May 20, 2023

https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/14/1110489963_0:66:1201:741_1920x0_80_0_0_d30b3fa9dd0bfe34908ce4dcf5c19166.jpg A private Earth imaging company has snapped what US defense media speculates is an image of a Chinese WZ-8 rocket-powered spy drone parked outside a hanger at Lu’an Airbase, about 500 km west of Shanghai.The delta-shaped unmanned aerial vehicle, typically launched from People’s Liberation Army Air Force H-6K and H-6M strategic bombers, has been the subject of consternation for Pentagon planners, with a recently leaked internal assessment by the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency concluding that the drones are “almost certainly” already in service with the PLAAF.Equipped with twin thrust engines, the sleek drones are reportedly capable of accelerating to speeds up to Mach 7 (8,350 km per hour) and reaching altitudes of up to 50 km, allowing for real-time intelligence-collection across a broad geographic area from near-space in time-sensitive circumstances. The UAVs are produced by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, and carry out their missions using onboard synthetic aperture radar systems and electro-optical sensors to provide high-resolution images of enemy targets while speedily flying over heavily-defended areas at high speeds and at altitudes too high for countermeasures to be taken.The WZ-8 made its first public debut at a military parade in Beijing in 2019, with mockups appearing at airshows in 2021 and 2022.A great deal of information about the drone remains under wraps, with its range characteristics unknown (its mothership carrier, the H-6, has a range between 6,000 and 8,100 km). It’s speculated that the drones could be equipped with weaponry to allow them to engage enemy ground, air and naval units, including carrier groups and fighters. However, this information has yet to be independently verified.US defense observers are worried that the new drones dramatically expand China’s ability to keep an eye on the entire Indo-Pacific region, and have offered no solutions for countering the advanced UAVs.The People’s Republic of China has made large-scale investments in the military in recent years, with the country’s military budget presently the second largest overall after the United States ($270 billion vs $768 billion, respectively). Unlike Washington, however, Beijing has not stretched its military capabilities abroad, maintaining just one military base, in Djibouti, Africa to ease its participation in international anti-piracy missions. The US has spent decades of time and billions of dollars attempting to hem China in militarily inside its home waters, expanding regional alliances and looking for new places to put advanced new missile systems. China has slammed the US over these activities, and called on Washington to stop butting into regional affairs and attempting to start a global arms race. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230113/china-commissions-ai-controlled-drone-mothership-research-vessel-zhu-hai-yun-1106295485.html China has made dramatic strides in its drone warfare capabilities over the decade-and-a-half, taking advantage of the country’s massive industrial base and major advances in home-grown defense electronics. A private Earth imaging company has snapped what US defense media speculates is an image of a Chinese WZ-8 rocket-powered spy drone parked outside a hanger at Lu’an Airbase, about 500 km west of Shanghai. The delta-shaped unmanned aerial vehicle, typically launched from People’s Liberation Army Air Force H-6K and H-6M strategic bombers, has been the subject of consternation for Pentagon planners, with a recently leaked internal assessment by the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency concluding that the drones are “almost certainly” already in service with the PLAAF. © Photo : Twitter / @TheBaseLegAnalysis of what appears to be a WZ-8 drone at a military airbase in Lu'an, China. Analysis of what appears to be a WZ-8 drone at a military airbase in Lu'an, China. © Photo : Twitter / @TheBaseLeg Equipped with twin thrust engines, the sleek drones are reportedly capable of accelerating to speeds up to Mach 7 (8,350 km per hour) and reaching altitudes of up to 50 km , allowing for real-time intelligence-collection across a broad geographic area from near-space in time-sensitive circumstances. The UAVs are produced by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, and carry out their missions using onboard synthetic aperture radar systems and electro-optical sensors to provide high-resolution images of enemy targets while speedily flying over heavily-defended areas at high speeds and at altitudes too high for countermeasures to be taken. The WZ-8 made its first public debut at a military parade in Beijing in 2019, with mockups appearing at airshows in 2021 and 2022.