I would guess that flying higher over huge waves will not make the drone much more visible than low over a flat sea except when the drone is above the horizon and the waves aren't.
Chinese UAV/UCAV development
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Hendrik_2000
Lieutenant General
What do you know Henri K come with this analysis according to him this is unmanned kamikaze for naval blockade with a range of 800km and can carry torpedo with a range of 50Km
The Chinese Aerospace Aerospace Academy (CAAA), a subsidiary of Chinese aerospace group CASC and manufacturer of Cai Hong drones such as the CH-4 sold to Iraq and Saudi Arabia, developed a new anti-ship drone 3 tons based on the ground effect. This is in any case what is revealed by a commercial brochure recently published on the Chinese magazine?.
Its mission: "Attack the great naval targets", "Deliver a rapid attack of long range torpedo", and "Block the maritime zones".
The ground effect UAV of the Cai Hong family, designed by the CAAA (Photo: CASC)
According to official figures, this "ground effect drone", its official name, is capable of carrying a load of 1,000 kg, with a maximum take-off weight of 3,000 kg. It has an autonomy of 90 minutes in flight over a cruise altitude between 1 to 6 meters (above the sea).
The only available picture shows a machine of somewhat peculiar shape - the front part resembles the head of a missile whereas the rear is typically that of a small drone with a V-tail.
Its engine, a small turbojet or turbofan placed above the cell, should allow this ground effect UAV to reach a much higher speed than conventional propeller propellant propellers, which rarely exceed 200 km / h.
An antenna which appears to be a data link is also placed on the back, indicating that the apparatus should depend on the flying parameters provided by a third party, and therefore has only a few own means for conducting fire during its phase in flight.
The artist's view of the ground effect drone (CG image: 派 派)
The mass and also its relatively large size reduce the ability of this drone to serve on a ship. The lack of sufficient volume to install a landing gear also suggests that this drone should be launched on a ramp from a vehicle or a ground firing point.
All these elements seem to indicate that it is a "suicide" drone used for coastal defense, with a range not exceeding 800 km. The craft is designed to deliver a 900 kg heavy torpedo with self-guidance of a range of 50 km, based on the average torpedo data of this category.
In short, we are dealing here with a very atypical weapon system, probably developed to satisfy needs and contexts as special as the blockade of a strait, a sea passage, or a vast inland sea by Example, with a rather mild sea state.
It should be noted that this military drone is not the only ground effect machine developed by the CAAA. Indeed, at the last aviation fair in Zhuhai that took place in November 2016, the Chinese manufacturer has already exposed a project of the ground effect aircraft, of which little details have been communicated.
To the right, the model of the plane to effect of ground, and to the left, a target drone with flying wing. Both are under development at CAAA.
The analysis of the patents filed by the same manufacturer also reveals the existence of another project of drone, always with effect of soil, not to deliver torpedoes this time but to recover samples of the sea water .
The small craft is characterized by a CLARK-Y type wing and the presence of three floats to ensure 35% of the buoyancy of the craft in case of accident. The drone is equipped with a set of satellite communication equipment and a perch under the cell to aspirate sea water.
The plan of another CAAA ground effect drone, designed to recover seawater samples (Images: CAAA)
Henri K.
The Chinese Aerospace Aerospace Academy (CAAA), a subsidiary of Chinese aerospace group CASC and manufacturer of Cai Hong drones such as the CH-4 sold to Iraq and Saudi Arabia, developed a new anti-ship drone 3 tons based on the ground effect. This is in any case what is revealed by a commercial brochure recently published on the Chinese magazine?.
Its mission: "Attack the great naval targets", "Deliver a rapid attack of long range torpedo", and "Block the maritime zones".
The ground effect UAV of the Cai Hong family, designed by the CAAA (Photo: CASC)
According to official figures, this "ground effect drone", its official name, is capable of carrying a load of 1,000 kg, with a maximum take-off weight of 3,000 kg. It has an autonomy of 90 minutes in flight over a cruise altitude between 1 to 6 meters (above the sea).
The only available picture shows a machine of somewhat peculiar shape - the front part resembles the head of a missile whereas the rear is typically that of a small drone with a V-tail.
Its engine, a small turbojet or turbofan placed above the cell, should allow this ground effect UAV to reach a much higher speed than conventional propeller propellant propellers, which rarely exceed 200 km / h.
An antenna which appears to be a data link is also placed on the back, indicating that the apparatus should depend on the flying parameters provided by a third party, and therefore has only a few own means for conducting fire during its phase in flight.
The artist's view of the ground effect drone (CG image: 派 派)
The mass and also its relatively large size reduce the ability of this drone to serve on a ship. The lack of sufficient volume to install a landing gear also suggests that this drone should be launched on a ramp from a vehicle or a ground firing point.
All these elements seem to indicate that it is a "suicide" drone used for coastal defense, with a range not exceeding 800 km. The craft is designed to deliver a 900 kg heavy torpedo with self-guidance of a range of 50 km, based on the average torpedo data of this category.
In short, we are dealing here with a very atypical weapon system, probably developed to satisfy needs and contexts as special as the blockade of a strait, a sea passage, or a vast inland sea by Example, with a rather mild sea state.
It should be noted that this military drone is not the only ground effect machine developed by the CAAA. Indeed, at the last aviation fair in Zhuhai that took place in November 2016, the Chinese manufacturer has already exposed a project of the ground effect aircraft, of which little details have been communicated.
To the right, the model of the plane to effect of ground, and to the left, a target drone with flying wing. Both are under development at CAAA.
The analysis of the patents filed by the same manufacturer also reveals the existence of another project of drone, always with effect of soil, not to deliver torpedoes this time but to recover samples of the sea water .
The small craft is characterized by a CLARK-Y type wing and the presence of three floats to ensure 35% of the buoyancy of the craft in case of accident. The drone is equipped with a set of satellite communication equipment and a perch under the cell to aspirate sea water.
The plan of another CAAA ground effect drone, designed to recover seawater samples (Images: CAAA)
Henri K.
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How is this design different from a cruise missile?
Hendrik_2000
Lieutenant General
It can loiter over longer period of time 90 minutes. I can carry larger pay load 1000kg. It is more difficult to detect as it fly close to the water exacerbate cluttering this point is open to debate
It is long range 800 Km. It has longer stand off torpedo if the article to believe 50Km
It i basically flying torpedo work in conjunction with other sensor on board ship, sub, Maritime aircraft etc
Targeting sub or surface ship and Torpedo hit is deadly it can literally broke the ship in halve
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I guess this is China's answer to the AGM 158C, only more capable and being a torpedo instead of a missile, would have more of a chance in penetrating a ship's defence since warships these days have more of their resources geared towards anti ship missile. A kill here even if it is just one torpedo getting through as Hendrk has pointed out would be total.
No, I think the AGM-158C/LRASM and this ch-x wig uav are quite different vehicles meant for quite different launch platforms and mission profiles.
They will both probably be quite capable weapons in their own rights but I think it would be mistaken to think of the ch-x as an "answer" to the agm-158c
I realise they are two very different weapons system, one that can be carried by a fighter sized aircraft and the other from shore based launcher , what I had intended to point out is the ability of both these platform to seek it's target autonomous of its launch vehicle hundreds of kilometers away.
AGM-158C has been promoted with the notion that it has extensive autonomous guidance capability through its various modes, and it's possible this CH-X will as well (we do not know what its actual guidance system is). But I think for both systems to make full use of their full potential range (or frankly even just a portion of their full range) in a realistic conflict scenario they would require offboard guidance and datalinking.
This isn't necessarily to take anything away from AGM-158C or CH-X, but I don't think the two systems are that comparable, nor do I think they have anywhere near the kind of autonomous guidance capability that one might imagine when considering their hypothetical full range. And even if autonomous guidance capability between the two were comparable to whatever degree that they were, then we would likely expect Chinese cruise missiles to also field that technology rather than only having it on CH-X, thus making CH-X and its unique wig uav configuration still quite different to AGM-158C.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
For one, it can return home to be refuelled and turned around if it finds nothing to kill, so you are not wasting a million dollar weapon if there isn't a suitable target.
From the naval blockade functionality, it is also capable of long loiter time and probably autonomous engagement.
So rather than having to have ships, subs or aircraft patrol within weapon range of an area 24/7, you can deploy swarms of these drones on shifts instead, and either have them rely on their own sensors, or you only need support assets within sensor range of the blockade area, which should be considerably further than weapons range.
Sub surface targeting will be an issue, but my sources tell me the PLA is well on its way to have that covered. That's about as much as I am prepared to say on the matter, and there are no open sources I can cite. So it's up to you individually to decide if you want to believe me or not. I do not keep any of that information in hard copy format electronically or otherwise, so knock yourself out if you got nothing better to do NSA/CIA. At least it won't be my tax dollar you will be wasting.
.For one, it can return home to be refuelled and turned around if it finds nothing to kill, so you are not wasting a million dollar weapon if there isn't a suitable target.
From the naval blockade functionality, it is also capable of long loiter time and probably autonomous engagement.
So rather than having to have ships, subs or aircraft patrol within weapon range of an area 24/7, you can deploy swarms of these drones on shifts instead, and either have them rely on their own sensors, or you only need support assets within sensor range of the blockade area, which should be considerably further than weapons range.
Sub surface targeting will be an issue, but my sources tell me the PLA is well on its way to have that covered. That's about as much as I am prepared to say on the matter, and there are no open sources I can cite. So it's up to you individually to decide if you want to believe me or not. I do not keep any of that information in hard copy format electronically or otherwise, so knock yourself out if you got nothing better to do NSA/CIA. At least it won't be my tax dollar you will be wasting.
If it has a flight time of only 90min, that actually means it doesn't have much loiter time available.
So it looks to me like a UCAV which can be launched on demand.
Then it stays under the radar horizon when it delivers a heavyweight anti-ship torpedo, before turning around for base.
Alternatively, a payload of sensors or a lightweight ASW torpedo would increase the loiter/flight time available.
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