Chinese MALE, HALE (and rotary, small, suicide) UAV/UCAV thread

[pevade]

Is an explosive payload even required?

Given the nature of the mission, we're talking about operating deep inside foreign soil. Even as a state sponsored actor, it won't be easy to set up a UAV swarm with multiple small explosive payloads without setting off anti-terrorism tripwires.

A UAV, diving into a radar or airplane at 100+ kmph, with a simple 2kg hardened steel penetrator, on the other hand should probably be capable of punching a hole in something as fragile as a radar or airplane fuselage and mission-killing the platform. Not destroy but enough to put it out of commission for a few days - which is plenty if it's a D-Day strike.

Supplying sleeper cells with a bunch of swarm UAVs and inert penetrators should be a lot simpler than a whole bunch of explosives.

I mean, non military grade high explosives can be relatively easy to make in sufficient quantities to severely damage a fragile installation like a radar. You'll also need a much larger drone to carry a 2KG ram while a cheap DJI mavic with some home made explosives will do much more damage.

 

[tacoburger]

Is an explosive payload even required?

Given the nature of the mission, we're talking about operating deep inside foreign soil. Even as a state sponsored actor, it won't be easy to set up a UAV swarm with multiple small explosive payloads without setting off anti-terrorism tripwires.

A UAV, diving into a radar or airplane at 100+ kmph, with a simple 2kg hardened steel penetrator, on the other hand should probably be capable of punching a hole in something as fragile as a radar or airplane fuselage and mission-killing the platform. Not destroy but enough to put it out of commission for a few days - which is plenty if it's a D-Day strike.

Supplying sleeper cells with a bunch of swarm UAVs and inert penetrators should be a lot simpler than a whole bunch of explosives.

I don't see the issue of getting a handful of pre-made or homemade explosives, especially for a state sponsored actor, it's not like you need a large amount. If all else fails, strap a molotov cocktail to the drone for a incendiary device. Hard to control the sale of petrol.

 

[Heliox]

I don't see the issue of getting a handful of pre-made or homemade explosives, especially for a state sponsored actor, it's not like you need a large amount. If all else fails, strap a molotov cocktail to the drone for a incendiary device. Hard to control the sale of petrol.

If we're talking about a isolated attack on a single ship, just for "terrorism", then sure, the requirements aren't onerous. But what does that get you? An operation that does nothing in the long run with the possibility of being traced back to you and all the egg-in-face that entails.

If we're talking a strategy involving the use of about a coordinated D-Day against ships in port and planes on deck and in air bases then that's a whole crap ton of explosives. You just need one cell to get tripped up to set off a cascading hunt for the others. Like I said, lots of tripwires focus on explosive detection. Very little, outside of HUMINT, picks up inert stuff.

Now, truckloads of swarm UAVs to 0-day say platforms and bases in Japan, depriving them of sensors and airframes, should they decide to get involved in AR? That's something worthy the direction UAV use is heading.

 

[by78]

A hydrogen fuel cell powered UAV developed by AVIC Chengdu has recently completed its maiden flight.

 

[tacoburger]

If we're talking about a isolated attack on a single ship, just for "terrorism", then sure, the requirements aren't onerous. But what does that get you? An operation that does nothing in the long run with the possibility of being traced back to you and all the egg-in-face that entails.

I wouldn't call a few hundred million dollars worth of damages nothing if the drone managed to hit a F-35 or a radar, not for the $1000 cost of the drone. Especially if it keeps happening. Just ask America how much IEDs cost them in morale and in the equipment needed to counter them, even if you can argue that it ultimately does nothing in the long run.

 

[by78]

Does anyone have access to this study/simulation of an aircraft carrier defense against drone attacks? The interesting bit to me is that both the attacking force and the defense force deploy recon and attack UAVs from both manned fighters and transport planes. That seems to be the future trend: manned platforms (even humble transport planes) are used as drone carriers.

 

[by78]

Excerpts from an academic paper or papers about hypersonic delivery of (subsonic) UCAVs/loitering attack munitions. The paper envisions using hypersonic glide vehicles as a means of penetrating future air defenses to quickly deliver UCAVs/drone swarms over a target area.

 

[tphuang]

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

More low altitude economy here.

This 方舟 40 can fly for 20km after each charge at speed of 50 km/h with 10 kg payload

 

[broadsword]

Tilt-rotor UAVs are what is needed but are missing in China.

 

[by78]

Yet more VTOL drones. These are made by Nanjing Aerospace National Intelligent Equipment Co (南京航天国器智能装备有限公司).