Chinese WZ-7 UCAV Dips South
Why the Sudden Turn?
China In Arms BOOKSTORE and GIFT SHOP!
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29 May 2023 (Monday)
Chinese WZ-7 UCAV Dips South
Why the Sudden Turn?
By Wendell Minnick (Whiskey Mike) 顏文德
TAIPEI - China’s WZ-7 “Soaring Dragon” High Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) Reconnaissance Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) is a remarkably designed tandem joined-wing giving the aircraft a diamond-like appearance.
As a UCAV it can carry either weapons or reconnaissance sensors. Weapons include anti-ship cruise missiles or land-attack cruise missiles as well as electronic warfare payloads allowing it with the ability of jamming radar and other enemy sensors (please see Chinese Air-Launched Weapons and Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting Pods (2019) and 2022 Chinese C4I/EW (Vol. 1/Vol. 2).
For some mysterious reason the WZ-7 turned south suddenly at the end of May on three (x3) occasions. The WZ-7 is no stranger to the area and often appears on maps released every other day by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), but the odd southern cut is unanswered.
The turn south might have something to do with elements of Taiwan’s 99th Marine Corps deployed on Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島).
It is considered paradise island by China for its location as the northern most island of the South China Sea and has an ample runway that can further China’s airpower.
It is the last island that China craves for in the South China Sea for its strategic location and giving Beijing the ability of finally creating a choke point for military and commercial vessels transiting the South China Sea.
China’s massive UAV program has exhibited a plethora of platforms at the Airshow China (Zhuhai) over the past two decades. It has been so overwhelming that attempting to catch lightening in a bottle resulted in four books on these systems:
120-page Chinese Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (2016)
180-page More Chinese Fixed Wing UAVs (2019)
90-page Chinese Rotary/VTOL Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (2016)
165-page More Chinese Rotary and VTOL UAVs (2019)
There is no mention in any of them of the WZ-7, but there are plenty of hints in these brochure bundles pointing in the right direction.
