China's "Nine Heavens" triggers an unmanned combat revolution, but Ukrainian media pours cold water, emphasizing that it is easy to become a target in actual combat and has no practical combat role.
Recently, CCTV News disclosed China's major breakthrough in the drone field, which is the test flight of the "Nine Heavens" drone. The "Nine Heavens" drone is not only a drone but also an "airborne drone aircraft carrier" that triggers an unmanned combat revolution. As an airborne aircraft carrier for deploying drones, the "Nine Heavens" has a wingspan of 25 meters, a maximum takeoff weight of 16 tons, and a payload capacity of 6 tons, adopting a "heterogeneous honeycomb mission bay" design that can accommodate over a hundred loitering munitions or small drones, capable of executing strike or reconnaissance missions.
The "Nine Heavens" appears to be merely a transport tool, but in reality, it is an operational command center in the era of unmanned operations, possessing modular multi-mission combat capabilities. This drone aircraft carrier has a maximum range of 7,000 to 8,000 kilometers, an endurance of over 12 hours, and an altitude of 15,000 meters, greatly enhancing the combat radius of drones and loitering munitions. As a modularly designed equipment, the "Nine Heavens" can flexibly release various attack-type ammunition such as drones or loitering munitions in actual combat, and can also execute reconnaissance missions, with flexible operational flights and especially diverse task execution.
However, when Ukrainian media saw this "Nine Heavens" unmanned combat platform that triggered an unmanned combat revolution, they pointed out that this equipment had no practical use and was very likely to become a target in actual combat. Ukraine's most advantageous aspect in the Russia-Ukraine conflict is drone operations, and its advantage lies in having practical combat experience. However, Ukraine denies the significant meaning of the "Nine Heavens," clearly indicating insufficient understanding of this equipment. Ukraine's combat concepts are still backward and fail to recognize that systematic unmanned combat has begun to undergo revolutionary changes.
The mission bay can replace modules within two hours, switching between electronic warfare, transportation, reconnaissance, or firepower strike modes, capable of paralyzing enemy air defense systems through swarm tactics and implementing saturation attacks. The "Nine Heavens" drone not only redefines the form of unmanned combat platforms but also its combination of "swarm + heavy firepower" may overturn traditional air defense systems. Its modular design and high cost-effectiveness further enhance its military-civil dual-use potential, marking China's transition from "catching up" to "leading" in the field of drone technology. Ukrainian media's views are shortsighted, but it is inconsequential.
Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832623329047564/
Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views only.