CH-9 Rainbow-9
A series of new members of China's CH drone family, including the large-size armed reconnaissance drone CH-9 and the latest upgraded version of the stealth early-warning drone CH-7, debuted 12 November 2024 at Airshow China 2024 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province. New products also include the low-cost drone CH-3D, the cargo drone CH-YH1000, as well as a series of air-to-surface missiles.
The CH-9 is the latest entry to the CH armed reconnaissance drone series. The length of its body is about 12 meters, with a wingspan of around 25 meters. The maximum range of this large armed reconnaissance drone with weapons loaded can reach more than 11,500 kilometers and its maximum takeoff weight is 5,000 kilograms. The maximum flight time is 40 hours and the ceiling limit is 11,000 meters, the Global Times learned from the developer, Aerospace CH UAV Co Ltd. When undertaking reconnaissance and strike missions, the CH-9 has high combat capability to detect and destroy targets as it can carry a huge amount of weapons. It can also circle around in the air for a very long time over the targets, the developer said.
From the early public photos, this reconnaissance and strike drone was painted green, probably with a composite skin, and four pylons with large pods are installed under the wings. Strangely, the main wing of the drone has winglets at the wing tip, which can effectively increase lift while shortening the wingspan of the main wing. This is a very unique design among existing reconnaissance and strike drones. Judging from the appearance characteristics of the winglets at the wingtips of the main wing, this should be the Rainbow-9 large-scale reconnaissance and strike UAV newly developed by Aerospace Rainbow. It was expected that this type of UAV will be exhibited as Aerospace Rainbow's flagship product at the 2024 Zhuhai Air Show.
However, whether it is a full-size hypersonic aircraft mounted on the H-6K or a pocket-sized hypersonic aircraft used on tactical aircraft, it is interesting that it can be mounted on the Rainbow-9 UAV. After all, this is just an integrated reconnaissance and strike UAV, but it can be mounted with a hypersonic aircraft for air-to-surface strikes. But judging from the performance of the Rainbow-9 UAV, it is not surprising that it can carry a hypersonic aircraft. The UAV itself is a large UAV that can be used for strategic strikes. Its flight performance is very good. The fuselage is about 14 meters long and the wingspan is about 25 meters. The maximum range under combat load exceeds 10,000 kilometers, the cruising speed is 250 kilometers per hour, the maximum hovering time is about 24 hours, and the maximum take-off weight is more than 10 tons, which has reached the level of some attack aircraft.
In comparison, the MQ-9 UAV, which is now considered the mainstream reconnaissance and strike UAV, has a body length of only 10.97 meters, a wingspan of 19.51 meters, and a maximum take-off weight of only 4.54 tons, which is almost half of our Rainbow-9 UAV. Chinese drones have a large takeoff weight and a large body size, so they naturally carry a lot of things. The Rainbow-9 drone has at least three large pylons under the wings and another pylon on the centerline of the belly. The maximum external weight is more than 3 tons. Even if the pylons under the wings cannot carry something as heavy as a hypersonic aircraft, it is no problem to carry a payload of about one ton on the pylon on the centerline of the belly.
Even from this photo of the Rainbow-9 participating in field research and testing, the Rainbow-9's weapons and various pod carrying capabilities are daunting. The Rainbow-9 in the photo does not have air-to-surface missiles mounted under the wings, but four square pods are mounted, and a round pod is hung on the centerline rack of the belly. The public has never seen these five pods. Observers believe that the four square pods are electronic warfare pods, and the round pod is likely to be an anti-aircraft or even air warning radar pod.
This means that the Rainbow-9 UAV can not only undertake conventional reconnaissance and strike missions, but can even serve as a long-flight electronic warfare aircraft, taking on functions such as signal reconnaissance and electronic countermeasures in the air. At the same time, it can also serve as an air defense early warning aircraft or an opposing surveillance aircraft, taking on functions such as airspace surveillance, battlefield situation awareness, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mapping.
Considering the size of the radar pod mounted on the Rainbow-9 and the possible radar aperture, it is estimated that the Rainbow-9 UAV can maintain airspace surveillance and ground target mapping capabilities within a range of 200 to 300 kilometers. Among the existing reconnaissance and strike UAVs, there are not many UAVs with such performance. The Rainbow-9 UAV can be said to be the first, which can fully meet the surveillance mission of the army or even the front's battle area.
In addition to the four large electronic warfare pods already hung under the Rainbow-9 UAV and the air-launched hypersonic aircraft in front, there are also some conventional aviation weapons placed in front of the wings of the Rainbow-9. Big Ivan took a rough look and could tell that some of them included the FT series precision-guided bombs developed by the Aerospace Science and Technology Group, and some that were obviously the AR series air-to-surface missiles of the Aerospace Science and Technology Group.
What is puzzling is that some of the aerial weapons and ammunition on the right side of the photo seem to be rare. For example, the aerial weapon on the right side, placed in front of the Rainbow-9, seems to have straight wings and looks like a cruise missile, which may be the AR-3 heavy cruise missile produced by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The range of this type of cruise missile is said to reach 100 kilometers. In addition to being able to carry out non-line-of-sight strikes, it can also serve as a loyal wingman for the Rainbow-9 drone itself and undertake auxiliary battlefield reconnaissance missions.
The two missiles on the far right side of the photo are even more confusing. They look very small in diameter. As air-to-surface missiles, one can't help but wonder how lethal they are... One of the missiles has an obvious canard-wing aerodynamic design similar to an air-to-air combat missile, and there is an obvious protective cover on the head, which may be used to protect the infrared seeker. It seems that this is an obvious air-to-air combat missile. Can the Rainbow-9 UAV also carry air-to-air missiles? This seems even more surprising.
However, judging from the various mounting options of the Rainbow-9 UAV, the tasks it can undertake in wartime are very diverse. Of course, it is unrealistic to expect this type of UAV to cooperate with fixed-wing fighters in combat. Any aircraft without afterburner engines cannot cooperate with fighter jets, especially with fifth-generation aircraft. After all, the air combat speed range of fifth-generation aircraft is now generally in the supersonic speed range. You, a subsonic drone, can't even eat dust behind them.
The air-to-air missiles carried by Rainbow-9 can either be used only for self-defense at the last moment, or can be used to implement A-shoot-B-guide. For example, they can be hidden on standby in the battle depth of the battlefield, or be called upon as an aerial arsenal to directly carry out ultra-long-range attacks to attack the opponent's early warning command and control aircraft or strategic-level electronic warfare aircraft. It cannot undertake more tasks.
Rainbow-9 can undertake a lot of tasks in the reconnaissance and strike mission. This air-launched hypersonic aircraft alone makes the Rainbow-9 positioned higher than drones of the level of MQ-9 and Wing Loong-2. These two types of drones basically do not have the ability to attack outside the defense zone, and the air-to-surface ammunition they carry is basically used to attack within the defense zone, which also determines that their battlefield survivability is relatively limited, and the mode of use is more similar to that of close air support (CAS) models. However, the Rainbow-9, with a radar pod and a hypersonic aircraft, is suddenly different. China now had the ability to attack from a long range outside the defense zone and can launch a sudden attack from hundreds of kilometers away.
Therefore, the equipment and use mode of Rainbow-9 may be more similar to that of J-16 or even H-6K, and it can be used as an opposite strike aircraft, which makes it one level higher in equipment level than the common reconnaissance and strike drones.
In 2018, US intelligence agencies claimed that China had conducted five tests of a new type of missile, from December 2016 to January 2018, in just over a year, and the missile's test results were apparently good. The US military named the missile CH-AS-X-12. Since the combat radius of the H-6K and H-6N itself exceeds thousands of kilometers, they can easily strike US military targets in Alaska and Hawaii with the missile, which has caused a lot of concern in the US military. U.S. intelligence agencies reported that China is testing the ability of the H-6 to launch air-launched ballistic missiles. There is only a single attestation for the CH-AS-X-12 designator which appears to be in error. At the 2022 Zhuhai Air Show, the missile was marked 2PZD-21, a non-standard designator.
It is reported that the type of this missile is similar to the DF-21, with a range of 3,000 kilometers, and can carry nuclear warheads to launch nuclear strikes on the U.S. mainland. This is also the first time that the United States has confirmed the existence of China's air-launched strategic ballistic missiles. With this missile, the survivability of China's strategic nuclear forces will be greatly enhanced.
At the 2022 Zhuhai Air Show, the H-6K appeared in front of everyone carrying a mysterious missile. Was it a Type 21 air-launched hypersonic ballistic missile? Although there was no official explanation for the missile, the missile's appearance was similar to the Russian "Dagger" hypersonic missile, which made many people think that it was the air-launched version of the People's Liberation Army's hypersonic missile. The H-6K bomber carrying a mysterious missile appeared at the 2022 Zhuhai Air Show, sparking heated discussions.
The H-6K equipped with this missile can even carry out strikes across tens of thousands of kilometers, far exceeding the strike range of the US air defense missiles. In addition, this type of hypersonic missile flies at a speed of more than Mach 5 throughout the entire journey, which cannot be intercepted by all US air defense systems. Especially when carrying nuclear warheads, dispatching multiple H-6s can cause a devastating blow to the US mainland.
As a three-in-one strategic nuclear strike system, China has never achieved this in its strategic air force. However, the birth of the H-6+ hypersonic missile combination that can carry nuclear warheads has allowed China to step into the threshold of a strategic air force and brought the PLA's air force projection into a new milestone.
Before the birth of the H-20, the PLA only had the H-6 bomber. Although the performance of this bomber has undergone earth-shaking changes compared to when it was first born after many improvements, it is not a strategic bomber after all, and it does not have stealth. These shortcomings of the H-6 will become its fatal disadvantages in modern warfare. For this reason, the PLA needs to find some new ways out for the H-6, and beyond-visual-range strikes are an important means to improve its survivability and strike capability.
The H-6K equipped with this missile can even carry out strikes across tens of thousands of kilometers, far exceeding the strike range of the US air defense missiles. In addition, this type of hypersonic missile flies at a speed of more than Mach 5 throughout the entire journey, which cannot be intercepted by all US air defense systems. Especially when carrying nuclear warheads, dispatching multiple H-6s can cause a devastating blow to the US mainland.
https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/t/nato-reporting-names-for-the-latest-chinese-aircraft.2559/">NATO reporting names" Originally, the list was compiled by the ASCC. That's the Air Standards Co-ordinating Committee.
| SS Surface to Surface | ||
|---|---|---|
| CSS-1 | ||
| CSS-2 | ||
| CH-SS-3 | DF-4 | |
| CH-SS-4 | DF-5 | |
| CH-SS-5 | DF-21 | |
| CH-SS-6 | DF-15 | |
| CH-SS-7 | DF-11 | |
| CSS-8 | ||
| CSS-9 | ||
| CH-SS-10 | DF-31 | |
| CH-SS-11 | DF-16 | |
| CH-SS-12 | ||
| CH-SS-13 | ||
| CH-SS-14 | ||
| CH-SS-15 | ||
| CH-SS-16 | ||
| CH-SS-17 | ||
| CH-SS-18 | DF-26 | |
| CH-SS-19 | ||
| CH-SS-20 | DF-41 | |
| CH-SS-21 | ||
| CH-SS-22 | DF-17 | |
| SSC Surface to Surface Cruise Missiles | ||
| CH-SSC-1 | Silkworm | HY-1 |
| CH-SSC-2 | Silkworm | HY-1 Ground |
| CH-SSC-3 | Seersucker | HY-2 Ground |
| CH-SSC-5 | Saples | YJ-16 |
| CH-SSC-6 | Sawhorse | HY-3 |
| CH-SSC-7 | Sadsack | HY-4 |
| CH-SSC-8 | Sacade | YJ-83 |
| CH-SSC-9 | CJ-10 | |
| CH-SSC-13 | Splinter | CJ-100 |
| SS-N Surface to Surface Ship-launched | ||
| CH-SS-N-1 | Scrubbrush | SY-1|
| CH-SS-N-2 | Safflower | HY-1 |
| CH-SS-N-3 | JL-1 | |
| CH-SS-N-4 Sardine | YJ-8 | |
| CH-SS-N-5 Sabbot | SY-2 | |
| CH-SS-N-6 | C-802 | |
| CH-SS-N-7 | YJ-82 | |
| CH-SS-N-13 | YJ-18A | |
| CH-SS-N-14 | JL-2 | |
| CH-SS-N-20 | JL-3 | |
| SA Surface to Air | ||
| AA Air to Air | ||
| CAA-1A | PL-2A | |
| CAA-1B | PL-2B | |
| CAA-1C | PL-5 ? | |
| CAA-2 | PL-9 | |
| CAA-3 | PL-4 | |
| CH-AA-4A/B | PL-8 ? | |
| CH-AA-6 | PL-11 | |
| CH-AA-7A | Adze | PL-12 |
| CH-AA-9 | PL-10 | |
| CH-AA-10 | Abbadon | PL-15 |
| AS Air to Surface | ||
| CAS-1A | Kraken | YJ-6 |
| CAS-1B | Kraken | YJ-61 |
| CH-AS-2 | ??? | |
| CH-AS-3 | ??? | |
| CH-AS-4 | ??? | |
| CH-AS-5 | Keystone | KD-20 |
| CH-AS-6 | ??? | |
| CH-AS-7 | ??? | |
| CH-AS-8 | ??? | |
| CH-AS-9 | ??? | |
| CH-AS-10 | ??? | |
| CH-AS-11 | ??? | |
| CH-AS-12 | ??? | |
| CH-AS-X-13 | airborne DF-21D | |
Chinese Missiles - Western Designators
The Air Standardization Coordinating Committee (ASCC) was established in 1948 by the Air Force Chiefs of Staff of Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Its primary objective was to enhance the nations' capabilities to conduct combined air operations and to provide essential services, such as cross-servicing of aircraft. In 1951, the ASCC expanded to include the U.S. Navy, with the Royal Australian Air Force joining in 1964 and the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1965.
Over time, the ASCC evolved to address broader interoperability challenges among the air forces of these nations. In 2005, it was restructured and renamed the Air and Space Interoperability Council (ASIC). Further realignment in 2017 led to its current designation as the Five Eyes Air Force Interoperability Council (AFIC). The AFIC focuses on enhancing interoperability through the standardization of doctrine, operational procedures, materiel, and equipment across various air power functions.
One notable contribution of the ASCC/AFIC has been the creation and maintenance of reporting names for aircraft from the Soviet Union, Russia, other Warsaw Pact countries, and the People's Republic of China. These standardized names are used by NATO and other members of the broader Western alliance to ensure clear and consistent communication regarding foreign military aircraft.
The AFIC continues to provide a framework for the air forces of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States to collaborate and enhance coalition expeditionary air interoperability. This collaboration is achieved through the development of AFIC Air Standards, which, upon national ratification, are implemented in member nations' documentation. Additionally, the AFIC facilitates the exchange of technical information and the loaning of equipment for trial purposes among member nations.
The Air Standardization Coordinating Committee (ASCC), now known as the Five Eyes Air Force Interoperability Council (AFIC), developed a system of reporting names to standardize the identification of military equipment from the Soviet Union, Russia, China, and other nations. This system assigns code names to various categories of missiles, facilitating clear communication among allied forces.
Air-to-Air Missiles (AA): These missiles are launched from aircraft to engage aerial targets. The ASCC assigns code names starting with "AA" followed by a number. For example, the Soviet R-27 missile is designated as AA-10. The Chinese prefix for air-to-air missiles is "PL", which means "Thunderbolt." This designation is followed by a number to indicate the specific model of the missile.
Air-to-Surface Missiles (AS): Designed to be launched from aircraft against ground or sea targets, these missiles receive code names beginning with "AS." An example is the Kh-22 missile, known as AS-4 "Kitchen." Yingji (YJ) meaning "Eagle Strike," prefix is assigned to anti-ship cruise missiles.
Surface-to-Air Missiles (SA): These are ground-based missiles intended to target aircraft. The ASCC assigns "SA" prefixes to these missiles. For instance, the S-75 Dvina system is designated as SA-2 "Guideline." Hongqi (HQ), meaning "Red Flag," prefix is used for surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems.
Surface-to-Surface Missiles (SS): Missiles launched from the ground to strike ground targets are given "SS" prefixes. An example is the R-17 Elbrus, known as SS-1c "Scud B." The "Julang" meaning "Giant Wave," prefix is used for submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). The "Dongfeng", meaning "East Wind," prefix is assigned to China's land-based ballistic missiles. The numerical component often indicates the missile's development sequence and, in some cases, its number of stages.
The ASCC's standardized naming convention ensures that allied forces can effectively communicate about various missile systems, even when the original designations are complex or unknown.
Vigorous Dragon (J-10 ) - NATO Firebird Mighty Dragon (J-20) - NATO - Firefang Soaring Dragon (EA-03 UAV?) - NATO - ? Eagle (Y-20A?) - NATO - ? Mountain Eagle (JL-9/JL-9G) - NATO - ? Falcon (JL-10) - NATO - ? Giant Eagle (BZK-005 UAV) - NATO - ? Divine Eagle (? UAV) - NATO - ? Sea Eagle (Z-18F) - NATO - ? Bat (Z-18J) - NATO - ? Thunderbolt (Z-10) - NATO - ? Black Cyclone (Z-19) - NATO - ? stealth air-launched cruise missile" AKF98A
YJ-21 Hypersonic Missile
The YJ-21 is an advanced air-launched ballistic missile equipped by the Air Force. It shows that the Air Force has advanced strike means with long range, fast speed, high precision, strong penetration and fierce damage , and can carry out various attacks on land and sea. It can quickly attack and effectively damage targets, and it has become a powerful weapon to restrain powerful enemies and deter and control them.
After commissioning the road-mobile DF-21D and DF-26 anti-ship ballistic missiles, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) also has ship- and air-launched variants of such hypersonic weapons in its arsenal that can keep US carrier strike groups at a distance, foreign media recently reported. These reports are merely speculative, Chinese military experts said on 21 April 2022, noting if China does have such weapons, they are defensive in nature and would provide greater deterrence and deeper maritime defense against hostile warships, and only those with evil intentions would fear them.
The PLA Navy has launched a YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile from a Type 055 large destroyer, posing an even greater threat to US aircraft carriers than the DF-21 and DF-26 road-mobile anti-ship ballistic missiles, UK newspaper The Times reported, citing video images that emerged online. An H-6N bomber of the PLA Air Force was also spotted carrying an air-launched anti-ship ballistic missile that appears to be related to the YJ-21, US news website thedrive.com reported on Tuesday, citing an unverified video.
The YJ-21 is thought to be a ship-launched version of the ground-based DF-21D. thedrive.com called the weapon a "carrier killer," as it is believed to carry a conventional warhead and is able to maneuver dynamically during its reentry phase, providing it with the ability to attack moving warships at hypersonic terminal velocity. The air- and ship-launched YJ-21s would be deployed in concert with ground-based DF-21Ds to help keep US carrier strike groups at distances far from Chinese shores, the report said.
China has not announced the development of such weapons, so all of this is merely speculation, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Thursday. The hype by foreign media reflected their prejudice on China's normal national defense development. China upholds a national defense strategy that is defensive in nature, and if the US does not make military provocations against China, including over the Taiwan question, it does not need to worry about the missiles, analysts said.
An official photo recently released by the Chinese military showed the outstanding capability of the H-6K bomber in carrying air-launched ballistic missiles - capable of carrying four instead of two previously shown to the public. The photo, published in a release posted in the WeChat account 01 July 2024 of the air force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command on Saturday, showed an H-6K bomber taking off ahead of a mid-night exercise at an undisclosed date in the summer. Observers pointed out that the H-6K in the photo carried two air-launched ballistic missiles, dubbed the YJ-21 by foreign media, under one side of its wings, indicating that it very likely carried four missiles in total under two wings, considering the need to keep balance.
The missile made its official debut at the Airshow China 2022 held in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province. At the time, an H-6K bomber carrying one such missile under each wing was put on static display to event visitors. Foreign media also noted that China Central Television for the first time released a clip showing an H-6K bomber firing the missile in May.
Citing the aerodynamic design of the missile, experts reached by the Global Times said that it is likely a type of air-launched ballistic missile that can hit stationary targets as well as slowly moving targets including aircraft carriers at hypersonic speeds from extended distances. Since the missile seems larger and heavier than other types of munitions carried by the H-6K, observers had presumed that the bomber could only carry two rather than four, but the new official photo negated that presumption, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Monday.
It revealed that the H-6K bomber has sufficient payload capacity and its wings has sufficient structural strength, the expert said. The additional missiles on the H-6K can significantly increase the PLA Air Force's long-range precision strike capabilities in anti-access/area denial missions, the expert said. China is not the only country that operates air-launched ballistic missiles. Russia's Mig-31 interceptor is also capable of carrying the Kinzhal, which is widely believed to be a hypersonic weapon, according to media reports.
Chinese authorities announced 23 April 2023 with photos that the YJ-21 [aka YJ-055 on Type-055 Cruiser] and CJ-21 anti-ship ballistic missiles are now operational and are being equipped to the PLA Navy and Air Force, especially the Type 055 heavy destroyer. The arrival of these missiles will further increase China's challenge to the US Navy, while tensions between Beijing and Washington over the Taiwan issue continue to rise. HI Sutton noted "The new missile outwardly resembles the CM-401 design, with the addition of a large booster phase. The CM-401 is roughly analogous to the Iskander missile."
The US Navy has for years implemented countermeasures to the threat posed by the DF-21D and its older brother, the DF-4, which has a range of 26 kilometers. In fact, just like monitoring Chinese ballistic deterrent missile launches, the deployment and launch of these anti-ship missile batteries are also precisely monitored by US observation and intelligence satellites. If the U.S. ship came under heavy fire, this early detection would allow the escorting ship to deploy an anti-ballistic weapon, the SM-3 missile , to intercept the threat before it could hit its target. At the same time, threats represented by the YJ-12 and CJ-12 supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, whose flight profiles are comparable to the Russian "Kalibr", carried out by ships (destroyers and submarines) and Chinese naval aircraft, respectively, are within the range of SM2 air defense missiles of American destroyers and cruisers.
AKF98A
The 15th China Air Show (Zhuhai Air Show) was unveiled on 12 November 2024. A number of "high, sophisticated and cutting-edge" exhibits representing the world's advanced level will be unveiled. The "new generation surface-to-air missile weapon system" Hongqi-19, the new "stealth air-launched cruise missile" AKF98A, and the "anti-aircraft carrier killer" supersonic missile YJ-12E, which represent China's advanced national defense technology, were unveiled. AKF-98 debuted at Airshow China 2022. Relevant military intelligence sources pointed out to the media that the new AKF98A has set a new benchmark in stealth technology and combat range. This advanced "air-launched cruise missile" is tailor-made for penetrating enemy defense systems and targeting high-value assets at long distances. With comparable cutting-edge technology, the new AKF98A will redefine China's military capabilities. Reporters saw the new AKF98A mounted on the Chinese Air Force's J-16 fighter jet in the outdoor static display area of ??the Zhuhai Air Show today (10th). Relevant military intelligence sources said that the new AKF98A demonstrates the characteristics of a modern stealth cruise missile. Its appearance highly emphasizes stealth design, and its fuselage is rectangular, similar to the British and French "Storm Shadow" and the American AGM-158 series cruise missiles. At the same time, the missile also adopts a compact fuselage and retractable wing design, which can not only further reduce the detection capability of the radar, but also enable it to be stored in a smaller space, such as the internal bomb bay of a fighter jet, thus improving the deployment efficiency. flexibility. It is also worth noting that the guidance system of the new AKF98A combines China's Beidou satellite navigation with the inertial navigation system in the initial flight stage; when approaching the target, the missile will switch to a radar or infrared seeker as the terminal guidance, greatly improving Hit accuracy. This layered guidance mode ensures that the AKF98A can reliably hit stationary or moving targets. Relevant military intelligence sources said that the new AKF98A has achieved a "technical leap" and introduced a unique geometric design and navigation system combination, which can avoid detection by missile defense systems such as "THAAD" and "Aegis" and increase the chance of missile penetration. ; Combined with low-altitude flight capabilities, the new AKF98A can effectively bypass missile defense systems and provide the Chinese military with a tactical advantage when a "quick, unexpected strike" is needed.SS-UAV Jiutian
A new type of Chinese-made super-large jet-powered drone with a maximum take-off weight of 10 tons appeared at the 2024 Zhuhai Air Show. Its biggest feature is that there is a "heterogeneous honeycomb mission box" with a considerable volume in the belly. U.S. media speculated that the design may be equipped with a modular payload to launch a large number of small drones, so that this large drone code-named "Jiutian" can become the "mother" of aerial drones. The "Jiutian" UAV is powered by a jet engine on top of the central fuselage and has eight pylons under the long wings. These features make it look like a hybrid of the US A-10 attack aircraft and the OV-10 "Mustang" light attack reconnaissance aircraft. Usually powered by a jet engine, it can reduce the transportation time to and from the mission area. A turret equipped with an optoelectronic/infrared sensor is installed under the nose of the "Jiutian". The on-site display board shows that the maximum take-off weight of the "Jiutian" is about 10 tons. In comparison, the maximum take-off weight of the "Rainbow-6" large jet-powered UAV that was previously unveiled in Zhuhai is 7.8 tons, the maximum take-off weight of the "Wing Loong-3" UAV is 6 tons, and the latest extended-range improved version of the US MQ-9 "Reaper" UAV has a maximum take-off weight of just under 6 tons. US media believes that such a powerful load capacity gives the "Jiutian" drone an inherent advantage in becoming a drone "mother machine". "For military purposes, modern drone swarms have many advantages, including the ability to quickly deploy over a wide area and perform a variety of tasks, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare and strikes, depending on the configuration. Each drone in the swarm can also be equipped with different payloads to perform their respective tasks, allowing the entire drone swarm to perform diverse capabilities. Such a large number of closely integrated drones will pose a major challenge to defenders, who can easily fall into a dilemma of being unable to defend themselves." China's development of aerial drone mothership is also in line with the development trend. "Countries around the world, including the US military, are constantly increasing their efforts to develop and deploy swarm drones and the ability to launch them from various platforms in the air and on the ground." For example, the US Navy has envisioned using the P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft to launch swarm drones from the air. "These advanced drones will continue to expand in size and combat range under the strong impetus of artificial intelligence." In addition to the ability to launch swarm drones, the "Jiutian" drone's belly mission box can also carry other payloads to perform missions such as air sampling or transportation. The eight pylons under the drone's wings and the nose sensor indicate that it also has typical airborne intelligence surveillance and strike capabilities, and can serve as a multi-mission, long-range and long-flight unmanned platform.YJ-2024 Hypersonic Missile
The most interesting thing about the Rainbow-9 drone in the October 2024 photos was the aerial weapon in front of it. Observers paid close attention to a certain type of air-to-surface missile in the front of the picture. From the appearance, this type of air-to-surface missile has a clear double-conical warhead shape, painted with orange-yellow lines, and should be a hypersonic aircraft inert counterweight bomb. This detail surprised everyone. How can the Rainbow-9 drone also carry hypersonic aircraft? It was originally a big thing that only the H-6K/J bombers could carry, but now the Rainbow-9 drone can also carry it? So, is the performance of the Rainbow-9 reconnaissance and strike drone really that strong?
Although many military observers generally thought that the hypersonic aircraft in front of the Rainbow-9 is similar to the one hung on the H-6K bomber exhibited at the 2022 Zhuhai Air Show.The hypersonic aircraft under the wing pylons should be of the same model, but there were some differences between the two. For example, judging from the appearance, the hypersonic aircraft hanging under the wing of the H-6K is very large. According to the data, the main tires used by the Tu-16 bomber have an outer diameter of 1,100 mm, while the diameter of this air-launched hypersonic aircraft seems to be similar to that of the main tires of the H-6K, and is expected to be at least 800 mm. In comparison, the hypersonic aircraft placed in front of Rainbow-9 seems to be a little smaller. Judging from the researchers and testers on one side, its body diameter is estimated to be slightly smaller.
Judging from the appearance of the hypersonic aircraft mounted on the H-6K bomber, it uses a four-piece fixed tail design and a large launcher that is unique to the H-6K and similar in appearance to the K/AKD-63 series of air-to-surface missiles. This launcher is very sturdy and relatively simple in appearance. From the design of the launcher, it can also be seen that the launch weight of this hypersonic aircraft is very large. However, judging from the appearance of the hypersonic aircraft in front of the Rainbow-9, its tail wings can be folded, and the launcher used is a relatively small launcher, which is completely different from the launcher on the H-6K. Big Ivan looked for the pictures taken at the Zhuhai Air Show before, but did not find this new type of launcher. Instead, it is similar to a general launcher used on the J-10CP fighter exported to Pakistan.
The different shapes of the launcher and tail wing seem to confirm from the side that there are still some differences between the hypersonic aircraft placed in front of the Rainbow-9 and the hypersonic aircraft hanging under the wing of the H-6K. The former is more like a pocket version of the latter.
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