China has showcased its latest types of Wing Loong drones at the Airshow China 2022 in south China's Zhuhai City.
The brand-new Wing Loong-3 made debut on the first day of the airshow on Tuesday.
Wing Loong-3, a China-designed large unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), impressed the audience with its capability to conduct missions for multiple purposes.
As the latest version in the Wing Loong series, the Wing Loong-3 can fly a maximum range of 10,000 km at medium altitude. A 12.2-meter-long main body and a 24-meter wingspan allow the Wing Loong-3 to fly a long range carrying heavy loads.
With these powerful capabilities, it can perform tasks in more scenarios.
The previous model Wing Loong-2 also saw improvements, as a modified version of the drone was put into military use.
The Gongji-2, or literally Attack-2, is a medium-altitude, long-endurance and strike-capable drone derived from the Wing Loong-2. It has already been adopted by the People's Liberation Army.
A Gongji-2 UAV flies at the Airshow China 2022 in Zhuhai City, south China's Guangdong Province, November 9, 2022. /CFP
Its performance at the airshow was the first public showcase of this type.
"This type of drone has helped us successfully carry out many important missions," said Zhou Yonggang, an operator of the drone. "The unmanned forces are drastically changing the way we fight."
PLA Air Force spokesperson, Senior Colonel Shen Jinke told CMG that China's unmanned equipment has reached the world's top level.
"We will continue our cooperation with the national defense industry and develop advanced equipment that can meet our need," he added.