China unveils ultra-long range kamikaze drone, outperforming US competitors

China’s largest weapon manufacturer has unveiled a small but ultra-long range “kamikaze” drone that could significantly outperform its main American competitor, according to its performance data.

The electric-powered drone, developed by China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (Norinco), can cruise at a speed of 144km/h for up to 105 minutes, giving it a range of 200km, Caliber.Az reports, citing Chinese media.

It can also hover for some time before homing in on a selected target, according to drone specifications published in a peer-reviewed paper in the Journal of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics last month.

Its main competitor is the US-made Switchblade 600,  which has a cruising speed of around 110km/h, a flight time of 40 minutes and a typical combat range of about 40km.

“Loitering munitions … such as the US Switchblade series combine the characteristics of drones and missiles with advantages such as long flight time, wide range of action, flexible use, and diverse penetration styles,” the research team from Norinco’s Xian Modern Control Technology Research Institute wrote.

Both models use a folding two-blade propeller, with the Chinese team saying they had solved some of the inefficiencies this design created and “effectively extended their flight time”.

They also said these small loitering munitions “could be produced at low cost” – potentially giving China an advantage in any drone arms race compared.

The team did not specifically refer to the US military’s drone programmes or Taiwan, but the model’s range is enough to cross the 180km Taiwan Strait, and this could prove a serious threat to the Pentagon’s “Replicator” programme.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Defence announced a plan last year to defend Taiwan with a large number of drones.

In the event of any conflict, the unmanned weapons would be used to effectively turn the Taiwan Strait into what US Indo-Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel Paparo has described as an “unmanned hellscape”. 

The first tranche of the programme includes the purchase of 1,000 Switchblade 600s in a deal the Pentagon said was worth $990 million.

These drones can be delivered within two years and help the US overcome what deputy defence secretary Kathleen Hicks has said is China’s “biggest advantage, which is mass”.