China to extend UAV combat range as first mission nears for ‘drone mother ship’ Jiu Tian
Super-high altitude UAV with 7,000km range and ability to release up to 100 units of small drones will take off on first mission by June-end
China’s “drone carrier” Jiu Tian will take off for its first mission by the end of June, laying the groundwork for expanding the Chinese air force’s operational reach in unmanned aerial combat.
Chinese media reports at the weekend commented on the coming launch, and state broadcaster CCTV confirmed the mission on Monday.
The first mission flight will mark the beginning of a series of tests before the “drone mother ship” UAV is deployed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Jiu Tian – or “high sky” – is a super-high altitude, long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that debuted at China’s premier Zhuhai air show in November.
With a maximum range of 7,000km (4,350 miles) and an altitude of 15,000 metres (50,000 feet), the jet-powered drone can carry up to 6 tonnes of ammunition and small drones.
It has a maximum take-off weight of 16 tonnes, a wingspan of 25 metres and an ability to fly above many of the medium-range defence systems that are deployed worldwide.
Up to 100 units of loitering ammunition or small drones, including kamikaze UAVs, can be released from both sides of the belly of the aircraft – extending their reach.
If deployed, the Jiu Tian will contribute to the PLA’s swarming capabilities – in which a large group of networked drones are released to work together on military missions or to overwhelm the enemy’s air-defence systems.
It can carry a range of payloads on eight hardpoints and is capable of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assignments, as well as electronic warfare.
Beijing has developed increasingly sophisticated and innovative drones over the past decade, as UAVs have come to play a significant role in modern warfare and asymmetric capabilities. Such operations are believed to be crucial to potential regional military conflicts, such as in the Taiwan Strait.
The heavyweight Jiu Tian UAV carrier adds to China’s stock of advanced drone technology, such as the stealth combat CH-7 and the medium-altitude, anti-submarine Wing Loong-X. Some see it as a potential rival to the two dominant American drone models: the RQ-4 Global Hawk and the MQ-9 Reaper.
The Global Hawk can carry out advanced reconnaissance at up to 18,000 metres and has a similar maximum take-off weight as the Jiu Tian, but cannot conduct strikes. The Reaper is a medium-altitude multirole UAV with a maximum take-off weight of around 5 tonnes.
Designed by state-owned aerospace giant Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the Jiu Tian was built by Xian Chida Aircraft Parts Manufacturing, a subsidiary of state-owned defence enterprise Guangzhou Haige Communications.
According to the manufacturer, the Jiu Tian’s payload compartment has a modular design that allows it to carry out various functions, including transport in high-security and complex environments, public security, border defence, maritime police and maritime surveillance, emergency rescue, land and resources protection, and other fields.