GJ-11 UAV displayed on Chinese National Day
The GJ-11 UAV was displayed on Chinese National Day (October 1st). The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been equipped with this type of UAV. The aircraft has been equipped with the PLA Air Force and can conduct air superiority operations.
Hongdu GJ-11 Sharp Sword is a stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle jointly designed by Shenyang Aircraft Design Institute (SYADI), Shenyang Aerospace University (SAU) and Hongdu Aviation Industry Group (HAIG). Manufactured by Hongdu, it descends from AVIC 601-S program, being one of the proof of concept design winners.
The Sharp Sword is powered by a single turbofan engine and has a flying wing design with a wingspan of 14 metres (46 ft), featuring an internal weapons bay and a stealthy propelling nozzle. The precise mission to which the Sharp Sword has been assigned is not yet known, but possible missions include aerial reconnaissance and eventually combat missions.
On Nov 21 2013, a Sharp Sword conducted a 20-minute maiden flight from HAIG’s airfield.
The drone is reportedly capable of taking off autonomously from Type 075 amphibious assault ships. The stealthy drone could deploy swarming air-launched decoys or electronic warfare systems, in addition to launching precision-guided munitions.
