Image source: topwar.ru
On December 28, footage was posted online showing the flight of the new Chinese drone WZ-9 Divine Eagle ("Divine Eagle"), developed by the 601/SAC Institute to combat stealth devices.
- it is said in the Western press.
Stealth technologies are widely used in the creation of modern aircraft in order to reduce their radar visibility by reducing EPR and minimizing thermal and acoustic traces. As indicated, the WZ-9 will be able to effectively deal with such aircraft.
This UAV has an original design, having two fuselages connected by a small wing. The main wing, 35 meters long, passes through the aft part of the vehicle, which has two tail stabilizers and a turbofan engine between them.
Image source: topwar.ru
The WZ-9 is equipped with an advanced radar specially designed to detect low-profile aircraft. Two conformal antenna arrays located along the fuselages work in combination with a wide-angle dual-band electronically scanned array radar.
- it is noted in the press.
As indicated, although the accuracy of the on-board radar may be lower than that of traditional platforms, several WZ-9 devices operating in a single formation are able to act as a multi-position radar network. This use of UAVs increases the range and accuracy of detection, allowing radar reflections to be obtained from several directions.
If successfully implemented, the WZ-9 will become the world's first AWACS aircraft designed to detect low-profile targets. The first prototype of the UAV was unveiled in 2015.
The estimated characteristics of the WZ-9 are: length 14 m, height 6 m, wingspan 35 m, flight duration more than 20 hours, maximum altitude 18 km.
- it is said in the Western press.
