Chinese UAVs News & Discussions

[Deino]

With the Catapult the KJ-600 could be one of the only manned platforms to fly from the Type 076, flying 300 km behind the unmanned fighters and strike aircraft, and be the long range eyes for these drones. Controlling the missiles these aircraft fire, with the AEW’s own radar and datalinks.

The Type 076 may have to be improved to have two catapults to ensure redundancy.

I don‘t see a KJ-600 flying off the 076, that makes just no sense.

 

[Michael]

I remembered one or two large UCAV which appeared in the rehearsal but didn't show up in the parade.
@Michael @Deino

All I know is that this UAV was cancelled from the parade.

With the Catapult the KJ-600 could be one of the only manned platforms to fly from the Type 076, flying 300 km behind the unmanned fighters and strike aircraft, and be the long range eyes for these drones. Controlling the missiles these aircraft fire, with the AEW’s own radar and datalinks.

The Type 076 may have to be improved to have two catapults to ensure redundancy.

The Type 076 LHD has relevant capabilities, but it is not suitable for deploying large numbers of manned fixed-wing aircraft.

 

[FuturePAF]

I don‘t see a KJ-600 flying off the 076, that makes just no sense.

Perhaps not in the current design form of the Type 076. But add an angled flight deck and a second catapult, and with 3 KJ-600, 24-28 fighters and strike platforms would really be able to potentially hold their once with at least one KJ-600 up at all times. A modern day PLAN equivalent to the Essex class.

These ships need an AEW like the KJ-600, with the range, altitude, and speed to sustain ops at that level.

 

[Deino]

Perhaps not in the current design form of the Type 076. But add an angled flight deck and a second catapult, and with 3 KJ-600, 24-28 fighters and strike platforms would really be able to potentially hold their once with at least one KJ-600 up at all times. A modern day PLAN equivalent to the Essex class.

These ships need an AEW like the KJ-600, with the range, altitude, and speed to sustain ops at that level.

That's a joke? You do not take the 076 design, "add an angled flight deck and a second catapult ..." enlarge it overall ... you directly build a true aircraft carrier!

And that's why the 076 is still and will remain an assault carrier for drones.

 

[FuturePAF]

That's a joke? You do not take the 076 design, "add an angled flight deck and a second catapult ..." enlarge it overall ... you directly build a true aircraft carrier!

And that's why the 076 is still and will remain an assault carrier for drones.

Not a joke. Btw, I meant to say the Midway Class (particularly the USS Coral Sea). Started life as a straight deck carrier, but got an angled deck for faster flight operations.

Now, sure it would have to be a true aircraft carrier design from the ground up. USS Coral Sea was 45,000 standard tons, 274 meters long and had a beam of 41 meters at the flight deck. The type 076 is 252 meters long and with a beam of 45-51 meters.

Even with a straight deck, it’s possible the front could be designed to add a second catapult and consolidate the island further aft to allow room for the second catapult forward on the starboard side.

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Even without an angled deck, there is room for a second catapult, if the island is moved further aft. The following was the USS Coral Sea, with 158 MW installed power installed to 78 MW on the Type 076. 4 CGT-40 gas turbines (42 MW each) or 8x20 mw nuclear batteries or a mix could give the Type 076 the power of the coral sea in a small package, and allowing the ship to have a single island which is moved further aft, like the planned Type 004. For reference the Type 003 has about 164 MW of installed power. So a goal of a fast and light but compact carrier would allow UAVs, including ASW UAV, guided by an AEW, to push out the anti-access area denial envelope further.

 

[Deino]

I just saw this collection of all shown and not shown CCA/UCAVs on FB and even if I agree with the first ones, I‘m still not sure about the maybe third large delta …

But when was this one shown (second image)?

At least I don‘t remember it …
If legit, then there was yet another one?

 

[Fatman17]

 

[Deino]

All I know is that this UAV was cancelled from the parade.
View attachment 145490

The Type 076 LHD has relevant capabilities, but it is not suitable for deploying large numbers of manned fixed-wing aircraft.

Hey, we finally have a clear image of the Type-E (?) CCA/UCAV, that was shown during the rehearsals for the September parade but strangely its appearance was canceled … Serial number looks like 53430.

 

[Michael]

Hey, we finally have a clear image of the Type-E (?) CCA/UCAV, that was shown during the rehearsals for the September parade but strangely its appearance was canceled … Serial number looks like 53430.

As for the reason why it was cancelled, my guess is that it might be the result of the total length control of the military parade.

1. China maintains very strict time limits for such events. This is a common occurrence at various large-scale events.

2. This CCA, from its appearance, does not appear to have many unique features compared to other CCAs already on display. Their functional positioning, appearance, and technical features are essentially the same.

 

[Deino]

Another XXL-UAV spotted at Malan

Large Stealth Flying Wing Appears At Chinese Test Base

It's the second largest Chinese flying wing drone we have seen and follows a broader trend in the country's stealthy uncrewed aircraft developments.

www.twz.com

 

[iblini]

What looks to be a previously unseen low-observable flying-wing drone variant with a ‘cranked kite’ planform has emerged in a satellite image from China’s secretive test base near Malan in the country’s far western Xinjiang province. The design has a strong resemblance to a known Chinese uncrewed high-altitude, long-endurance uncrewed aircraft called the CH-7, and is most likely an evolution thereof, or at least it shares a very similar planform.

TWZ obtained the image from Planet Labs. It was taken on August 14, but it only recently appeared in the company’s online archive database. Malan is a hub for leading-edge military aviation developments, and work on advanced uncrewed aircraft in particular, in China. Another new and especially large, low-observable, high-altitude long-endurance flying-wing also emerged in a Planet Labs image of Malan taken back in May, which we were first to report on. That design may have now flown if it didn’t prior to the satellite image.

The very dark-colored drone seen in the August image, which is positioned at the end of a runway, has a wingspan of around 137 feet. It also looks to have a single air intake at the front of its center body section and a matching exhaust at the rear.

 

[iblini]

With a wingspan of around 40 meters, it is the biggest UCAV, and likely to be part of the China's next gen aerial combat system together with WZ-X, sixth gen manned/unmanned jets.

 

[iblini]

It is in the size comparable to a B-21, freaking huge.

 

[naoseidenada]

isn´t it the h-20?

 

[iblini]

isn´t it the h-20?

It's a UCAV.