The Chengdu Wing Loong-3 is a
Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance
A medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle flies at an altitude window of 10,000 to 30,000 feet (3,000–9,000 m) for extended durations of time, typically 24 to 48 hours.https://www.leonardocompany.com/en/products/falco-xplorer This ...
(MALE)
unmanned aerial combat vehicle (UCAV), developed by the
Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group
The Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) or Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC), a subsidiary of AVIC, is a Chinese aerospace conglomerate that designs and manufactures combat aircraft and is also a manufacturer of aircraft parts. It was fou ...
in the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. Intended for use as a multi-purpose platform, including anti-air, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), ground strike, maritime strike, search and rescue, and surveillance and aerial reconnaissance capabilities which can fly a maximum range of 10,000 km at medium altitude with a maximum take-off weight of 6,200 kg. Wing Loong-3 is by far the largest and first air to air capable model of the Wing Loong family
Design and development
The prototype of the Wing Loong-3 is unveiled for the first time to the public during the Airshow China exhibition, held in Zhuhai from 8–11 November 2022.
The design of the Wing Loong 3 is similar to the Wing Loong 2 consisting of a monoplane slender fuselage and empennage with a prominent V-tail and ventral fin. The landing gear consists of two main wheels under the fuselage and one single wheel under the nose. The electro-optical payload pod, fitted under the forward section of the fuselage, is integrated with daylight and infrared cameras and sensors to collect surveillance and targeting data in both day and low-light / night conditions.
Specifications
''Data from'' ,
General characteristics
* Crew: None (UAV)
* Length: 12.2 m
* Wingspan: 24 m
* Maximum take-off weight: 6,200 kg
Performance
* Range: ≥10,000 km
* Payload: 2,000 kg (external hardpoints) + 300 kg (internal bay)
* Endurance: ≥40 hours
Armament
*
PL-10E air-to-air missile
*
BA-7 anti-tank missile
*
AG-300/M air-to-ground missiles
* Anti-submarine sonobuoy launcher
See also
References
{{Reflist
Citations
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 2022
Unmanned military aircraft of China