China Just Tested a Suicide Drone Force, Which can be Launched from Trucks and Helicopters

 

Screenshot from SCMP shows China's suicide drone being tested but is still in the refinement stage and can be launched from trucks or helicopters / Weibo vis SCMP

WW3 - China's progress in military technology is praiseworthy, recently China has tested a swarm of suicide drone aircraft, this drone can be launched from a truck or helicopter.

The increasing tension in the South China Sea and border conflicts is one of the reasons why the Chinese military develops technology other than of course for national security.

China has developed a new low-cost "suicide drone" that is dispatched in large numbers to strike targets, according to local media reports.

The suicide drone was commissioned as part of the government's military-civilian fusion strategy, a People's Liberation Army (PLA) insider who requested anonymity told the South China Morning Post.

He did not provide details of the aircraft, but it looks similar to the country's first tactical strike drone, judging from the video posted on the Weibo app. However, it seems that the policy seeks to enhance military development with the support of the civilian and private sectors.

A group of fixed-wing drones were tested last month by the developer, a research institute under the state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, according to a video released by the company.

This suggests this kamikaze-like drone was launched from a light tactical vehicle and from a helicopter.

The company has previously carried out a similar test. And in November 2017, at its research institute, the China Academy of Electronics and Information Technology, conducted what is believed to be the largest experiment, involving 200 small fixed-wing aircraft.

In the video, several drones are seen being fired from a launcher mounted behind a modified version of the PLA's Dongfeng Mengshi light tactical vehicle and two from a helicopter.

The drone appears to be similar to the CH-901, China's first tactical attack drone and part of a series being developed by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Specifications The CH-901 drone is small, only 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) long and weighs 9kg (20lbs) but can fly for 120 minutes and hit its target at 150 km / h before detonating.

While military insiders did not provide details on the types of drones tested last month, he said China had upgraded drone technology developed in 2012 and is now trying to integrate it with other new hardware.

The short video clip shows how a swarm of suicide drones can be quickly deployed into a war zone, launched from the ground and air, to attack targets. They were seen flying in formation, with their movements directed from a distance from a tablet-like device.

Both Chinese and US media reports have suggested the PLA may have used suicide drones, but military insiders say they are still grappling with technical issues.

"It is still in the initial development stage and the technical problems have not been resolved," he said. “One of the main concerns is the communication system and how to stop it from getting stuck. The military has found that the artificial intelligence it uses is too slow to react."

Today the war using drones is becoming increasingly important, and China is one of many countries competing to develop its technology. The US has deployed drones for beheading attacks in the Middle East, including to kill Iran's top commander Qassem Soleimani in January.