The CASC CH-901 is a
loitering munition
A loitering munition, also known as a suicide drone, kamikaze drone, or exploding drone, is a weapon with a warhead that is typically designed to Loiter (aeronautics), loiter until a target is designated, then crash into it.[China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is a main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has subsidiaries which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, and ground equ ...]
(CASC) in 2016. The drone can be deployed in several ways; it can be carried by soldiers in the field and launched out of a tube, as well as from vehicles, aircraft, and
UCAVs. In 2020 China unveiled a truck fitted with 48 launch tubes for CH-901 loitering munitions.
The CH-901 can also be launched from the new
FH-97 loyal wingman
Loyal may refer to:
* Loyalty
Music
* ''Loyal'' (album), by Dave Dobbyn, 1988
** "Loyal" (Dave Dobbyn song)
* ''The Loyal'', an album by Tiger Lou, 2005
* "Loyal" (Chris Brown song), 2013
* "Loyal" (PartyNextDoor song), 2019
* "Loyal", a song ...
drone unveiled at
Airshow China
China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition (), also known as the Airshow China () and Zhuhai Airshow (), is a biennial international aerospace trade expo held in Zhuhai, Guangdong, since 1996. It is the largest airshow in China.
Hi ...
in 2021.
Operation
The CH-901 can be readied and launched from its tube in 3 minutes. The drone then dashes to its target area at 180 km/h (110 mph), where it flies around for up to 60 minutes, at 100 km/h (62 mph) and at an altitude of 100 m (330 ft) to 150 m (490 ft). Once a target is located using the drones
electro-optical guidance, it dives onto its target at 288 km/h (179 mph) and detonates its warhead. The CH-901 can carry a 3.5 kg (7.5 lbs) high explosive warhead, a
fragmentation charge, a
shaped charge
A shaped charge, commonly also hollow charge if shaped with a cavity, is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Different types of shaped charges are used for various purposes such as cutting and forming metal, ...
for penetrating armor, or a camera for reconnaissance. The drones can also be launched in waves to swarm and overwhelm enemies.
Specifications
References
External links
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Loitering munitions