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China Has Activated Its Only Supersonic Aircraft, Called WZ-8. Model Was Presented in 2019 During a Parade in Beijing.
China has already put into operation its supersonic aircraft called WZ-8, and in a satellite image obtained by Defense News shows the supersonic drone on a runway at the Chinese airbase located in Lu’an, in the east of the country. Beijing presented the Chinese-made aircraft produced by China Aviation Industry Corporation in 2019 during the 70th anniversary parade of the communist regime.
Supersonic Aircraft Has a Unique Dagger Shape
Although it was announced in 2019, until then it was unclear whether the supersonic drone was operational or not. According to experts, the model was developed to spy on enemy countries, mainly South Korea and Taiwan, being capable of traveling at three times the speed of sound, equipped with electro-optical sensors to obtain 3D images and other sensors not found at an altitude of 100,000 meters.
With its unique dagger shape and small wings, the Chinese reconnaissance aircraft likely has the ability to fly at supersonic speeds and possess stealth capability, according to military analysts.
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At the time it was announced, trucks carried the unmanned aircraft during the parade. The drone will likely be launched into the air by a bomber or transport aircraft, according to military analysts. According to the editor of Defense Weekly, Xinmin Evening News, from Shanghai, the big advantage of the supersonic aircraft is its ability to collect data effectively in real-time in a controllable manner, compared to other platforms like satellites.
A satellite must travel along its orbit and conduct reconnaissance only when it is above the target, according to the editor, pointing out that this can be calculated by the enemy and create false intelligence.
China Also Makes Improvements to Its Airbase
A high-altitude, high-speed supersonic reconnaissance drone will not have the problems mentioned earlier, as it will act as a soft deterrent, sending the message that the Chinese military can engage in reconnaissance of its targets, thus being able to launch attacks on them.
China continues to renovate a bomber base that has been identified as hosting the new supersonic aircraft.
The satellite image mentioned above, provided to Defense News by Planet Labs, shows the Lu’an airbase in the Chinese province of Anhui. The previously vacant base is undergoing an upgrade, with construction having begun in April 2018 and early 2019.
The improvements include the resurfacing of the 3,200-meter runway, widening the taxiways, and constructing 20 bomber-sized aircraft models, shelters, and two hangars to replace the open aircraft parking bays.
Supersonic Drone WZ-8 Also Seen in 2022 Satellite Photo
Lu’an Airbase houses the 29th Air Regiment of the 10th Bomber Division of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, according to the author of several books on Chinese military aviation and industry, Andreas Rupprecht.
According to the author, the unit currently operates the Xi’an H-6K and H-6M bombers. The latter is the primary launch platform for the WZ-8, carrying the supersonic aircraft on a hardpoint beneath the fuselage and releasing it from a high altitude.
The WZ-8 was also identified in a satellite photo taken in December of last year, while another from early April 2023 showed ongoing progress in the expansion of the aircraft taxiways leading to the underground aircraft facilities south of the runway.
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