Chinese state broadcaster unveils first image of new stealth drone

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has released the first image of newest Tian Ying, or Sky Hawk, stealth jet-powered drone.

Only a few days after the publication of the video showing the first flight of the new drone, was released first detailed photo of the newest Chinese stealth unmanned aircraft.

The Tian Ying is a long-range stealth drone capable of carrying out a range of missions, from reconnaissance and early warning to air defense suppression, ground attack and air combat.

New Chinse unmanned aircraft is developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC).

According to local sources, the drone has internal weapons bays, making it capable of launching weapons, like anti-radiation missiles, air-to-ground or anti-ship missiles and long-distance precision-guided bombs.

It is expected that the Tian Ying is 10 meters long and has a wingspan of 22-meters. It has a maximum take-off weight of 13,000 kilograms, with a cruise altitude of 10-13 kilometers, a cruising speed of 0.5-0.6 of a Mach, and can stay in flight for 15 hours.

Extrait d'une vidéo de CASIC Institut 302, qui montre pour la première fois le décollage et l'atterrissage du drone à aile volant "Tian Ying" (天鹰). pic.twitter.com/keaufMtRMX

— East Pendulum (@HenriKenhmann) 1 January 2019