China has unveiled a new class of heavy uncrewed aerial vehicle being described as a “swarm carrier”.
Known as Jetank, the AVIC-made platform made its first-ever public appearance at the Zhuhai air show on 17 November, according to state-affiliated news outlet Global Times.
AVIC, China’s state-owned aerospace corporation, says the Jetank has a maximum take-off weight of 16t (35,274lb), a payload capacity of 6t and a wingspan of 25m (82ft).
An MTOW of 16t is roughly equivalent to that of an American Lockheed Martin F-16 or other similar light fighter aircraft. The Jetank’s 25m wingspan is significantly wider than that of the F-16, which measures just under 10m.
The jet-powered UAV boasts eight hard points for weapons and a “mission module” that can be configured for a range of functions, including airlift, air drop, strike and countermeasures deployment.
The new type is reportedly remotely piloted, rather than autonomous, as are the latest generation of UAVs being developed in the West.
Photos from the air show, which was not open to Western journalists, show the aircraft. It has a single dorsal-mounted turbofan engine and a tricycle landing gear configuration, with one wheel assembly at the nose and two outboard landing gear that retract into underwing-mounted pods.
Most notably, however, is that the Jetank is able to carry not just missiles, bombs and surveillance sensors, but can also launch other smaller drones in so-called swarms.
These are deployed from what is described as a “isomerism hive module”, which was also on display alongside the Jetank. The module is capable of housing “dozens” of smaller drones, according to the Global Times, which can be teamed – or “swarmed” – to carry out missions from the Jetank mothership.
The US military is also experimenting with drone swarms, for uses including reconnaissance, intelligence collection, electronic warfare, armed strike and even laying minefields. The Jetank’s hive module is reportedly interchangeable, with the option to instead attach a logistics transport capsule.
