The war between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for more than a year, and the two sides are still at a stalemate. However, India's Eurasia Times believes that Russia has already suffered a major setback on the air battlefield. Although the air power of the Russian army far exceeds that of the Ukrainian army, it is unable to effectively strike at the enemy. On the contrary, drones have played a huge role in this war. India's analysis points out that the coordinated operation of manned aircraft and drones is the key to future warfare. The West calls this technology an "unmanned wingman" or "loyal wingman", which can perform tasks with manned fighters, increasing the survivability of pilots and manned aircraft. China has also conducted active research in this area.
According to reports from India, China has developed the J-20S, a two-seat version of the J-20, which is specially designed for the coordinated operation of manned aircraft and UAVs, and is the first fifth-generation aircraft with this capability. China has long begun research on the coordinated operation of manned aircraft and drones, and the experience of the Russian-Ukrainian war, especially the defeat of the Russian army, has highlighted the importance of China's "unmanned wingman" project. This means that the cooperation between the J-20 and the unmanned wingman must be accelerated. It is reported that China is developing an advanced combat drone: the FH-97A, which will serve as an unmanned wingman for the J-20.
The goal of the FH-97A is to become the wingman of the J-20.
EurAsia Times believes that after China learns the lessons of the Russian army, the J-20 will become the first fifth-generation aircraft equipped with an unmanned wingman. In this regard, China is ahead of the United States, which is also developing unmanned wingmen, but has not yet made a breakthrough in related technologies, and is only conducting verification tests.
China has not made public the status of research and development of unmanned wingman technology. However, India extrapolated from a video broadcast on Chinese television in October 2022 that a J-20 could carry four drones. This indicates that the J-20B fighter has the function of a drone controller. The advantage of a two-seater is that it allows one pilot to focus on collaboration with the unmanned wingman.
The FH-97A is already a public model.
India is very interested in Chinese-made FH-97A UAVs. This is a jet drone with stealth characteristics. Although it is not conspicuous among China's many drones, it is very much watched by the outside world.
India believes that the FH-97A has a stealthy trapezoidal fuselage, sharp swept main wings, a V-shaped tail and air intakes above the fuselage. Moreover, its fuselage design is very similar to that of the J-20, indicating that its flight speed is comparable to that of the J-20. It is designed to counter enemy large and medium-sized UAVs and manned fighters, including AWACS, bombers and electronic warfare aircraft. It is said that it can carry 8 intelligent air-to-air missiles or cruise missiles, such as the FH-901, which can make up for the lack of firepower of the J-20.
Indian media believe that this drone is tailor-made for the J-20.
When China introduced the drone, it did not call it an "unmanned wingman". Suffice it to say that it can perform reconnaissance, surveillance and strike missions against key targets and facilities of the enemy. However, India has found that it is very similar to the American XQ-58A, which is precisely the technical demonstrator of the American UAV project.
Netizens have already determined that this is the personal guard of the J-20.
In fact, China has developed a lot of UAV products, and several of them fit into the concept of unmanned wingmen, EurAsia Times also admits. In addition to the J-20 unmanned wingman, China is also developing other UAVs, such as the FH-95 UAV. But little is known about them.
In the field of military technology research and development, China usually does things first and then talks. Unless we are fully assured, we will not disclose our research and development results. This also makes the outside world have a lot of misunderstandings. However, China's progress in the field of technology is indeed fast.
At present, the XQ-58A is only a verification machine, and it cannot be used in actual combat.
Judging by the practice of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the loss of manned fighters in battle is still unavoidable. The Russian army's advanced manned fighters suffered heavy losses, which made the concept of unmanned wingmen more important. India's point of view: "In future wars, drones will be put into a complex battlefield environment. In the face of combat systems including early warning aircraft, stealth fighters and electronic warfare aircraft, high-speed UAVs can greatly improve battlefield survivability and breakthrough capabilities. ”
The Russia-Ukraine war has become the first drone war in fact.
EurAsia Times believes that the performance of drones in the Russia-Ukraine war has inspired China to invest more resources in the research and development of a new generation of warfare. It is self-evident that the Chinese version of the "loyal wingman" is speeding up the installation. China has launched a lot of UAV projects, the purpose of which is already very clear, and in the field of UAV technology, China will not lag behind.