‘Bomber Buddy’ – China Secretly Developing Loyal Wingman For Its Xian H-20, J-20 Stealth Fighters – Indian Media
Posted: July 1, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Aerospace Knowledge, bomber buddy, China, India, loyal wingman, UCAV, Wang Yanan 1 CommentBy
Sakshi Tiwari
June 30, 2022
In January 2022, the Chinese state media Global Times quoted a military expert as saying that the Chinese J-20 stealth fighters could conduct coordinated operations with drones by leading them or commanding a drone swarm in combat in the future.
The comment hinted at a ‘loyal wingman’ concept which many believe China is already pursuing.
India’s premier news agency ANI speculated in a detailed article that the Chinese PLA is among the many modern militaries pursuing this new category of unmanned aircraft, called Loyal Wingman or an adjunct aircraft that takes the capabilities of crewless aircraft even further and beyond the existing ones.
Loyal Wingman is a low-cost, pilotless aircraft with adequate flight capabilities and intelligence to assist crewed and highly developed fighter jets in combat.
The idea, which has only been used by a few nations so far, operates on the following tenet: a crewed fighter jet is partnered with a squadron of capable but uncrewed low-cost, attritable aircraft.
Each unmanned aircraft can fly ahead of its crewed counterpart and carries a payload tailored for that task, such as sensors, weapons, or electronic warfare equipment.
These Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) can also be employed as inexpensive decoys to confuse enemy fighter aircraft and help identify and overcome their air defenses.
Mock-up of HAL CATS ‘Warrior’ (via Twitter) (image omitted)
The speculations about a Chinese loyal wingman concept by Indian media come after India’s own Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) revealed in March 2022 that it was developing a loyal wingman drone for India’s fifth-generation AMCA fighter jet.
The project is known as the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) ‘Warrior.’
No country in the world has yet fielded a loyal wingman aircraft. One of the most notable Loyal Wingman projects is Australia’s production in collaboration with Boeing.
The under-development combat drone, known as ‘Ghost Bat,’ is expected to protect Australian F-35s, Super Hornets, and Growlers, as reported by EurAsian Times.
The United States, on the other hand, is working on the XQ-58A Valkyrie drone, a loyal wingman drone designed to work with manned fighters.
The prototype of the drone took its maiden flight in 2019. Later, in 2021, the US Air Force (USAF) tested two Skyborg autonomy core system-equipped drones flying in tandem.
Russia is not far behind. Moscow announced in September 2019 that a Su-57 fifth-generation combat aircraft and an S-70 Okhotnik unmanned aerial vehicle had completed a test flight.
Later in 2020, the Russian military contractor Kronstadt Group unveiled the Grom uncrewed combat aerial vehicle to work alongside the Su-35 and Su-57 planes.
However, China is tight-lipped on developing a similar loyal wingman uncrewed aircraft, leading to the suspicions among military experts worldwide that it would potentially spring a surprise.
Is China Fielding A Loyal Wingman?
ANI reached out to Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace at the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) in the United Kindom, for perspective on the loyal Wingman in China.
According to Barrie, “China is very secretive, but considering the breadth of general defense aerospace research and development, I would be surprised if they were not doing this because they seem to be doing absolutely everything else!” He also estimated that the latter would be the first to field a loyal wingman drone if there were a competition between Russia and China.
In September 2021, China revealed a drone concept that appeared similar in mission and appearance to the US-made Kratos (KTOS.O) XQ-58A Valkyrie loyal wingman drone. Even though the UAV wasn’t labeled as such, it bore all the features of a loyal wingman unmanned aircraft.
A full-scale mockup of the FH-97 drone was displayed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation at the Zhuhai Air Show held in September last year.
A representative of the Feihong product line from China Aerospace Science Technology Corp (CASTC) stated that the long-range FH-97 drone concept had swarm and electronic warfare capabilities and could carry various weapons and multiple sorts of payloads.
Even though the CASTC refused to divulge any technical details, the display triggered speculations that it was based on the American XQ-58A Valkyrie, reminiscent of the eerie similarities between the American F-35 and the Chinese J-20 fighter jets.
According to Barrie, the appearance of the FH-97 at the exhibition indicates that Chinese researchers are considering and pursuing such assets. He further pointed toward the MAKS Air Show near Moscow, where a Chinese company unveiled another loyal wingman-type concept. It was called the LJ-1, and nothing of it has been heard ever since.
Further, a Global Times report in January 2022 had hinted at a Chinese loyal wingman program for the rumored twin-seat variant of the fifth-generation stealth fighter jet J-20, the J-20A. Even though the exact role of the twin-seat J-20 is unknown, the Chinese military experts quickly relate the loyal Wingman with the aircraft.
According to Wang Ya’nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, quoted by the newspaper, a second pilot on the twin-seat fighter jet could be used in more complex combat situations, such as to command loyal wingman-style drones that will fly alongside the manned fighter and carry various payloads for a variety of missions, including ground and surface attacks, air-to-air combat, and electronic disruption.
Barrie further told ANI that China could also be looking to relate its loyal Wingman with its yet-to-be-inducted H-20 bombers, along the lines of a similar project undertaken by the USAF for its B-21 bomber to be called “bomber buddy.”
Source: EurAsian Times “‘Bomber Buddy’ – China Secretly Developing Loyal Wingman For Its Xian H-20, J-20 Stealth Fighters – Indian Media”
Note: This is EurAsian Times’ report I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean whether I agree or disagree with the article’s views.
China’s ‘Revolutionary Design’ – PLA Navy Launched World’s 1st A.I-Powered Drone Carrier With Stunning Capabilities
Posted: May 31, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 076 LHD, A.I., China, drone carrier, EMALS, GJ-11, JARI, PLAN, Sea Hunter, TCG Anadolu, UAV, UCAV, USV Comments Off on China’s ‘Revolutionary Design’ – PLA Navy Launched World’s 1st A.I-Powered Drone Carrier With Stunning CapabilitiesBy Tanmay Kadam
May 30, 2022
China launched an unmanned ship, named Zhu Hai Yun, on May 18 that can be controlled remotely and navigate autonomously in open water and carry dozens of drones, submersibles, and other vessels for conducting ocean research, according to state-run Science and Technology Daily.
The ship is 88.5 meters long, 14 meters wide, and 6.1 meters deep, with a designed displacement of 2,000 tonnes. It can sail at 13 knots (24 km per hour), with a top speed of 18 knots (33 km per hour).
The expansive deck of the ship can carry dozens of unmanned vehicles, including drones, unmanned ships, and submersibles which are all part of the vessel’s Intelligent Mobile Ocean Stereo Observing System (IMOSOS) developed by the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai).
The system is said to be the world’s first and according to Science and Technology Daily, it could be used for marine environment monitoring, marine disaster prevention and mitigation, offshore wind farm maintenance, and providing accurate marine information.
“The intelligent, unmanned ship is a beautiful, new ‘marine species’ that will bring revolutionary changes for ocean observation,” Chen Dake, director of the laboratory, had told the Science and Technology Daily in 2021.
Construction of the Zhu Hai Yun began in July last year in Guangzhou by the Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard, a subsidiary of China’s largest shipbuilding company, the China State Shipbuilding Corporation. The ship will begin sea trials shortly, after which it is planned to be delivered by the end of this year.
According to Fan Lei, the chief designer at the Huangpu Wenchong shipyard, a large proportion of the ship was made locally.
“The power systems, propulsion systems, intelligence systems, and survey operation support systems equipped are all developed by China,” Fan told the Science and Technology Daily last year.
The Advent Of Unmanned Surface Vehicles
Rapid development in artificial intelligence has made way for the increased role of unmanned platforms for the purposes of maritime security, controlling sea lanes, and competing for marine resources.
Therefore, the Chinese PLA Navy has also been working on an uncrewed surface vessel (USV), known as JARI, developed by CSSC (China State Shipbuilding Corporation), specifically by their No. 702 Research Institute and No. 716 Research Institute.
The small 15.24 meter-long craft has been described as a mini-destroyer because of its ambitious weapons and sensor fit. With a remote weapons station (RWS), it is planned to be equipped with a small vertical launch system (VLS) for surface to air missiles and two lightweight torpedo tubes, while its sensors will include phased-array radars, electro-optical devices, and sonar.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) first revealed JARI as a model in 2018, launched a prototype in August 2019, and conducted sea trials in January 2020.
According to H.I. Sutton of the US Naval Institute (USNI), China has been testing JARI at a secret PLAN pier near Dalian, just nine miles from the submarine base at Xiaopingdao, based on the satellite photos from Maxar and an analysis of open-source intelligence.
Several other navies foresee USVs at the heart of their future strategies, such as the US Navy, setting up an entire operational command dedicated to testing and developing its next-generation USVs, known as the Unmanned Surface Vessel Division One.
“Unmanned systems will be key in future operations – and there is a clear need to field affordable, lethal, scalable and connected capabilities,” US Navy chief of naval operations, Admiral Michael Gilday, was quoted as saying last year by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.
“That is why we are now expanding and developing a range of unmanned vehicles and surface vessels which will play a central role as we shift our focus toward smaller platforms operating in a more dispersed manner,” added Gilday.
Apart from the US and China, UK, Australia, Singapore, and Turkey are also among the early adopters of USVs for their navies.
PLA’s Upcoming Drone Carrier Assault Ship
The Zhu Hai Yun is not only an unmanned ship but also a ‘drone carrier’, possibly a prelude to PLAN’s Type 076 landing helicopter dock (LHD), which is under development and said to be capable of carrying Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs).
Type 076 is the next-generation assault carrier currently being developed as a successor to PLAN’s Type-075 LHD. It is going to be equipped with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system, or EMALS, for launching planes from aircraft carriers. A similar system is fitted to the US Navy’s Ford-class aircraft carriers.
Reports suggest that China’s stealthy GJ-11 Sharp Sword UCAV may be one of the drones being planned to board the Type 076 LHD, based on a CG simulation released last year by the China Aviation Industry Group at the Zhuhai Airshow.
The simulation depicted the stealthy drone taking off from a ship having a full straight-through deck, not belonging to the Liaoning or Shandong Aircraft carriers and also different from the current Type 075 amphibious assault ship suggesting it may be the Type 076 LHD.
The GJ-11 UAV is 12.2 meters long, with a wingspan of 14.4 meters and a height of 2.7 meters, and has a maximum takeoff weight of over 10 tons with an estimated payload estimated of around 1.9 tons, and a combat radius of over 1,500 kilometers with an endurance of six hours.
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1N4Sg354i0&t=318s
To understand the advent of USVs and UCAVs in coming years, EurAsian Times spoke to the Indian Navy’s Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha (retd).
Admiral Sinha said — “USVs will play a marginal role in the near term. Till such time confidence level in USVs builds up, it may just be ‘an additional asset’ and not a primary asset.”
“Use of UCAV in the real-time situation could become a possibility within a few years, but for them to replace manned aircraft is virtually impossible. Computers cannot think.”
There have also been reports of India looking to develop a third aircraft carrier that will be able to accommodate both fighter jets and drones.
“There are debates on the third aircraft carrier, and funding will be a major factor. These are in the ambit of a decade, and making any prognosis will only be conjecture,” Admiral said when asked about these reports.
Turkish Navy Set To Become The World’s First In Deploying A Drone Carrier
Meanwhile, Turkey has also been pursuing the drone carrier concept, and its TCG Anadolu LHD is currently undertaking a series of sea trials.
Built by Turkey’s Sedef Shipyard in collaboration with Spain’s Navantia, TCG Anadolu is based on Spain’s SPS Juan Carlos I, a multipurpose amphibious assault ship and aircraft carrier in the Spanish navy.
The ship was initially envisioned to operate the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) version of the F-35, but Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 due to its purchase of the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system.
So now, the TCG Anadolu is being reportedly planned to carry indigenous Hürjet light trainer-attack aircraft and a naval version of the Bayraktar combat drone, the TB-3, which is still under development and is being designed to take off from and land on LHD-type ships using a simple roller system and rescue nets.
Haluk Bayraktar, the chief executive of Turkish drone-maker Baykar, revealed the new launch system for TCG Anadolu last year during an online event. The Artwork Bayraktar posted during his presentation depicted Baykar TB-2/3 drones on Anadolu’s deck.
The drone is said to have a takeoff weight of 1,450 kilograms, 24-hour flight endurance, and foldable wings for storage aboard the ship.
In addition, TCG Anadolu will also carry the Bayraktar Kizilelma drone, a jet-powered, single-engine, low-observable, supersonic, carrier-capable unmanned fighter aircraft being developed by Baykar.
Bayraktar TB3 and MIUS together On TCG ANADOLU (Baykar Defense)
With a maximum takeoff weight of 6000 kg and five-hour flight endurance, the new drone will reportedly have aggressive maneuvers, advanced artificial intelligence, and the ability to carry out air-to-air combat like manned warplanes.
The TCG Anadolu is planned to have a capacity of 30 to 50 drones. The ship began port acceptance trials on March 07 and is scheduled to enter Turkish Navy service by the end of 2022. A sister ship to the TCG Anadolu, to be named the TCG Trakiya, is also planned.
Source: EurAsian Times “China’s ‘Revolutionary Design’ – PLA Navy Launched World’s 1st A.I-Powered Drone Carrier With Stunning Capabilities”
Note: This is EurAsian Times’ report I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean whether I agree or disagree with the article’s views.
China’s Much-Hyped Stealth Drone ‘Sharp Sword’ Launches Swarming Decoys At Enemy Warships In A New Viral Video
Posted: October 13, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 075, China, CJ-11, drone swarm, Sharp Sward, stealth drone, UCAV, UUV Comments Off on China’s Much-Hyped Stealth Drone ‘Sharp Sword’ Launches Swarming Decoys At Enemy Warships In A New Viral VideoBy Safiya Khanam- October 13, 2021
A video doing the rounds on the internet shows what appears to be a naval variant of the Chinese GJ-11 ‘Sharp Sword’ stealth drone deploying decoys to zero in on a pair of surface warships.
The clip shared online bears the logo of the state-owned China Central Television Channel (CCTV-7). While it did not show the complete video that had been released by the state-run Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) during the Zhuhai airshow, it reflected the Chinese defense industry’s efforts to broaden the types of drones technologies they plan to field.
AVIC’s subsidiary, Hongdu Aviation Industry Group, has developed the Gongji-11 (GJ-11).
The video begins with one of the supposed GJ-11 derivatives taking off from the deck of what appears to be a Type 075 amphibious assault ship. This newly inducted ship that entered the PLA Navy (PLAN) service earlier this year, is seen as a major milestone for them.
Two more of these assault ships are already at different stages of construction now. It is expected that the PLAN will eventually acquire a fleet of at least eight of these ships in the near future.
The UCAVs like this GJ-11 were previously shown to be only taking off from the decks of China’s fleet of supercarriers.
Dissecting The The Footage
Resembling a scene from a futuristic war film, the group of six decoys deployed from the UCAV fly in a formation hovering near two enemy warships. A missile is fired from the enemy warship at the decoys. Eventually, the footage ends with the drones swarming and beaming some airwaves at the enemy ships.
A GJ-11 UCAV demonstrator was flown in November 2013. (via Twitter)
These swarming decoy drones are observed to have an uncanny resemblance to Raytheon’s ADM-160 Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD) series. To add more to this shared resemblances observed in the Chinese footage is the concept of the decoys morphing into a “ghost” aircraft as a visual representation of the false signatures decoys could give off.
The US ADM-160 MALD is a low-cost, expendable, air-launched craft that can deceive the most advanced air defense systems while keeping pilots and aircraft out of harm’s way. Their programmable weapon can duplicate the combat flight profiles and signatures of the US and allied aircraft.
GJ-11 Sharp Sword. (via Twitter)
The aircraft signature that the Chinese displayed in the footage might depict a naval variant of the Chinese FC-31 stealth fighter. Whether this Shenyang FC-31 stealth fighter has a naval variant is still not officially confirmed but a mockup of it has been spotted four months back.
Moreover, the networked pattern of beams these drones were shown projecting in the last few seconds of the video is could be a directed-energy weapon or signal jammers.
The Drive reported that the imagery in the video hints towards the PLAN’s potential interest in not just flying fixed-wing unmanned aircraft, including unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV) such as the GJ-11 from the decks of its ever-increasing fleet of supercarriers but also operating them from its Type 075s.
Probably the most eye-catching part was the display of the GJ-11 stealth drone with its weapons bay open, providing the first look into the drone’s attack capabilities. This UCAV that has been in the works since 2013, is run by a single turbofan engine.
It flaunts a huge wingspan measuring 14 m and is believed to have a range of around 4,000 km. This drone also boasts a top speed of 1,000 kilometers per hour. It has commendable stealth capabilities as well.
Potential Deployment
China’s troubled relations with the US and Taiwan are no secret. China aims to expand its control in the region and completely unify Taiwan with the mainland, something that the autonomous island territory is vehemently opposed to.
China displays its GJ-11 drones to be capable of taking flight from amphibious assault ships and deploying decoys instead of firing ammunition when near the target. This will give them a greater advantage in the South China Sea if a full-scale conflict arises.
In maritime operations, the swarming decoys’ feature has a huge capability of overwhelming its defenders, penetrate targets, create pathways for follow-on strikes, and neutralize its enemy’s defenses by targeting its radar arrays and communication antennas.
Photo 075
Type 075 amphibious assault ship.
This redolent swarming capabilities and stealthy UCAVs are a shared interest of the US and its allies who have also amped up their development in electronic warfare concepts like networked drone swarms, ships, submarines, and other precision-guided munitions.
China’s primary competitor, the US has a revolutionary and transformative naval combat NEMESIS program with developments regarding it taking rounds on the news from time to time.
Although China has been multiplying its bag of deception and decoy tricks, its naval combat equipment’s developments and technology remain officially unconfirmed just like how these GJ-11 decoys might turn out to differ from what was projected in the clip.
GJ-11s, and future designs similar to these vehicles, could also serve as launch platforms for swarms of smaller drones. Although the GJ-11’s current capabilities remain unclear, it is quite evident that Beijing’s vision for the UCAVs is quite similar to what the US military is also intending to develop. This, coupled with China’s rising tensions with Taiwan and the US, could be ominous.
The GJ-11 Sharp Sword. (via Twitter)
In a hypothetical war-like scenario unfolding in 2030, if China manages to possess almost 200 upgraded variants of the GJ-11 UCAV till then, Taiwan and the US could be in trouble. All these drones would probably variously be equipped with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, and weapon payloads.
Taiwan’s 40 medium- and long-range air-defense batteries would be unlikely to keep standing after taking the brunt of coordinated drones and ballistic and cruise missile attacks (perhaps including the deployment of hypersonic missiles) from the mainland’s forces.
While these drone swarms and munitions degrade Taipei’s defense systems, on another front, China’s unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) would be engaging with the US Navy carriers. With China increasingly performing sorties and flexing its airpower over Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, one realm is already covered. This kind of maritime assault using UCAVs and UUVs would probably be in line with Beijing’s unification ambitions for Taiwan.
However, predictions regarding future wars and how they might pan out have often not been accurate. Any one of a myriad number of intervening military, political and technological variables could completely flip this hypothetical war scenario. Nevertheless, considering these scenarios is important as they illustrate the kind of choices the world might have to face.
Source: EurAsian Times “China’s Much-Hyped Stealth Drone ‘Sharp Sword’ Launches Swarming Decoys At Enemy Warships In A New Viral Video”
Note: This is EurAsian Times article I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean whether I agree or disagree with the article’s views.
Wing Loong Is Over Ethiopia: Chinese UCAVs Join The Battle For Tigray
Posted: October 13, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: China, Ethiopia, UCAV, Wing Loong I Comments Off on Wing Loong Is Over Ethiopia: Chinese UCAVs Join The Battle For TigrayOCTOBER 12, 2021 ERITREA HUB ETHIOPIA, NEWS, TIGRAY
Source: Oryxspionkop
Wing Loong Is Over Ethiopia: Chinese UCAVs Join The Battle For Tigray
Oryx Monday, October 11, 2021 China , Ethiopia 0 Comments
By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans
After the acquisition of Iranian and Emirati unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) by Ethiopia, there now is strong reason to suggest that a third type of UCAV has joined the conflict: The Chinese-made Wing Loong I. Information received by the authors’ combined with a suspicious cargo flight to Harar Meda air base in Ethiopia from Chengdu, China, where the Wing Loong I is manufactured, point towards the delivery of at least three of such systems to Ethiopia in September 2021. The news comes a week after the confirmed use of UAE-supplied UCAVs with the Ethiopian military in the contested Tigray Region. [1]
Wing Loong I
Yet it was already in early September 2021 that the acquisition of the Wing Loong I was first hinted at after a model of the UCAV was prominently displayed during an interview with the commander of the Ethiopian Air Force. The participation of Chinese UCAVs in the Tigray War has already been speculated at since the start of the conflict in November 2020. Frequently said to have included the deployment of Wing Loong UCAVs operated by the UAE out of Assab air base in Eritrea, no evidence has so far been brought forward that supports these claims however.
But new information received by the authors from a mechanic working for Dejen Aviation Engineering Industry (DAVI) at Harar Media air base, finally discloses the presence of Chinese-made UCAVs in Ethiopia. Describing a UCAV with a bulge on the front of their fuselages and one hardpoint under each wing that had recently arrived from China, its external characteristics correspond precisely with the Wing Loong I. [2] After the drones’ arrival to the air base, they were hastily moved to a nearby hangar to avoid their detection by prying eyes, an effort which nonetheless evidently failed.
The cargo aircraft that brought the Wing Loong Is to Ethiopia is believed to have been an An-124 ‘UR-82029’ of Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines, which was sighted on satellite imagery of Harar Media air base on the 17th of September 2021. During this particular flight, UR-82029 started its journey out of Chengdu (where the Wing Loong I is produced) before making a brief stopover in Islamabad, ultimately landing at its final destination of Harar Meda air base some time later. [3] This flight is part of a larger effort by several countries to keep Ethiopia stocked on all the weaponry and ammunition it needs to stem the advance of the Tigray Defence Forces, as detailed in our earlier articles on the subject. [4]
In an interview conducted with Ethiopian Air Force Commander Major General Yilma Merdassa in early September 2021, a model of the Wing Loong I was put on prominent display between the Major General and the journalist. During the interview – which is almost entirely dedicated to drone warfare – the journalist makes repeated inquiries regarding the Ethiopian Air Force’s current drone operations, at one point even directly asking if there have been any deals with other countries for the acquisition of UCAVs. In response, Major General Yilma Merdassa explains that the Ethiopian Air Force is in a great position with regards to drones, and that the Air Force isn’t just planning for today but for the next ten years. In response to the question of whether there have been any deals with other countries, the Major General makes the politically correct (though slightly disappointing) answer that such questions should be addressed to the responsible branches of government.
The Wing Loong I is currently China’s most commercially successful UCAV design, so far confirmed to have been acquired by at least six export clients worldwide. [6] The type has meanwhile been superseded by the more capable Wing Loong II, which features a host of improvements including two hardpoints under each wing for double the weapons payload. However, the Wing Loong II’s high acquisition price (believed to approach some 15 million USD) compared to the earlier Wing Loong I as well as contemporary designs has ensured that the latter is still popular on the export market to this day.
What the Wing Loong I lacks in the number of hardpoints, it makes up for in the wide variety of armament it can carry. Be that as it may, export clients have generally refrained from acquiring weapon systems such as long-range glide bombs and anti-ship missiles associated with the Wing Loong I, instead sticking to a smaller number of air-to-ground missiles (AGMs) and precision-guided munitions (PGMs). It seems likely that this will be no different for Ethiopian Air Force, the main interest of which in the system would be directed to its anti-armour and anti-infantry capabilities.
Facing an arsenal of UCAVs that seems to be expanding by the month, the Tigray forces will now likely begin to feel the increased pressure they bring to bear on the battlefield. One the opposing side, the Ethiopian military might soon find out that its desperate buying spree has now left it with UCAV types from at least three different countries, complicating maintenance and adding to costs. In this sense, claims that the Ethiopian Air Force is executing a calculated acquisition strategy for the next ten years seem to hold little ground in reality, with the Air Force instead trying to make up for years of disregard of modern developments worldwide. Considering the pivotal role UCAVs are likely to play in the Tigray War, and Ethiopia’s abandon in purchasing them, the Wing Loong Is might not even be the last type of U(C)AV to be acquired.
Special thanks to Saba Tsen’at Mah’derom.
Source: Eritrea Hub “Wing Loong Is Over Ethiopia: Chinese UCAVs Join The Battle For Tigray”
Note: This is Eritrea Hub’s report I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean whether I agree or disagree with the report’s views.
New Intelligence Shows China Is Building More Type-075 Assault Carriers
Posted: August 8, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 075, 076, China, Ka-27/28, LHD, S-70, UAV, UCAV, Z-20, Z-8 11 CommentsH I Sutton, Contributor Aug 7, 2020
The Chinese Navy is expanding at an incredible pace, rapidly outstripping almost all other navies. A year ago it had no amphibious assault carriers (termed landing helicopter docks). These large helicopter carriers are often the most powerful ships in many navies, and almost all navies want them. Fast forward a year’s time and they will likely have a fleet of them second in size only to the U.S. Navy. And China is building them quicker.
The rapid construction of Chinese Navy (PLAN) warships is hard to keep up with. China’s new Assault Carriers are known as the Type-075 LHD. They have already launched two in the past year. And now images have emerged on Chinese-language social media that, perhaps unwittingly, reveal yet another.
This equates to an assembly time in dry dock of about 6 months. It is difficult to make direct comparisons to the U.S. Navy because the construction approaches vary, and America is not in the same rush. But for context the U.S. Navy’s second America Class assault carrier, USS Tripoli, was laid down in June 2014 and launched in May 2017. 2 years and 10 months later.
The vessels are roughly the same size and in many ways comparable, although the Chinese ships are closer in pattern to the U.S. Navy’s older Wasp Class, the difference being that they have a well-deck for hovercraft to ferry tanks, vehicles and troops to the shore.
At this pace the third Type-075 may be launched in October. Commercial satellite imagery has helped to confirm the newest vessel. Construction is taking place at the Hudong–Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai. The new ship is visible, partly constructed, in the same dry dock where the first two were assembled. Those are seen sitting outside the dock on the July 25 satellite imagery.
In fact the lead ship sailed to start sea trials on August 5. A tug boat can be seen beside her in the satellite imagery. The below tweet by @RupprechtDeino shows the first ship starting out on her sea trials. Her air defense missiles and CIWS (Close In Weapon Systems) are covered in these shots:
These 40,000-ton ships are loosely equivalent to the U.S. Navy’s Wasp Class. They are very close in size and displacement and have the same general layout, which is standard for assault carriers. A ramp opens in the stern to access a well-deck which can be flooded so that smaller boats, such as landing craft, to be carried inside. In Chinese service, like in the U.S., these will be large hovercraft.
An array of helicopters can also be carried. These include the Harbin Z-20, a copy of the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk / Sea Hawk family. Small rotor-wing UAVs (uncrewed air vehicles) have also been seen, along with Z-8 heavy lift helicopters and Ka-27/28 Helix anti-submarine helicopters.
How many Type-075s China will build is hard to gauge. But at this pace they could rival the U.S. Navy’s fleet within five years. And China may already be designing a follow-on class, the Type-076. This may be equipped with a more powerful air wing including uncrewed combat air vehicles (UCAVs). There is no doubt that China’s drive to modernize its navy will change its world status as a naval power.
Source: Forbes “New Intelligence Shows China Is Building More Type-075 Assault Carriers”
Note: This is Forbes’ article I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean that I agree or disagree with the article’s views.
Stealth UAVs Could Give China’s Type-076 Assault Carrier More Firepower
Posted: July 26, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 075, 076, Assault Carrier, China, EMAL, UAV, UCAV 3 CommentsH I SuttonContributor Jul 23, 2020,07:50am EDT
The Chinese Navy is building assault carriers to support amphibious operations, like a possible invasion of Taiwan or landings on disputed islands in the South China Sea. The first two ships, called LHDs (landing helicopter docks) in naval terminology, are still being outfitted. But information is already emerging suggesting that the follow-on design, the Type-076, will have much more firepower.
The Chinese Navy, officially known as the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), is still new to the assault carrier game. Their current LHDs, which have yet to enter service, are the Type-075. These feature a spacious flight deck and are generally equivalent to the U.S. Navy’s America Class assault carrier. They can carry helicopters, including rotor-wing drones, and hovercraft. But it seems unlikely that they will host jet aircraft or UAVs (uncrewed air vehicles). Not so the Type-076.
A document circulating on the Chinese internet appears to be a request for proposals for the next generation of assault carrier. While it cannot be verified, it does appear to reflect the direction of PLAN thinking. It indirectly lays out the specification for the ship in the form of a list of systems and features. If it is broadly correct, then the Type-076 will carry jet aircraft of some sort.
We can infer this because a key new system will be an electromagnetic aircraft launch system, or EMALS, the 21st century equivalent to the steam catapult used for launching planes from aircraft carriers. A similar system is fitted to the U.S. Navy’s Ford Class aircraft carriers. China’s own next generation aircraft carrier is also reported to have EMALS, so China has a working knowledge of the technology. The U.S,. Navy has reportedly suffered teething problems, however. We should not assume that China will face the same issues, but it is a brand new technology so there are development risks involved.
Having EMALs on an assault carrier could be a significant game changer for China. It would allow it to carry jet aircraft, such as fighters or large UAVs. UAVs with an offensive weapons load are term UCAVs (uncrewed combat air vehicles). These could greatly increase air support for landing operations.
I asked B.A. Friedman, a military analyst focused on amphibious warfare and author of On Tactics: A Theory of Victory in Battle, what he thinks the implications of the EMALs would be. “There are no disadvantages to having jets on an LHD. But there trade-offs to the type of jets you can put on it. They need a lot of runway or they need to be VTOL [vertical take-off and landing], which itself has advantages and disadvantages. And jets tear up the deck plating faster than propeller aircraft.”
The EMALs approach suggests that the aircraft would not be VTOL. But what the aircraft would be is open to speculation. China may be developing a fighter aircraft suitable for relatively small flight decks of the LHD. For context, many Western LHDs are slated to carry the F-35 Lighting-II strike fighter. The current J-11 version of the famous Flanker, used aboard Chinese aircraft carriers, is likely too large.
But it may relate to a UCAV. These could benefit from being smaller than the equivalent crewed aircraft. The GJ-11 Sharp Sword is one design for a stealthy UCAV that China has been developing. Its payload is estimated to be around 4,400 lbs, which is at the lower end for warplanes. Another, the Flying Dragon-2, is expected to fly in 2021. This promises to still be light enough to operate from the Type-076’s 30-plus ton capacity aircraft lifts, but lift some 13,227 lbs of weapons. Something like these would require a catapult to operate for an assault carrier.
Friedman is cautious about how quickly these new capabilities can be developed. Learning how to use regular assault carriers, let alone ones with UCAVs, could take years. Friedman says that it is not like they can ask, ” ‘How do you guys normally do this?’ They have never done it. It could be years.”
All the same the PLAN is building its capabilities as an astonishing rate. No sooner have we become used to seeing the Type-075 LHD, which was seen as a massive step forward less than a year ago, and already we are on to the next generation. The possible RFP documents give us an inkling about what the Type-076 may be like, but until we see one we will still be guessing.
Source: Forbes “Stealth UAVs Could Give China’s Type-076 Assault Carrier More Firepower”
Note: This is Forbes’ article I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean that I agree or disagree with the article’s views.
China Reveals a Supersonic UCAV
Posted: June 14, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: China, Dark Sword, UCAV Comments Off on China Reveals a Supersonic UCAVby Chen Chuanren June 12, 2018
China has unveiled a prototype or scale model of the Anjian (Dark Sword) jet-powered unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). The image showcased the Dark Sword parked behind a team from the program, presumably engineers.
Developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) subsidiary Shengyang Aircraft, the Dark Sword strongly resembles a concept model that was first seen in 2006. The streamlined design features canards ahead of a delta wing, twin slanted vertical stabilizers, and a single engine. The latest image also suggests a diverterless supersonic inlet design, similar to those found on the Shenyang J-10C fighter. The 2006 publicity described the Dark Sword as a “supersonic, super maneuverable, and low observable platform for future air-to-air missions.”
The Dark Sword seems to be of similar size to the Chengdu J-20, and Chinese observers estimate the UCAV to possess similar specifications as the fifth-generation fighter, with a takeoff weight of around 15 tonnes, a payload of one tonne and an operational radius of approximately 1,000 km. If designed for air-to-air combat, the UCAV may outperform Western manned fighters, with turn rates beyond 9 g.
Having successfully introduced the J-20 and its stealth technology to service, China is quickly transferring these applications to unmanned platforms. China is often alleged to be reverse-engineering Western design and technology, but the country is now revealing more UCAV variants than the West. It has already developed a range of jet-powered unmanned systems, such as the Guizhou Soar Eagle and Chengdu Cloud Shadow. These are reconnaissance platforms, but more recently China has been developing the Chengdu Sharp Sword UCAV and has revealed the Star Shadow concept by Star UAV.
Source: AINonline “China Reveals a Supersonic UCAV”
Note: This is AINonline’s report I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean that I agree or disagree with the report’ views.