Chinese Powerful Drone: Capabilities and Potential Impact - Deadly Flagship Drone of China: Unveiling the Purported Functions
China Unveils "Drone Mothership" Jiu Tian, Boosting Unmanned Aerial Combat Capabilities
In a significant stride towards advanced drone technology, China has developed the Jiu Tian, the world's first "drone mothership". This strategic military asset carries numerous implications for China's defense posture.
Capabilities
The Jiu Tian boasts an impressive range of 7,000 kilometers (approximately 4,350 miles) and can operate at altitudes of up to 15,000 meters (nearly 50,000 feet). These features enable it to elude many medium-range defense systems.
Equipped with a payload capacity of 6 tonnes, the Jiu Tian can transport and deploy small drones and up to 100 units of loitering ammunition or kamikaze UAVs from both sides of its belly. It can also dispatch a swarm of drones, including AI-guided drones and precision-guided munitions, capable of overwhelming enemy defenses. Furthermore, the Jiu Tian is armed with air-to-air and anti-ship missiles, enhancing its combat potential.
Role in China's Military
Primarily, the Jiu Tian is anticipated to serve in disabling enemy air defenses by deploying drones to neutralize these systems, thus paving the way for unhindered operation of other military assets. The Jiu Tian is set to embark on its first mission by the end of June, initiating a series of tests before its integration with the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Strategically, this system is viewed as a force multiplier for the PLA, extending the operational reach of China's unmanned aerial combat capabilities.
Criticisms and Concerns
Despite its impressive capabilities, the Jiu Tian is not without controversy. Critics question its survivability in contested skies due to its size and lack of stealth, potentially making it a vulnerable target for advanced air defenses and fighter jets. In addition, concerns have been raised about the endurance and actual combat effectiveness of the Jiu Tian, as some argue that the hype surrounding its capabilities may not fully translate into real-world situations.
The innovative Jiu Tian, China's "drone mothership," will undoubtedly contribute significantly to the country's research and development in artificial-intelligence-guided drone technology and unmanned aerial combat capabilities. This new technology, with its potential to launch swarms of AI-guided drones and precision-guided munitions, may revolutionize research and development efforts in the field of military technology.
