicopter without windows, to the super-futuristic looking Blue Fox, an unmanned jet aimed at simulating a manned jet and flying into an enemy's area to detect air defense systems.

The attack drone WJ-1 was also showed at China Air Show. It is a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group in the People's Republic of China. Intended for use as a surveillance and aerial reconnaissance platform, the Pterodactyl I is capable of being fitted with air-to-surface weapons for use in an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) role.

Another interesting Chinese development in the field of UAV is the WJ-600, an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) which is being developed to be used for ground and maritime attack role against ground or naval targets.
     
Another interesting Chinese development in the field of UAV is the WJ-600, an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) which is being developed to be used for ground and maritime attack role against ground or naval targets. Chinese-made WJ-600 Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) at China AirShow 2014