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Chinese Espionage? Aircraft ‘Strikingly Similar’ To US’ 6th-Gen Fighter Jet-NGAD, X44 Spotted At China’s Test Airfield

The US and Russia have paid considerable attention to the ‘loyal wingman’  concept that pairs up cheaper, more expendable drones with crewed aircraft to aid in missions and as well as serve as decoys sometimes.

Now, China seems to have made progress on this concept as well, with what appears to be a tailless aircraft design to accompany its indigenous fighter jet.

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The American Valkyrie Drone

The XQ-58 Valkyrie is an experimental stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) that is designed and built by Kratos for the US Air Force (USAF). It is a part of the Low-Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator program.

This program falls under the USAF Research Laboratory’s Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) project. The reason for the establishment of the LCAAT portfolio was to break the increasing cost trajectory of tactically relevant aircraft while simultaneously providing a loyal wingman aircraft alongside a crewed fighter jet in combat.

Valkyrie boasts of having long-range, high-speed, and maneuverability, in addition to having the capability to deliver a mix of lethal weapons from its internal bomb bay and wing stations. Moreover, the UCAV’s runway independence and extreme range deliver optimum operational flexibility and utility to the warfighter.




XQ-58A Valkyrie
The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator on its inaugural flight, 5 March 2019 at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. (Wikipedia)

The currently available data reveals that the drone is about 8.5 meters long and can reach speeds of over 1,000 kilometers per hour. It is expected to come equipped with precision-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) or even a Small Diameter Bomb.

According to USAF reports, the stealthy-looking Valkyrie has the ability to be configured for both surveillance and attack missions.

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The drone is reportedly designed to fly missions while being operated by pilots in an F-22 or F-35 fighter cockpit. The purpose is to effectively grant human decision-makers control of the Valkyrie to operate in a command and control capability to direct lethal operations.

US’ historic rival, Russia, is also developing its own loyal wingman design although this one seems to be much larger.

The Russian Hunter-B

The EurAsian Times had previously reported on details of the Russian Okhotnik drone that were revealed in a TV program. The Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B is also known as the Hunter-B. It is being flaunted as a highly advanced sixth-generation UCAV.

This drone, a brainchild of the Sukhoi Design Bureau and Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG, has a potent stealth profile and is being developed for the Russian Air Force. It is expected to be delivered to the service by 2024.

This drone has a maximum take-off weight of 20 tonnes, with a wingspan of 20 meters. With a reported length of 14 meters, this companion of the Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet is substantially bigger than its Western counterparts such as Dassault nEUROn and Northrop Grumman X-47B.




The Hunter-B UCAV.

Hunter-B’s upper body is covered in various intakes and exhausts, as well as antennas. It is equipped with a forward-facing camera system under the central part of the forward fuselage.

The elaborate view of the aircraft provided by TV Zvezda showed the UCAV’s exposed engine exhaust. There are indications that the drone is not expected to be overly fast or maneuverable, relying rather on its stealthy characteristics to successfully accomplish its missions.

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