In China, the research and development of new types of equipment follows the internal law of "equipment generation, development generation, and pre-research generation", which means that when a new type of equipment is made public, in fact, a more advanced system is quietly being bred.
Recently, the appearance of China's new stealth unmanned reconnaissance aircraft "Skyhawk" has aroused heated discussions among netizens, is the performance of this UAV really not advanced enough? In fact, this expression of "seemingly backward but actually leading" precisely reflects China's unique "Versailles" self-confidence in the field of stealth aircraft.
Recently, the "Military Tour" special program launched by the seven national defense and military channels of ** TV station, from February 26 to March 1, led the audience to appreciate the charm of domestic military equipment at close range with a series of programs, and witnessed the remarkable progress of China's national defense science and technology industry. The program not only disclosed the light tracked unmanned combat platform, but also disclosed for the first time a new stealth unmanned reconnaissance aircraft that took seven years to develop - "Skyhawk".
Although almost seven years have passed since the first flight of the "Sky Eagle", according to the law of China's first research and development, its display is likely to mean that more advanced models are already in the process of development. Many netizens ridiculed in the comment area: "Since it can be displayed, it must be 'backward'", "The seven-year itch, it's time to welcome the update". This seemingly disparaging statement is actually a statement of pride, reflecting China's remarkable achievements in the field of stealth aircraft.
Earlier, the international community knew little about China's stealth aircraft, and more attention was focused on advanced stealth drones such as the US X-37B. However, with the popularity of "Rainbow", "Pterodactyl" and other series of UAVs abroad, coupled with the advent of the new "Skyhawk" stealth unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, China has successfully stepped into the first echelon of global UAV research and development.
With its unique design with a large aspect ratio, the Skyhawk UAV is endowed with a high lift-to-drag ratio, making it stand out in specific performance indicators. Although compared with China's largest stealth UAV "Rainbow-6", the tonnage of "Skyhawk" is smaller, and the maximum payload and endurance are slightly inferior, but its stay time of more than 5 hours is enough to surpass most UAV products on the market.
It is particularly worth mentioning that the "Sky Eagle" is equipped with advanced optoelectronic and radar systems, which can accurately identify the license plate of the car on the ground even when working at an altitude of more than 5,000 meters, showing super reconnaissance capabilities.
In modern warfare, such highly effective reconnaissance and positioning capabilities are crucial. For example, the Russian army's successful destruction of the American-made M1A2 main battle tank benefited from the intelligence acquisition and positioning accuracy of the unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. In comparison, the reconnaissance capability of the "Sky Eagle" is superior, and it undoubtedly provides a strong intelligence support for the squadron.
When it comes to reconnaissance effectiveness, stealth performance is key. Only by quietly approaching the enemy's target area can the reconnaissance and ground and sea strike missions be effectively carried out. One of the highlights of the "Skyhawk" unmanned reconnaissance aircraft is its excellent stealth capability.
The surface of the fuselage is coated with advanced stealth materials, and the air intake is arranged on the top of the fuselage, which makes the radar wave easy to disperse and reflect during the detection process, coupled with its small size, the radar scattering cross section is not even as good as a bird, which greatly reduces the possibility of detection.
With excellent stealth performance, the "Skyhawk" can easily penetrate the enemy's tight air defense network and has the ability to independently carry out attack missions. According to the display of the relevant CG promotional video, the drone can accurately lock on and destroy enemy targets after penetrating the air defense system, and the whole process is almost undetected by enemy radar. Interestingly, the "Skyhawk" UAV is somewhat similar in appearance to the American B-2 strategic bomber, therefore, some people give it the title of "Chinese version of the B-2".
On the question of whether it is possible for the "Sky Eagle" to board the Fujian aircraft carrier for sea trials, some experts have reservations. They believe that compared with the "Skyhawk", the aircraft carrier may be more suitable for carrying unmanned reconnaissance aircraft or fighters with long endurance and high stealth performance, such as the Attack-11 or J-35, because China already has rich reserves in the field of long-endurance unmanned high-altitude reconnaissance, and the demand for the "Skyhawk" is relatively limited. In their opinion, the "Skyhawk" is more capable of exerting its superior performance in land-based reconnaissance missions.
With the continuous progress of UAV technology, domestic UAVs have demonstrated actual combat capabilities such as flying around the island, crossing the strait, and coordinating operations.
Because of this, after the appearance of the "Skyhawk" UAV, the United States and Taiwan were quite afraid and chose to remain silent.
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