Basic Information

Name

Wing Loong II Chinese Medium-Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Designation

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Alternate Designation

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Equipment Type

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Manufacturer

Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group (CAIG)

Date of Introduction

2017

Description

The Wing Loong II is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle based on the Wing Loong (Pterodactyl). It is larger and more capable -- with significantly greater payload -- than its predecessor. The Wing Loong II has been described as being in the same class as the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper. The Wing Loong II can conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; electronic warfare; search-and-rescue; strike; peacekeeping; and border patrol missions. The air vehicle features six hard points, compared to two on the Wing Loong, with four that can carry double payloads. As a result, the Wing Loong II can carry up to 10 air-to-ground bombs and missiles.

Air & Air Defense Specifications

Engine Four-Stroke, Four-Cylinder, Horizontally Opposed Aircraft Engine (100 hp)

Range 200.0 km

Endurance 32.00 hrs

Variants

Pterosaur I First member of Wing Loong series, with program of Wing Loong begun in May 2005. Maiden flight was completed in October 2007 and payload evaluation flight was completed a year later in October 2008. This first model of Wing Loong series lacked the bulge at the nose tip of the fuselage due to the lack of a satellite antenna, and while the English name used by the developer differed from later models, the Chinese name remains the same, and so is the name Wing Loong for the entire series.The lack of satellite antenna results in cheaper cost, with the reduction of the maximum control range around to 200 km. This model is no longer actively marketed when Pterodactyl I appeared, but is still available as a cheaper alternative up on potential customers’ request.

Pterodactyl I: The second member of Wing Loong series is distinguished from the earlier Pterosaur I in that there is a bulge at the nose tip of the fuselage to house a satellite antenna, and this is the version most widely publicized and actively marketed as a surveillance platform. United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan were reported to be the first two foreign customers of Pterodactyl I.

Sky Saker: Sky Saker is a derivative of Wing Loong developed by Norinco mainly intended for export. The Chinese name is Rui Ying, meaning Sharp Eagle, but the English name adopted by the developer is Sky Saker. Sky Saker / Rui Ying carries both a miniature synthetic aperture radar and an electro-optical pod to perform reconnaissance in both the visible light and radar spectra. The capability of Sky Saker / Rui Ying has been exaggerated by many Chinese internet sources claiming that it has both scout and strike capabilities at the same time, but this has been proven to the contrary. According to all info released by Norinco itself (as of 2015), the UAV can employ only a single capability at a time: when the UAV carries the reconnaissance payload, no weaponry is carried. Similarly, when weaponry is carried, the reconnaissance payload is absent.

WJ1 The first land attack version of Pterodactyl I, which is a weapon platform without the reconnaissance/targeting pod under the chin. The designation WJ stands for Wu-Zhuang Wu-Ren-Ji, meaning armed UAV. WJ-1 UAV made its public debut in November 2014 at the 10th Zhuhai Airshow along with its cousin GJ-1.

GJ-1 Another land attack version of Pterodactyl I that combines the capabilities of both Pterodactyl I and WJ-1 so that it can identify and engage targets on its own. GJ-1 can be distinguished from both Pterodactyl I and WJ-1 in that GJ-1 has both the reconnaissance/targeting pod under the chin as well as hardpoints to carry weapons. The designation GJ stands for Gong-Ji Wu-Ren-Ji, meaning "attack UAV." GJ-1 UAV made its public debut in November 2014 at the 10th Zhuhai Airshow along with its cousin WJ-1.

Wing Loong ID: Upgraded variant of the Wing Loong I, with improved aerodynamics and engine enabling greater takeoff weight, service ceiling, and endurance. Other upgrades include both internal and external stores, as well as communications equipment. The variant launched in 2018 with Egypt being the first buyer of 32 systems.The variant achieved its first flight on 23 December 2018

Wing Loong II SIGINT Variant Wing Loong II SIGNT Variant, which "shows a GJ-2 featuring several rod-shaped antennas configured in a circular array fitted underneath The fuselage that could serve as a communications band-direction-finding array capable of not only intercepting communication signals but also providing a bearing of the transmitter.

Systems

Alternative Designation Known in PLAAF service as the Gongji-2 ('Attack 2' or GJ-2), also dubbed the "Air Sniper"

Type UAV Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE)

Expected out of Service Date 2037

Manufacturer Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group (CAIG)

Cost INA

Primary Function The Wing Loong II can conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; electronic warfare; search-and-rescue; strike; peacekeeping; and border patrol missions.

Flight Control Method Wireless Communication or by Pilot on the ground

Day/Night Capable Yes

All Weather Capable INA

Takeoff or Landing Limitations 1 km Runway needed for Launch

Operator 1 ea

Complete Ground Crew System Includes A complete Wing Loong II system includes air vehicles, a ground-control station, mission payload and an integrated logistics system.

Ceiling, Maximum 9,000 m

Ceiling, Minimum INA m

Line of Sight Range 200 km

Satellite Communication Link Range 2,000 km

Endurance 32 hours

Location Positioning System BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS)

Guidance Tracking GP

Propeller 3 Blade Design

Wing type Low-Wing Monoplane Design

Wing Sweep 10 deg

Number of Hard Points 6 (3 on each wing)

Launch System Runway,(1 km Runway needed for Launch)

Takeoff Roll 600 m

Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) Capable INA

Automatic Landing and Takeoff Capability Yes

Recovery System Runway

Landing Gear The landing gear consists of two main wheels under the fuselage and one single wheel under the nose, facilitates safe take-off and landing.

Note The Wing Loong II has been described as being in the same class as the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper.

Dimensions

Length 11 m

Height 4.1 m

Width (Wing Span) 20.5 m

Gross Weight 4,200 kg

Weight, Maximum Takeoff 4,200 kg

Weight, Payload 480 kg

Automotive

Engine Name Rotax 914 Turbocharged Engine

Engine Type Four-Stroke, Four-Cylinder, Horizontally Opposed Aircraft Engine

Engine Power 100 hp

Number of Engines 1 ea

Propellers Type 3 Bladed Design

Engine Location Top of the Airframe

Speed, Maximum 370.4 km/h

Maximum Range 200 km

Operational Range Radius 1,500 km

Endurance 32 hour

Payload 400 kg

Communications

Radio Satellite Communication System

Encrypted Data Link Yes

Armament & Ammunition

Payload Types EO/IR, SAR, laser-guided missiles

Air to Air Missiles INA

Air to Ground Missiles Yes

Rockets Yes

Missile Type YJ-9E Anti-Ship Missiles, AR-1/HJ-10 Anti-Tank Missiles

Bomb Type T-9/50 50kg bomb, GB3 250 kg laser-guided bomb, TL-10 bomb, Lan Jian 7 (Blue Arrow 7) laser-guided air-to-surface missiles, TG100 laser/INS/GPS-guided bombs

Armament Weight Total 400 kg

Air to Ground Bombs/Missiles Total Capacity 10 ea

Fire Control

Fire Control System Type INA

Fire Control Radar INA

Radar Type Synthetic Aperture Radar

Radar Designator Yes

Laser Rangefinder Yes

Laser Designator Yes

Full-Motion Video Yes

Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) Camera Yes

Still Camera Yes

Thermal Imaging Sensors Yes

Electro Optical Pod Yes, Loong Eye LE380 electro-optical sensor pod

Protection

Fuselage Slender Design, with a Chine, used to control Radar Reflections

Stealth Properties No

Heat Signature Reduction INA

Add on Armor No

EW Counter Measures / CCM Yes

Counter Measures (Chaffs/Flares) INA

Image Sources

Note https://en.topwar.ru/163250-kitajskie-udarno-razvedyvatelnye-bpla-i-ih-boevoe-primenenie.html; https://www.facebook.com/100079514112956/posts/1072501556287269/; https://www.quora.com/Will-pilots-be-reduced-due-to-the-UCAV