When a country starts to decline, it increasingly relies on so-called "miracle weapons" or "decisive weapons" to salvage its military decline: this was the case with Germany at the end of World War II, and it is also the case with the United States today.

The U.S. "War Zone" website published an interview with Amo Harris, the head of the U.S. startup defense company "Shield AI," on the 21st. The company recently launched a large drone that is touted as a "killer weapon" against China's fifth- and sixth-generation fighter jets.

This drone can counter sixth-generation fighters, then why build F-47?

According to U.S. media, the biggest difference between this drone and traditional drones is that the aircraft uses a vertical takeoff and landing mode with the tail touching the ground, without relying on runways, and only needs afterburner engines and thrust vectoring nozzles to achieve takeoff and landing of the drone.

The drone is about 7.9 meters long, with a wingspan of about 11.9 meters, using a crank kite wing layout, has stealth capabilities, and has two internal weapon bays; the maximum range can reach 3,704 kilometers, the practical ceiling is approximately 15,000 meters, and it is equipped with an artificial intelligence system and an open mission architecture, which makes it easier to integrate new functions.

Additionally, Amo Harris claimed that the company's drone also has "combat capabilities similar to the 'Lightning' fighter (F-35) and fifth-generation aircraft of the same level," but its cost is only one-tenth of that of fifth-generation aircraft, allowing it to "counter China's fifth- and sixth-generation fighter jets at a much lower cost than the opponent," and it is "the world's first truly independent combat capable autonomous drone," with performance that will "surpass the collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) currently being developed by the U.S. Air Force."

YFQ-44A of the CCA program: So I became a joke?

According to Amo Harris, this vertical takeoff and landing drone was specifically designed to solve the problems of the U.S. Air Force.

In short, the U.S. Air Force believes that if a war breaks out between China and the United States, China will launch missiles first to destroy U.S. island airports and ground aircraft in the Western Pacific. Therefore, one of the recent topics for the U.S. Air Force has been researching how to improve the survivability of aircraft.

However, Harris stated that the company's vertically taking off and landing drones would "make China's tactics ineffective," because the vertical takeoff and landing capability allows the drone not to rely on runways for takeoff, and it can be deployed closer to the Chinese mainland, or directly deployed on ships, such as an amphibious assault ship can carry about 60 of these drones.

First, Shield AI needs to build the X-BAT, not just make big promises

It should be said that Harris's concept, from a purely military and practical perspective, is indeed nothing wrong. In modern warfare, large airbases are indeed vulnerable to long-range precision strikes at the beginning of the war. To address this issue, the U.S. military proposed a plan a few years ago to use the "Starship" to transport supplies between islands in the Pacific and the U.S. mainland.

Vertical takeoff and landing capability undoubtedly reduces the reliance of aircraft on runways, allowing aircraft or drones to take off from dispersed locations, such as highways, makeshift bases, or even aircraft carrier decks, greatly enhancing the survival and deployment flexibility of the aircraft.

But from a realistic point of view, publicity is publicity, and whether the "killer weapon" drone that Shield AI claims to counter China's fifth- and sixth-generation fighter jets can move from a concept machine to production is another matter entirely.

Shield AI's other drone, V-Bat, is suspected to have only eight units

This drone is still in the conceptual stage, with plans to verify the vertical takeoff and landing system in 2026 and conduct full-function flight tests in 2028, but so far the U.S. military has not shown clear interest in this aircraft.

Additionally, Amo Harris's company, Shield AI, is worth mentioning.

This is a typical American startup company, mainly engaged in the development of drones, but the company's slides and concepts are quite many, yet it has not produced a single mature product to date.

And Amo Harris's strong opposition to China is due to the fact that Shield AI has participated in multiple U.S.-Taiwan military collaborations, and was sanctioned by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs this April.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7563968983037149705/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author and is welcome to express your opinion below with the [Up/Down] buttons.