China has released a video footage of one of its most powerful unmanned fighting jets, the Wing Loong II. It has the capability to avoid radar detection which makes it almost invisible to detect and can successfully destroy targets with laser-guided missiles. It is speculated that the Wing Loong II has been developed specifically for the export market and it can be used for surveillance and aerial reconnaissance missions. China will be providing 48 of these drones to the Pakistani Air Force. The aircraft has a maximum payload capacity of 400 kg and can also be fitted with a variety of weapons to be used to perform combat and strike operations. The aircraft is remotely controlled by one operator from the ground using consoles. It is capable of flying for 20 hours without refuelling. The Wing Loong II could automatically choose an airport and perform emergency landing under unexpected circumstances, the plane’s chief designer Mr Li Qidong was quoted. The aircraft has been designed and manufactured by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China and it is an improved version of the Wing Loong I UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). The new version has an optimised aerodynamic design, an improved airframe, and upgraded airborne systems. The Wing Loong II can go upto a speed of 370 kilometers an hour and can reach an altitude of 9,000 meters. The plane is considered as Beijing’s answer to US Air Force’s MQ-9 Reaper, the most feared military drone in the world.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/
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