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China: an attack drone with 10 thousand km of autonomy goes into production. It reaches as far as Europe

The Chinese military recently unveiled the Wing Loong-3, its intercontinental unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), at the 14th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition held in Guangdong province, the South China Morning Post reported.

Developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, the Wing Loong drones resemble the Predator/Reaper used by the US military and are also used by China for Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) operations. The drone first took to the air in 2009, but has seen a rapid increase in its performance capabilities.


Like most other drones, Wing Loong drones are intended for reconnaissance and surveillance missions and can be equipped with a variety of ad hoc sensors. Additionally, the drone can be employed for a combat role if equipped with air-to-surface missiles.

With the Wing Loong-3, China has taken combat drones to a completely different level, increasing their range to 10,000 km. It is a largely intercontinental distance: for example, the drone departed from Beijing can reach Lisbon. To achieve this, China has significantly increased the size of the drone: the length of the Wing Loong-3 is now 12.2 meters, much longer than its predecessor's nearly 9.05 meters. The wingspan of the Wing Loong-3 is 24 meters, much wider than the almost 14 meters of the Wing Loon-1.

Another striking feature of the drone is its recent ability to carry fourth generation air-to-air missiles. According to SCMP reports, the Wing Loong is equipped with PL-10E strike missiles that can shoot down helicopters and other UAVs, greatly increasing its survivability. Coupled with its long range and striking ability, the Wing Loong-3 is a lethal drone capable of carrying out intercontinental strikes.
What it means for the United States and its allies

China's Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) plans to mass-produce the Wing Loong-3 and has already started work to establish this capability. China already exports Wing Loong drones, which are currently in service in African and Middle Eastern nations. These drones are considered to be on par with Turkey's Bayraktar UAVs, and with recent upgrades, China has proven that they are capable of innovating and maintaining results. Interestingly, China is also offering the technology to countries joining the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which a Forbes report has dubbed Drone Diplomacy.
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Currently, Wing Loong drones may only be required in Libya or Pakistan, but thanks to the increased range and better attack capabilities, they could soon become interesting for other countries as well. If purchased from a Middle Eastern country they could comfortably cover, and hit, any European country.

Here is a promotional video of the drone

As we have seen during the conflict in Ukraine, major defense manufacturers such as Russia have turned to Iran for its Shahed drones to strike strategic locations in large numbers. It would come as no surprise if other US adversaries also turn to these drones to strike US bases far from the mainland.

An even worse scenario would be the sale of Wing Loong-3 drones to potential terrorists who could use them to target sites inside the United States without even approaching borders. Given its size, the Wing Loong-3 travels rather slowly compared to most missiles and weapons. However, experts told Forbes that, in combination with low-level flight, it could be used to evade air defense systems and carry out attacks from thousands of kilometers away.


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The article China: an attack drone with a 10,000 km range goes into production. It reaches Europe and comes from Scenari Economici .


This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/cina-va-in-produzione-un-drone-dattacco-con-10-mila-km-di-autonomia-arriva-fino-in-europa/ on Wed, 30 Nov 2022 16:45:55 +0000.