The drone is for reconnaissance, but if necessary it switches to “kamikaze” mode to destroy aircraft or aircraft carriers.
The Chinese military demonstrated a new combat drone Wuzhen-8 at the air show in the city of Changdong. Analyst Yin Sura posted a video on her page. excitement.
Wuzhen-8, also known as WZ-8, has been under development in China for several years as a means of reconnaissance and destruction of enemy equipment, but so far the Chinese have not reported any practical applications. Judging by the video, the prototype is the size of a small fighter jet, with a single fixed wing and retractable landing gear. Behind it are two jet engine nozzles.
In 2021, the WZ-8 was presented at an event in Zhuhai. According to the developers, the drone can reach speeds of over Mach 3 (about 3,700 km/h depending on altitude) and outlast most air defense missiles. If necessary, the device can accelerate and transform into a kamikaze missile, destroying warplanes or aircraft carriers.
Analysts noted two projections on the front of the fuselage, presumably to transport the WZ-8 with the help of the H-6N strategic bomber. The range of the latter is more than 8000 km, which significantly expands the scope. The South China Morning Post predicted in 2019 that Wuzhen-8 would play a key role in the conflict between the US and China in the South China Sea.
They wrote that recently China is testing a hybrid drone that can fly, swim and dive underwater. The developers are confident that their devices will evade enemy air defense systems thanks to the underwater mode. In the air, the UAV can reach speeds of up to 120 km/h on the wings retracted for diving.
It was also reported that they copied the drone of the Chinese company DJI in Russia. The quadcopter was presented on the Army-2022 forum under the designation ZALA 421-24, only two antennas on the top of the device can be considered its distinguishing feature.
Source: Riafan
