Does China’s Growing Drone Fleet Unnerve the Pentagon?
SputnikNews.com
10.05.2015
China allegedly plans to build nearly 42,000 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by 2023, while the Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) is likely to become the largest military drone producer in the world in less than a decade.
The first estimate was presented by the Pentagon in its latest annual report to the US Congress. “China plans to produce upwards of 41,800 land-and sea-based unmanned systems, worth about $10.5 billion, between 2014 and 2023,” the agency said.
Beijing is developing a number of drones, including long-rage UAVs such as the Xianglong, Yilong, Sky Saber, and Lijian. Three of these drones are capable of carrying precision strike weapons, while Lijian is a weaponized stealth UAV.
Lijian, likely designed for reconnaissance and combat missions, conducted its maiden flight in November 2013. In the same year, China started using drones in military drills.
“The acquisition and development of longer-range UAVs will increase China’s ability to conduct long-range reconnaissance and strike operations,” as per the Pentagon.
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