(VIDEO) Following J-35A Fighter Jet Reveal, China Unveils Stealth UCAV CH-7 at Zhuhai

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Just days ago, China officially unveiled its second stealth fighter jet, the J-35A, at Airshow China in Zhuhai.

Now, it has also revealed what is believed to be the final variant of its stealth Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), the CH-7, which it has been developing over the past few years.

The CH-7 stealth UCAV is a High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drone developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), a state-owned agency.

Many speculate that the design of the CH-7 UCAV is “copied” from the U.S. stealth drone RQ-180.

Videos and photos of the CH-7 have flooded social media platforms ahead of its official debut at Airshow China 2024.

CASC initially showcased the stealth UCAV at the 2018 Airshow China, but its development has continued with design modifications to optimize its performance.

Analysts believe the CH-7 design revealed shortly before the opening of Airshow China 2024 represents the final iteration before entering serial production and active deployment.

Currently, little is known about the technical specifications of China’s CH-7 stealth UCAV, though analysts report it is approximately 10 meters in length, with a wingspan of around 26 meters.

Its Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) is 10 tons, with a top speed of 926 km/h, and it can operate for up to 15 continuous hours.

Chinese military analysts claim that the CH-7 stealth UCAV can conduct Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions in hostile airspace without detection.

The CH-7 is also reported to be capable of carrying a range of weapons, including missiles and smart bombs.

Several days ago Defence Security Asia reported that China has just released official images of its second fifth-generation stealth fighter, the Shenyang J-35A, which has long been under development and previously seen only in unofficial images.

The first official images provide analysts a glimpse of this new air asset, poised to bolster China’s overall air and military power.

The development of China’s second fifth-generation fighter jet is seen as an effort by Beijing to compete with the United States in stealth and fifth-generation fighter jet development while modernizing its armed forces.

The J-35A fighter is designed for both air combat and air-to-ground operations, according to Chinese defense media.

With the J-35A, China becomes only the second country after the United States to develop two types of fifth-generation fighter jets, the J-35A and the J-20 “Mighty Dragon.”

The United States also has two different fifth-generation stealth fighter jets, the F-35 and the F-22 “Raptor.”

There has been significant discussion about the similarities between China’s J-35A/FC-31 and the U.S.-made fifth-generation fighter, the F-35, developed by Lockheed Martin.

The resemblance between the J-35A and the F-35 has led to allegations that China copied the U.S. fighter jet through industrial espionage during its development phase.

However, claims that China “copied” the F-35 to develop the J-35A remain unsubstantiated to date. — DSA