| CASIC WJ | |
|---|---|
| Role | Unmanned aerial vehicle
Type of aircraft
|
| National origin | China |
| Manufacturer | China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation |
| Introduction | Early 2010s |
| Status | In service |
| Primary user | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
CASIC WJ is a series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developed by the 3rd Academy Hiwing (HW for short, Chinese: 海鹰) of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), and the academy is also more commonly known as HiWING Mechanical and Electrical Technology Corp., (Chinese: 海鹰机电技术研究院; lit. 'Sea Eagle Mechanical and Electrical Technology Research Academy') or HiWING for short.
WJ-010 UAV is a development of the unarmed CASIC HW-100 Sparrowhawk, and the two UAVs share the identical layout. As an armed version, WJ-010 utilizes modular design concept to enable the rapid replacement two different kinds of payload: the first payload is the optical payload for reconnaissance, and with this payload, WJ-010 functions as an ordinary scout UAV. The second payload is a warhead, and when armed with this payload, WJ-010 functions as a suicide attack UAV.[1]
WJ-100 Blade (Dao-Feng or Daofeng, 刀锋) is the latest model (as of early of 2015) of Blade series UAV developed by CASIC, which includes several other models such as CASIC HW-300 and CASIC SF-460. As with other member of Blade series UAV, WJ-100 is also in twin boom layout with high wing configuration and tricycle landing gear.[2] The winglets of WJ-100 is larger in comparison to some earlier model of Blade series. Propulsion is provided by a two-blade propeller driven pusher engine mounted at the rear end of the fuselage.[3]
WJ-500 is a jet powered UAV developed by CASIC intended for various missions, such as targeting, reconnaissance, target damage assessment, and simulation of cruise missiles and aircraft.[4] WJ-500 has a cylindrical fuselage with inlet atop the empennage. Wing tip tank can be installed on the main wing.[5] WJ-500 made its public debut in November 2014 at the 10th Zhuhai Airshow.[6]
WJ-600 A/D is a development of CASIC HW-610 and CASIC HW-600 Sky Hawk (WJ-600), and in comparison to its predecessors that is either a reconnaissance only version or a ground attack only version, WJ-600 A/D incorporates both the reconnaissance and ground attack capability so that it can perform both missions, and hence A/D in its name stands for attack drone. WJ-600 A/D is designed to carry out both the reconnaissance mission of WJ-600 and the ground attack mission of HW-610 in a single platform. Specification:[7]
On 27 October 2016, two WJ-600A/Ds were spotted in a military parade in Turkmenistan, the first confirmed export.[8]
At the 2018 Zhuhai Airshow, CASIC unveiled a medium-/high-altitude long-endurance (MALE/HALE) armed reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle named WJ-700 with a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 3,500 kg and an endurance of up to 20 hours. It has four underwing hardpoints and can carry CM-102 anti-radiation missile, C-701, and C-705KD anti-ship missiles, but also land attack munition.[9] In July 2022, Algeria purchased four,[10] in response to Morocco's purchase of 13 Baykar Bayraktar TB2s in 2019.
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