China test-launches swarm of attack drones

The policy particularly seeks to eventually boost certain military development along with both the civilian as well as the private sector support. In the test, the launches were carried out from a light tactical vehicle with 48 launch tubes as well as from a helicopter that fired canisters of drones. CAEIT is a subsidiary of the state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), which carried out a record-breaking drone swarm experiment in June 2017, involving almost 120 small fixed-wing unmanned aircraft. This is not the first time CAEIT carries out such tests.

Back in November 2017, its own research institute known as the China Academy of Electronics and Information Technology proceeded to carry out what was believed to be its biggest experiment yet which included the use of 200 small fixed-wing aircrafts.

In the September test, tubular drones with spring-loaded folding wings were launched from a large box launcher on the back of a Dongfeng Mengshi 6x6 truck.

The South China Morning Post says the unmanned aircraft seems similar to the CH-901, China's first tactical attack drone that measures 3.9 feet (1.2 meters) long and weighs 20lbs (9kg). The drone can travel at a speed of 93 miles per hour (150km/h).

The insider said that the nation had improved drone technologies developed in 2012 and new hardware are used to update these technologies.

Several reports from China and the United States have suggested that the PLA may already be using these unmanned vehicles, but the insider said it was still struggling with technical issues. Researchers Don't Think So!