New details from US leaks: China could soon use drones that fly faster than sound – for espionage. The objective: Possibly Taiwan.
Beijing – New excitement about espionage from the Far East: According to a media report, China could soon use spy drones. According to a report by Washington Post these drones can reach three times the speed of sound. In the article, the newspaper refers to a secret document from the US National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, which reports to the US Department of Defense.
China’s supersonic drone (UAV): According to US leaks, satellite images show rocket-propelled reconnaissance drones
According to the document, satellite images dated Aug. 9 show two WZ-8 rocket-propelled reconnaissance drones at an air force base in eastern China. According to the US military, the Washington Post the photos are “almost certainly” of the Chinese military’s first unmanned aerial vehicle unit.
WZ-8 rocket-propelled reconnaissance drones
The WZ-8 was presented for the first time in 2019, in 2021 it was shown again at the Zhuhai Airshow. The spy drone creates 3 times the speed of sound. According to leaked US documents, the drones could be brought to the east coast of China with an H6-M Badger bomber, for example. From there, the drones could penetrate Taiwan’s airspace at an altitude of about 30 kilometers.
Like the portal futurezone.at reported, the drones have photo detectors and a synthetic aperture radar. The latter scans surfaces with electromagnetic waves and is used for remote sensing. This would allow the drones to collect information about Taiwan and parts of South Korea.
The installation is overseen by the branch of the Chinese military responsible for enforcing Chinese claims to sovereignty over Taiwan, the newspaper reports. China could use the drones to collect real-time mapping data, for example to carry out missile attacks in a future conflict, it said.
Drone report after US leaks: No statement from the US or China so far
The document on which the report is based is part of the leaked suspected US classified documents that surfaced on social media in March. The authenticity of the document could not be verified. Neither the US Department of Defense nor the Chinese government have responded to requests for comment.
Espionage attack: growing concern in Taiwan
In the past three years, China has increased its military pressure on the democratically governed and industrially well-developed Taiwan. The People’s Republic has always reserved the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. The status of Taiwan, which few countries recognize as independent, is one of the main points of contention between the US and China. (with material from Reuters)
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