March 9 (UPI) — Drones that can dodge incoming weapons, and escape radar detection, are under development in China.
They also move pretty quickly.
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp., the country’s largest producer of missiles, said the drones could also be used as long-range bombers during aerial combat, China Daily reported.
Under development are a long-endurance stealth drone and a near-space drone, according to CASIC deputy general manager Wei Yiyin.
“As military reforms are drastically changing armed forces around the world, drones have become an indispensable weapon in modern warfare because they can play an important role in high-resolution reconnaissance, long-distance precision strikes, anti-submarine operations and aerial combat,” Wei told the Chinese newspaper.
The drones are being developed according to Beijing’s 13th Five-Year Plan, for 2016-20.
China not only wants to deploy the drones domestically, but also sell them to interested foreign buyers, according to the report.
CASIC drones resemble cruise missiles, and the WJ-500, WJ-600 and WJ-600A/D military drones are already on the market.
The drones are typically launched from a vehicle then later collected after it descends by parachute.
The WJ-600A/D has a fast cruising speed of 435 mph, more than double the speed of existing Chinese drones, the report says.
The model also has stealth capabilities and appears as a bird on military radars, the CASIC’s Unmanned Aircraft Institute said.
