China shows glimpse of ‘Wingman’, looks like a copy of US’s Kratos

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FH-97 drone

Beijing: China has shown the world a glimpse of the new concept of unmanned drone ‘Wingman Drone’. On Tuesday, China demonstrated its air power at the Zhuhai Air Show. It also included the Wingman drone. It is very much like the Kratos XQ-58A of America. Wu Wei, a representative of China Aerospace Science Technology Corp’s (CASTC) Feihong product line, said the long-range FH-97 drone can carry a variety of weapons. It also has electronic warfare capabilities.

During this show held in the southern coastal city of Zhuhai, China showed surveillance drones and advanced jets to the world. In this, those fighter planes were also included, which could jam the electronic equipment of the enemy. However, Wu Wei did not reveal much about the specifications of the FH-97.

The United States, Britain, Australia, India, and Russia are among the countries producing such ‘wingmen’. They are much cheaper than fighter planes. CASTC did not reveal anything about the concept and technical details of the FH-97. It was also not told whether there are plans to export it going forward or not.

The FH-97 is similar to the Kratos XQ-58A of America. Kratos made its first flight in 2019. The XQ-58A has a top speed of 0.85 and a range of approximately 2,200 knots.

FH-97 drone

Other weapons showcased at the Zhuhai Airshow included the WZ-7 High Altitude Drone, which would be used for the border and maritime patrols. In addition, J-16D fighter jets were also demonstrated, which can jam enemy electronic weapons. Both these weapons have been included in the Chinese Air Force.

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