By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-09-23 15:26:55 | Updated at 2024-09-30 09:30:01
6 days ago
China’s largest weapon manufacturer has unveiled a small but ultra-long range “kamikaze” drone that could significantly outperform its main American competitor, according to its performance data.
It can also hover for some time before homing in on a selected target, according to drone specifications published in a peer-reviewed paper in the Journal of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics last month.
Its main competitor is the US-made Switchblade 600, which has a cruising speed of around 110km/h, a flight time of 40 minutes and a typical combat range of about 40km.
“Loitering munitions … such as the US Switchblade series combine the characteristics of drones and missiles with advantages such as long flight time, wide range of action, flexible use, and diverse penetration styles,” the research team from Norinco’s Xian Modern Control Technology Research Institute wrote.
