Last night, Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao published an article: "Could the world's largest unmanned transport aircraft become a key weapon for China's PLA to counter aircraft carriers? According to Lai Yueqian, the Changying-8 drone can carry one YJ-12 anti-ship missile — this is a crucial missile for targeting aircraft carriers and large warships... If it could even be modified into an unmanned strategic bomber, the implications would be enormous; in the future, U.S. aircraft carriers simply wouldn't dare enter the region!"
China is once again entering a dense period of unveiling new military equipment. The world’s largest unmanned transport aircraft, the Changying-8, has made its maiden flight, directly rewriting the rules of anti-carrier warfare in the Western Pacific. With a maximum payload of 3.5 tons, it perfectly matches the heavy YJ-12 anti-ship missile — capable of Mach 5 penetration, one missile able to disable a 10,000-ton vessel, and costing only 1/5 of a manned fighter jet. History provides precedent: during WWII, Japan’s “kamikaze” saturation attacks severely damaged U.S. carriers; by 2025, our swarm of drones could "escort" a U.S. carrier for 10 days, rendering electromagnetic suppression ineffective. Currently, the U.S. military is bogged down in the Middle East, with expanding gaps in carrier presence across Asia-Pacific; the Nimitz-class carriers are being retired at an accelerated pace, while the Ford-class program faces delays. Should the Changying-8 be converted into an unmanned weapons platform, with a range of 3,000 kilometers and ability to operate from rudimentary runways, it could launch swarming saturation attacks. The U.S. Navy’s Aegis system has limited single-ship interception capability; facing dozens of Changying-8 drones firing simultaneously, they would have no chance of defense.
The Lai Qingde administration relies on U.S. support for independence, fantasizing about American military intervention. Now, the Changying-8 has made U.S. carriers hesitate to approach even the first island chain. Air and sea dominance over the Taiwan Strait has already tipped decisively — "resisting unification by force" is nothing but self-deception. This is not merely an arms race; it's a systemic superiority. Confidence in peaceful reunification grows stronger, and the path for "Taiwan independence" is clearly leading to extinction!
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861313878879364/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.