The 7.2-meter-long aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 450 kilograms, a maximum speed of 170 kilometres per hour and a flight ceiling of 4,000 meters, the State-run China Daily reported. The aircraft was developed and produced at the AVIC Helicopter Research and Development Institute in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province.
In addition, the helicopter is capable of carrying 120 kilograms of weapons and equipment. Its reconnaissance version can remain aloft for eight hours while the reconnaissance/combat model is able to fly for four hours.
All of the military drones China has offered to the international market have been fixed-wing models, making the AV500W the first Chinese unmanned military helicopter available in that market, experts were quoted as saying.
C'est peut-être la première photo qui montre le drone hélicoptère militaire AV500W chinois tirant un petit missile Air-Sol dédié. pic.twitter.com/o1NEsd2WQ7— East Pendulum (@HenriKenhmann) September 16, 2017
AVIC China Apresenta Novo Helicóptero Não Tripulado AV500W https://t.co/nhJW5MsqTA— Spyder Gamer (@spyderuchila) September 15, 2017
For mass production
Jiang Taiyu, one of the chief designers of AV500W, said the aircraft fired weapons during its maiden flight test in August.
“The helicopter is able to take off and land on almost any landform including plateaus and canyons. It can operate in cold and tropical environments. It will be useful in border patrols, counterterrorism operations and low-intensity conflicts because it can carry out very-low-altitude penetration and keep hovering for a while,” he said.
Mr. Jiang said that all of the helicopter’s tests will be finished before the end of this year and it will be ready for mass production in 2018.
“Several nations have told us that they are interested in this aircraft. This is because there are a very small number of unmanned helicopters in the world that can perform strikes, while demand for such types is not small,” Mr. Jiang said.
He said only the U.S. and Israel have developed unmanned armed helicopters such as the Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout in the U.S.
Numerous capabilities
An armed AV500W typically carries four air-to-ground missiles, which use radar homing technology for guidance. Each missile weighs eight kilograms and can hit a target five kilometres away, the report quoted AVIC officials as saying. It also can carry bombs or a machine-gun pod.
More than 400 helicopter producers and parts suppliers from 22 nations and regions — including the US, Russia and France — are taking part in the helicopter expo. They brought 98 aircraft to the event.
#China unveils AV500W unmanned attack helicopter. #UAV #drones #defense https://t.co/aJ062FlS3y pic.twitter.com/YvLPm3El2q— Forecast Guy (@LDickersonFI) September 15, 2017
Post a Comment Blogger Facebook Disqus