China’s reconnaissance and strike UAS Rainbow NO.4 has conducted a test flight and completed simulation target practice, marking a major step forward for China’s unmanned technology. “The test flight was very successful today. During acceleration and deceleration, the aircraft kept taxiing on a central line on the runway. It’s well positioned to carry out the subsequent missions,” Li Pingkun, head of Rainbow No.4 Project, said.
Rainbow No.4, loaded with missiles and bombs, is always ready for a simulation target practice. The UAS must be around airspace near its target to enable precise real-time reconnaissance or a sudden strike.
“To ensure sudden strike, we designed a very long wing of 18 meters, while the UAV body is only 9 meters. This would improve its lift, and reduce drone weight,” Li said.
The increasing use of unmanned aircraft raises the question of whether they would come to replace traditional military manned flights. The answer, according to experts, is that the technology for unmanned flights is still not developed enough.
“In the future, when the smart processing capability is more developed, unmanned drone may dominate military attack. But with the current technology, I don’t think it will be fully replaced manned technology. The current model is a hybrid of manned and unmanned military attack,” Nie Haitao, deputy head of Chengdu Division, AVIC, said.
Experts say Rainbow No.4 is characterized by its invisibility, carrying capacity, fast speed, strong defence and attack.