AVIC markets upgraded Wing-Loong UAV

Chinese manufacturer AVIC has provided details about its new Wing Loong II unmanned air vehicle, which is larger and can carry more payload than the Wing Loong I.

In a flyer distributed at the China Aviation Expo event in Beijing, AVIC illustrations show that Wing Loong II has three hard points under each wing, with each capable of carrying two air-to-surface missiles, for a total of 12. The Wing Loong I, by contrast, has just one hardpoint per wing, with each carrying a single weapon.

There are no photos of the new type, however, so its stage of development as unclear. The Wing Loong I appeared at Airshow China in Zhuhai in 2012, and has also been filmed fly and destroying targets with missiles.

As with the Wing Loong I, the II’s layout is similar the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper. The flyer lists its length at 11m, 2m longer than its predecessor.

The Wing Loong II also has a much broader wingspan of 14m, compared with 9m with the Wing Loong I. Maximum takeoff weight is listed at 4,200kg.

Endurance is listed at 20h, with a maximum altitude at 9,000m - 50% better than the Wing Loong I.

AVIC lists the UAV’s standard payload as an electro-optical sensor/targetting system, synthetic aperture radar, radar warning equipment, and laser-guided missiles and bombs.

Optional payloads include systems for electronic reconnaissance, electronic countermeasures, communications relay, photo reconnaissance, and other intelligence collection payloads.