Electronic Weapons: Taiwan’s Smaller Is Better Solution

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December 6, 2022: Taiwan has produced a novel and apparently effective anti-radar UAV. Their Chien Hsiang UAV is a 2 meter (79 inches) wide and 1.2 meter (47 inch) long propeller-driven UAV that weighs about 100 kg (220 pounds). Taiwan has not revealed the actual weight. Chien Hsiang has a top speed of 185 kilometers an hour, which is apparently used once it finds a target and attacks it as quickly as possible. This UAV is built for endurance and apparently moves slowly most of the time so it can stay in the air for up to 100 hours. The guidance system can be programmed to follow several different strategies and the difficulty in spotting the small UAV make it a threat to enemy ships or land-based radars. Chien Hsiang is launched from launch/storage containers that are mounted on a flatbed tractor-trailer truck carrying the launcher boxes stacked four high. Chien Hsiang apparently launches from the box via a small rocket. Each stack of boxes can be raised at an angle so the UAVs can easily gain altitude.

Chien Hsiang bears a resemblance to the earlier Israeli Harpy anti-radar UAV. The Harpy was heavier at 136 kg, larger and had an endurance of five hours. Taiwan believes that smaller with longer endurance is better.

 

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