Original Anti-Ship Weapon Attracts Attention

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Navies around the world are seeing the advancement made in UAVs and want to apply that technology to their work. According to a Jane.com report, an unseen anti-ship/UAV weapon has been developed in China.

Developed by China’s Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC’s) China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA) subsidiary, the sea skimming lethal drone has been given the product designation of CH-T1, although it is understood that the company prefers to identify it as the Ground Effect UAV (GEUAV) demonstrator.

The 5.8 m long GEUAV demonstrator is shaped like a conventional missile, with a cylindrical fuselage. Towards the rear is an unconventionally designed main body featuring two thick, long chord but short-span stubby wing structures running along the sides of its belly that combine to form a continuous wing-like undersurface. Two small outer wings can be found at the front of the main stub wings, along with upwards cranked V-tailfins at the rear that have an overall span of 3.8 m.

The device has a specified maximum take-off weight of 3,000 kg – although the prototype weighed significantly less during trials as it only carried partial payloads and fuel loads – and achieves take-off via rocket assisted catapult launch. It can be powered by either a turbojet or turbofan engine, which enables it to travel at a maximum speed of Mach 0.65 (802 km/h) while cruising at terrain hugging altitudes of 1–6 m. The engine draws its air from an intake located on top of its main body to avoid ingesting sea spray during low level flights, over water.