Various Chinese UAVs
China is developing strategic and tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) capable of supporting ground, sea and air forces and are also capable of undertaking satellite communications in case the satellites are neutralised. China began developing UAVs in the 1950s with assistance from the Soviet Union. However, it is estimated that by 2011, China had already built up a fleet of 280 UAVs. With the help of a strong partnership between the military and academic institutions, today China is not only adding numbers but is working on expanding the variety of UAVs, having developed over 50 new designs. The focus is on the development of UAVs capable of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, precision strike, electronic warfare missions, data relay and communications. UAVs in China are employed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), PLA Air Force (PLAAF) and the PLA Navy (PLAN). The PLA General Staff maintains its own UAVs for joint operations. China’s Second Artillery Corps, its strategic missile force, also appears to have high-altitude, long endurance UAV assets. Chinese researchers say that UAVs could provide a critical link between land-based command and control facilities and anti-ship missiles engaged in long range over-the-horizon attacks.
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