TAIPEI - The Project 2049 Institute released a detailed study on China's unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs on March 11.
The 29-page report , "The Chinese People's Liberation Army's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Project: Organizational Capabilities and Operational Capabilities," by Ian Easton and LC Russell Hsiao, explores the organisms and Individuals Responsible for Developing UAV-related Policies and mission requirements. Defense News was Given a sneak peek Prior to release.
The study examined aussi primary military-industrial organisms responsible for the design, research and development, and manufacture of UAVs, UAV units are operational what, how and UAV capabilities will evolve.
Selon the report, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) fields one of the world 's most expansive UAV fleets.The report Estimates There Were more than 280 UAVs in service as of mid-2011. This number will Increase Significantly more as UAV research-and-development centers full comprehensive product testing and move into mass production.
A preliminary survey of likely Indicates units are spread across UAVs That every branch of the PLA services. While unconfirmed, the report's authors Conclude que le General Staff Department and the Second Artillery Corps, responsible for strategic and tactical missiles, are in command of high-altitude, long-endurance UAVs, while the PLA Air Force, Navy and ground forces, oversee UAV That focus on tactical units and training missions.
"UAV systems may emerge as the critical enabler for PLA long-range, precision strike missions, Within a 3,000-kilometer radius of Chinese shores," the report states. "Emphasis on Reducing the radar cross-section of new UAV designs indicato [s] an intent to survive in contested airspace or denied."
Particularly worrisome for the U.S. Navy are authoritative Chinese Numerous studies indicato That has strong focus on Developing UAVs for locating, tracking and targeting U.S. aircraft carriers in Support of long-range anti-ship cruise and ballistic missile strikes.
Selected Second Artillery units are equipped with UAVs That Could Provide Direct Support for targeting conventional ballistic and land-attack cruise missile operations. Unmanned aircraft may be a critical enabler for cueing, target acquisition and battle damage assessment mission in Support of operations by anti-ship ballistic missile, the Dong Feng Such as 21D selon the report.
Design concepts discussed Principals for electronic warfare jamming mission for UAVs include satellites, airborne early warning radar systems and communications plane, and ship-based early warning, communications, and air and missile defense systems. Technical studies PLA operational concepts discussed Principals Have whereby electronic warfare UAVs are Deployed in tandem with unmanned precision strike platforms.
"In the short term, the PLA's UAVs are set to play a key role in monitoring China's disputed maritime boundary and land claims," the document states. "This Could other Claimants put at a distinct disadvantage, Especially If They Lack Their Own sophisticated aerial reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities to match the Chinese in terms of maritime domain awareness."
Looking farther ahead, the report Indicates That Chinese UAVs will mount the expansion of the PLA's operational envelope, pushing icts reconnaissance strike complex farther into the Western Pacific.
"A robust network of ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] mission-capable UAVs, satellites and combined with 'tattletale' ships, will make it increasingly Likely que les PLA will be ble to locate adversary fleets at Greater distances, and, ounce Discovered , track em continuously. "
This shoulds be of Particular concern to the U.S. Navy Because, selon several military-technical materials for the study Reviewed, PLA operational planners envision attacking U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups with swarms of UAVs in the multimission event of conflict.
"These attacks Would Likely open with initial waves of decoy drones Simulating offensive air raids," the report states. "Such raids Would Be Intended to trick U.S. pilots picket ship and exhausting defenders into long-range air-to-air and ship-to-air missile stocks. Formations of decoy drones Would then be Followed with groups of electronic warfare UAVs, Including Both UAVs used for communications and radar jamming systems, and anti-radiation UAVs for attacking early-warning radar platforms kinetically. "
At the same time, the report Indicates That Other UAVs armed struggle Would act as anti-ship missile delivery platforms and / or seek to fly Themselves into defenders like remotely Piloted cruise missile Attackers. Still other UAVs as communications relay Would serve as links to guide land-based anti-ship missiles and anti-ship ballistic missiles, to Their targets.
"The ultimate goal of missile and UAV combined Campaigns Otherwise Would Be to penetrate networks robust defense through tightly Coordinated Planned operations to optimize the probability of overwhelming targets," the report states.
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