Development and Operation of Chinese UAVs in the 1960s-1990s
Work on the creation of unmanned aerial vehicles in the PRC began much later than in the USA and the USSR, and at first Chinese UAVs were copies of American and Soviet jets. drones. The next step was the serial production of radio-controlled models with piston engines, intended for training anti-aircraft crews. artillery. Subsequently, the developments obtained during the design, construction and operation of light unmanned targets made it possible to create drones, designed to observe the line of combat contact, adjust artillery and conduct reconnaissance in the enemy's immediate rear.
After the normalization of relations with the United States in the second half of the 1970s, China gained access to modern Western technologies, and thanks to cooperation with Israel, the PRC armed forces received very good light and medium-class UAVs for their time, which entered service in the 1980s and 1990s.
Relying on the existing groundwork, foreign experience and generous funding, large Chinese aircraft manufacturing companies managed to build on their success and in the 21st century created a number of models of light, medium and heavy military UAVs. In this regard, China has already outpaced our country and is hot on the heels of the United States. China's success in the field of creating drones is primarily due to the attention paid to this area by the highest Chinese military and political leadership.
Jet UAV SK-1
The first Chinese UAV was the jet-powered SK-1 (ChangKong-1), a copy of the Soviet La-17M aerial target. The SK-1 unmanned vehicle was created by the Nanjing Institute of Aeronautics based on documentation and several full-scale samples, which, despite the deteriorating relations between the countries, were transferred by the Soviet Union in 1960.
Jet UAV SK-1
Externally, the SK-1 UAV was almost identical to the Soviet prototype, but there were some changes in its design. The Chinese drone was equipped with a WP-6 turbojet engine with a thrust of 24,5 kN, which was also used on the J-6 (MiG-19) fighter. Depending on the modification, the empty weight of the UAV was 2100-2500 kg. The fuel supply of 600-840 kg ensured a flight duration of 45-70 minutes. The speed, depending on the year of manufacture and modification, was 850-910 km/h. The ceiling was up to 18 m. Like the Soviet La-000M, the Chinese device was launched from a towed launcher using powder boosters.
Testing of the prototype took place in 1966. However, due to the technological and industrial downturn caused by the start of the “Cultural Revolution” in China, the progress of the work slowed down significantly, and serial production of the first modification, known as the SK-1A, did not begin until 1976. In addition to training crews of the HQ-2 air defense missile system (the Chinese version of the S-75) and testing new anti-aircraft missiles, a modification of the SK-1V was created, designed to collect samples during nuclear tests. This radio-controlled unmanned vehicle, first used in "combat conditions" at the Lop Nur test site in 1978, put an end to the practice of using manned aircraft to carry out missions to collect samples from the cloud of a nuclear explosion.
In 1982, the SK-1S model entered service, adapted for low-altitude flights and capable of simulating air attack weapons operating at low altitude. The SK-1E UAV had maneuverability comparable to the J-7 fighter (a copy of the MiG-21). This modification was controlled from a command aircraft.
In the mid-1990s, the SK-1 supersonic UAV was built and tested on the basis of the SK-2. This model had a swept wing and a more powerful turbojet engine equipped with an afterburner. The SK-2 radio-controlled unmanned vehicle was intended for testing new air-to-air and ground-to-air missiles, but, apparently, was not built in large numbers.
Air targets Va-2 and Va-7
In the early 1970s, the PLA received the Ba-2 and Ba-7 UAVs, intended for training anti-aircraft artillery crews. These very simple and cheap radio-controlled vehicles made of plywood, with piston engines, launched by solid-fuel boosters from a towed launcher, were created by the Xi'an Northwest Polytechnic University.
Radio-controlled aerial target Va-2
Externally, the Va-2 UAV resembled a propeller-driven monoplane. The takeoff weight was 56 kg, the flight duration was 1 hour. A two-stroke, two-cylinder air-cooled engine with a power of 14 hp provided a maximum speed of 250 km/h. With a length of 2,55 m, the wingspan reached 2,7 m.
The larger Va-7 weighed over 150 kg. The piston engine power was 25 hp. Maximum speed was 350 km/h. Ceiling – 5000 m. Fuselage length was 2,65 m, wingspan was 2,68 m. Time in the air was up to 90 minutes.
Radio-controlled aerial target Va-7
Until recently, an improved version of the Ba-75 with a digital control system was produced.
Radio-controlled aerial target Va-75
This drone, made of modern materials, can fly according to a pre-programmed program or be controlled remotely. The payload can include equipment for recording the magnitude of the miss, heat or radar traps.
Reconnaissance jet UAV WZ-5
During the Vietnam War, the US Air Force actively used Ryan AQM-34 Lightning Bug jet UAVs, also known as Ryan Firebees, to conduct reconnaissance of Chinese territory bordering North Vietnam. More than 20 American drones were shot down by PLAAF fighters in the area of the Chinese-Vietnamese border. Some of the downed drones fell into tree crowns and received minor damage, which made it possible to study them in detail.
The Chinese version of the Lightning Bug, designated WZ-5 (Wuzhen-5), has been developed by Peking University since the late 1960s. aviation and astronautics. Testing of the prototype began in 1972. But the first WZ-5 UAVs were delivered to the PLA Air Force only in 1981. Such a significant delay in establishing serial production was due to the inability of Chinese industry to create reconnaissance and control equipment similar to that installed on the American AQM-34N.
The WZ-5 UAV was launched from a specially upgraded and re-equipped Tu-4 long-range bomber. The jet drone with a takeoff weight of 1700 kg was usually launched at altitudes of 4000–5000 m and then climbed to an altitude of up to 17 m, and could reach speeds of up to 500 km/h and stay in the air for 800 hours.
WZ-5 UAV under the wing of the upgraded Tu-4 bomber
In the 1950s, the USSR delivered 25 Tu-4 aircraft to China. At one point, the piston-engine Tu-4 bomber, based on the American Boeing B-29 Superfortress, was the PLA Air Force's only carrier of China's nuclear weapons. weapons. In the future, the Tu-4 was supposed to be replaced by the jet Tu-16, the documentation for which, along with several aircraft, was handed over in 1959. But relations with the USSR deteriorated, and the "great leap forward" slowed down the development of new technology, and the flight biography of the seemingly hopelessly outdated bomber turned out to be unexpectedly long. To improve flight performance, several Chinese Tu-4s were equipped with four AI-20M turboprop engines with a capacity of 4250 hp, and the re-engined aircraft were operated until the early 1990s.
Two WZ-5 UAVs were suspended under the wings of the carrier aircraft equipped with a turboprop engine. The number of UAVs that the Tu-4 could carry was limited by the dimensions of the WZ-5 UAV, which was 8,97 m long and had a wingspan of 9,76 m. The landing of the unmanned reconnaissance aircraft was carried out using a rescue parachute system. After disassembly and maintenance, the WZ-5 could be reused.
In the late 1970s, Shaanxi Y-5 military transport aircraft (a Chinese copy of the An-8) were adapted to launch WZ-12 jet-powered reconnaissance drones.
In the 5s, WZ-1980 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft regularly flew over Cambodia and the Chinese-Vietnamese border. However, the first versions of the drones had limited capabilities due to the imperfection of their onboard reconnaissance equipment and could only take photographs during daylight hours. In addition, the devices, which were not remotely controlled and flew along a predetermined route using an inertial navigation system, had a significant error in tying to the terrain and were highly vulnerable to countermeasures. Defense.
In this regard, the PLA Air Force command insisted on developing an improved model. The WZ-5A UAV received a navigation system that worked in conjunction with ground radio beacons, new photo and video cameras with an IR channel, and a radio reconnaissance station. The WZ-5B UAV, accepted into service in the early 1990s, was equipped with a radio altimeter and was intended for "deep penetration" of enemy territory. Invulnerability to air defense systems was to be ensured by a flight altitude of no more than 100 m, as well as an automatic system for setting up active and passive interference. Thus, the Chinese repeated the American AQM-34R UAV, which carried out reconnaissance raids in Southeast Asia until 1975.
The operation of the Chinese WZ-5 family of UAVs ended approximately 10 years ago, after which the drones suitable for further use were used as targets in the training of air defense missile system crews and interceptor pilots.
ASN-104 reconnaissance UAV
Based on the experience of creating light radio-controlled aerial targets with technical support from Western companies, in the early 1980s China began designing small UAVs that could be used for reconnaissance in the frontline zone, adjusting artillery fire and jamming enemy radars.
In 1985, military tests began on the ASN-104 unmanned aerial vehicle, developed by specialists from the Xi'an Scientific Research Institute (later reorganized into the Xian Aisheng Technology Group). Unlike the Chinese piston-engine drones designed before, the airframe was mainly made of fiberglass reinforced with carbon fiber, which resulted in significant weight savings.
UAV ASN-104
The ASN-104 is built on the same scheme as the radio-controlled targets Ba-2 and Ba-7. It looks like a miniature piston aircraft and is equipped with a four-cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled piston engine HS-510 (maximum power 30 hp), installed in the front part of the device. The wingspan is 4,3 m. The length is 3,32 m.
Initially, the drone was launched from a towed launcher using a solid-fuel booster. Later, the launcher was placed in the back of a Dongfeng EQ 1240 army truck, which increased mobility and cross-country ability on soft soils. Landing was carried out using a parachute.
By the standards of the mid-1980s, the ASN-104 had good characteristics. The device with a takeoff weight of 140 kg could conduct reconnaissance at a distance of up to 60 km from the ground station. The fuel tank with a volume of 18 liters was enough for 2 hours of flight. Maximum speed - up to 250 km / h. Cruising - 150 km / h. Ceiling - 3200 m. The payload weighing up to 10 kg included photo cameras activated by program or by command from the ground. In the late 1980s, the drone was equipped with Western-made television equipment with a signal transmission range of about 30 km.
The UAV unit included six drones, three launch devices, a command and control vehicle with remote control equipment and real-time intelligence reception, as well as a laboratory for processing photographic materials.
The first squadrons equipped with ASN-104 UAVs reached combat readiness in 1989. They were deployed in the provinces of Heilongjiang and Yunnan – in the border areas with the USSR and Vietnam.
ASN-105 reconnaissance UAV
Overall, the Chinese military assessed the ASN-104 UAV positively, but they pointed out the relatively small payload as the main drawbacks, based on operational experience, and it was also highly desirable to increase the reconnaissance depth. In accordance with these requirements, a drone designated ASN-1990 entered service in the early 105s. This device externally resembled the ASN-104, but it was larger.
ASN-105 UAV at the military parade dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, held on October 1, 2009
The maximum unladen weight of the ASN-105 UAV is 170 kg. The wingspan is 5 m, the length is 3,75 m. The maximum speed is up to 200 km/h. Flight duration is up to 6 hours. The improved modification ASN-105A is capable of flying at an altitude of 5000 m, which reduced vulnerability to small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery and short-range mobile anti-aircraft missile systems.
In 2009, an improved version, designated ASN-105B, was also demonstrated. The transport and launch unit was a three-axle Dongfeng EQ1240 all-terrain army truck.
Externally, the glider has not changed, but the electronic filling of the drone has been significantly improved. The ground control equipment is fully computerized, and the UAV electronic units have been transferred to a new element base. Thanks to the use of the Beidou satellite navigation system, the accuracy of determining the coordinates of observed objects has increased, which, in turn, has increased the efficiency of adjusting artillery fire and issuing target designation to friendly aircraft. In addition, if the drone is used in program mode or if the control channel is lost, it is highly likely to return to the launch point. All reconnaissance information obtained during the flight was recorded on an electronic medium.
The next development of the ASN-105 UAV was the ASN-215. The unladen weight of this drone increased to 220 kg, but the dimensions remained the same as the ASN-105.
UAV ASN-215
To compensate for the increased weight, a more powerful engine was used and the fuel supply on board was reduced. For this reason, the time in the air was reduced to 5 hours. The maximum flight altitude does not exceed 3300 m. The maximum speed is up to 200 km/h. Cruising speed is 120-140 km/h.
The ASN-215 UAV is equipped with more powerful transceiver equipment, due to which the controlled flight range in the absence of electronic countermeasures has been increased to 200 km. Information from the television camera is transmitted to the control center via a digital channel. Compared to the ASN-104 and ASN-105, the quality of the image transmitted in real time has improved significantly. On the ASN-205, the XNUMX-hour camera is mounted on a stabilized rotating platform at the bottom of the fuselage, which allows tracking the target regardless of the course and position of the drone. In order to expand the range of combat applications, a modular payload placement option was used. If necessary, a jamming transmitter or a VHF radio signal repeater can be installed instead of visual reconnaissance equipment.
The ASN-104, ASN-105 and ASN-215 family of unmanned aerial vehicles are a successful example of the evolutionary improvement of the characteristics of drones that have a common pedigree. These relatively inexpensive and simple vehicles are designed for use at the divisional and regimental level to observe the battlefield and conduct reconnaissance in the enemy's near rear. Thanks to the use of high-resolution cameras and satellite navigation, they have acquired the ability to accurately adjust artillery fire. The ASN-104 and ASN-105 UAVs, which are being decommissioned, were actively used in the process of combat training of anti-aircraft crews in both the Ground Forces and the PLA Navy.
Unmanned aerial vehicles ASN-206, ASN-207 and ASN-209
By the early 1980s, the PLAAF unmanned units operated about a hundred SK-1 and WZ-5 jet drones. The Ground Forces also had a number of Ba-2 and Ba-7 radio-controlled aerial targets.
After the IDF successfully used relatively small UAVs to defeat the Syrian air defense system in the Bekaa Valley, the PLA leadership became interested in this experience. Based on intelligence data and expert reports, high-ranking Chinese military officials came to the conclusion that drones, being an inexpensive and fairly effective means of armed struggle, if used correctly, are capable of having a noticeable impact on the course of military operations, even when faced with a technologically advanced enemy.
Soon, cooperation in the field of unmanned aircraft began between China and Israel with the blessing of the United States. First of all, the developers of Chinese UAVs were interested in the control, video recording and data transmission systems installed on Israeli drones. China's access to Israeli technology became possible in the early 1980s, after the top Chinese leadership began making harsh anti-Soviet statements, as well as providing significant military and financial support to the Afghan mujahideen. After that, China began to be viewed by Western countries as a possible ally in the event of an armed conflict with the USSR.
The first UAV created as part of military-technical cooperation with Israel was the ASN-206, designed jointly by the 365th Xi'an Scientific Research Institute and the Israeli company Tadiran, which provided assistance in creating the onboard equipment and ground control station. This drone first took to the air in 1994, and in 1997 it was presented at the Zhuhai International Air Show, which came as a surprise to most foreign experts. Before that, it was believed that China was not capable of independently creating drones of this class.
ASN-206 reconnaissance UAV
The maximum takeoff weight of the ASN-206 UAV was 225 kg. The wingspan was 6 m, the length was 3,8 m. The speed was up to 210 km/h. The ceiling was 6000 m. The greatest distance from the ground control station was up to 150 km. The time spent in the air was up to 6 hours. The payload was 50 kg. According to the layout, the ASN-206 is a twin-boom high-wing aircraft with a pusher propeller, which is rotated by a HS-700 piston engine with a capacity of 51 hp. The advantage of this layout is that the rear location of the two-bladed propeller does not obscure the line of sight of the optoelectronic devices installed in the lower front part of the fuselage.
The launch is carried out by a solid-fuel booster from a launcher mounted on a cargo chassis. Landing is by parachute.
The UAV squadron consisted of 6-10 drones, 1-2 launch vehicles, mobile control, information reception and processing points, a mobile power source, a refueling truck, a crane, technical assistance vehicles and vehicles for transporting drones and personnel. With the exception of the control station, the equipment of which was mounted in a minibus, all of these other components were mounted on a high-cross-country truck chassis. Two operators, located in a mobile control room, continuously participated in the ASN-206 flight mission. One was responsible for the location of the drone in space, the other collected intelligence information.
The ASN-206 UAV was capable of carrying various high-resolution monochrome and color cameras. The drone has space for three day cameras, each of which can be replaced with an IR camera. Later versions were equipped with an optoelectronic reconnaissance, surveillance and target designation system (with a laser designator) in a 354 mm diameter sphere with circular rotation and vertical viewing angles of +15°/-105°. The information received could be transmitted to a ground station in real time. Alternatively, the drone was capable of carrying a JN-1102 jamming station operating in the 20-500 MHz frequency range. The JN-1102 equipment automatically scans the airwaves and jams enemy radio stations.
The larger and heavier ASN-206 UAV was created on the basis of the ASN-207 UAV, which was accepted into service in 1999. The device with a takeoff weight of 480 kg has a length of 4,5 m and a wingspan of 9 m. Maximum speed is 190 km/h. Ceiling - 6000 m. Payload weight - 100 kg. Flight duration - 16 hours. Range - 600 km.
Like the previous model, the ASN-207 is equipped with combined optoelectronic equipment on a rotating stabilized platform and a laser rangefinder-target designator. Since the high-frequency digital signal is distributed within the line of sight, the TKJ-226 unmanned repeater, created on the basis of the ASN-207 UAV glider, is used to control the drone at maximum range and is intended for simultaneous use with it.
Externally, this modification differs from the reconnaissance version by the presence of vertical pin antennas.
A later modification is the ASN-207 with a mushroom-shaped radar antenna, which is used in conjunction with an optoelectronic surveillance system. The characteristics and purpose of the radar have not been disclosed, but most likely it is intended for reconnaissance of the terrain in conditions of poor visibility. Since the installation of a massive radar fairing increased the frontal resistance, the flight duration of the ASN-207 UAV does not exceed 12 hours.
There is also a variant designed to suppress enemy radio networks operating in the VHF range. This unmanned vehicle has a pin antenna installed in place of the mushroom-shaped fairing.
The ASN-206, created for export deliveries, occupies an intermediate position in weight and dimensions between the ASN-207 and ASN-209 UAVs. It can observe the battlefield, control artillery fire and conduct patrols. As of 2011, several dozen ASN-209 UAVs have been delivered to a number of Middle Eastern and Asian countries.
This model is 4,273 m long, with a wingspan of 7,5 m, and has a takeoff weight of 320 kg. With a payload weight of 50 kg, the drone can operate at a distance of up to 200 km from the control station and stay in the air for up to 10 hours. The maximum flight altitude is 5000 m.
Light reconnaissance UAV ASN-15
In the 1990s, Israeli defense companies assisted the 365th Xi'an Research Institute in developing the ASN-15 light-class UAV, designed for short-range visual reconnaissance during daylight hours. The drone entered service with the PLA ground forces in 1997.
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Preparing for the launch of the ASN-15 UAV
This device is capable of staying in the air for about an hour, at a distance of up to 10 km from the ground control point. A miniature two-stroke gasoline engine provides a maximum speed of up to 80 km / h. Ceiling - 3 km. Wingspan - 2,5 m. Length - 1,7 m. Due to the location of the engine and propeller on the upper part of the wing, landing is carried out on the fuselage. The ASN-15 UAV, equipped with a miniature new-generation television camera and a fairly powerful television signal transmitter, was a real breakthrough for its time, which made it possible to significantly improve the information awareness of commanders at the battalion and regimental level.
JWS01 Loitering Munition
In the late 1980s, Israel developed the IAI Harpy family of loitering munitions. This was one of the first "kamikaze drone" projects to be implemented in practice. Israel Aerospace Industries managed to create a compact and relatively inexpensive unmanned vehicle capable of conducting reconnaissance and striking air defense systems. Subsequently, the Harpy was produced exclusively in the strike version, and surveillance tasks were assigned to other UAVs.
Harpy Attack UAV
The Harpy UAV is a flying wing with a protruding cylindrical fuselage. The tail section of the aircraft houses a 37 hp internal combustion engine with a pusher propeller. The Harpy carries a 32 kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead and is equipped with an autopilot and a passive radar homing head. The length of the aircraft is 2,7 m, the wingspan is 2,1 m. Takeoff weight is 125 kg. Speed is up to 185 km/h, with a flight range of 500 km.
The launch is carried out from a container launcher using a powder charge, return and reuse are not provided. After the launch, the Harpia, controlled by a programmable autopilot, went to the patrol area. At a given point, the passive radar homing head was activated, and the search for enemy ground radars began. Upon detection of the desired signal, the drone should automatically target the source and destroy it with an explosion of the warhead. Unlike anti-radar missiles, the Harpia can remain in the desired area for several hours and wait for the target signal to appear. At the same time, due to the relatively low EPR, detection of the drone by radar is possible at a shorter range than larger air targets.
Although by that time, in connection with the events in Tiananmen Square, sanctions had been introduced in the PRC limiting the supply of Western weapons, the Harpy attack UAV entered service with the PLA in 1995.
The Chinese version of the Harpy is designated JWS01. It is generally similar to the product of Israel Aerospace Industries, but has a number of differences. The Chinese loitering munition, designed to destroy air defense systems, has two types of replaceable seekers operating in different frequency ranges, which significantly expands the range of potential targets. The JWS01 UAV is fully autonomous after launch and flies according to a pre-programmed program. A mobile launcher on the chassis of a Beiben North Benz all-terrain truck carries six JWS01. The unit includes three self-propelled launchers, a radio intelligence station, and a mobile command post.
In the 21st century, a modernized version of the "kamikaze drone" was developed in the PRC, which received the designation ASN-301. A number of sources claim that China transferred the documentation for the ASN-301 attack UAV to Iran, where the HESA Shahed 136 "kamikaze drone" was created based on Chinese developments.
To be continued ...
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