China unveils new generation of tank killer weapon

Manufacturer Tengoen launched a variety of combat drones, including the TB001 model equipped with up to eight anti-tank missiles.

The TB001 debuted at the exhibition. Photo: IHS Jane's.

China's Tengoen Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) manufacturer unveiled a series of new reconnaissance and combat equipment at the China-ASEAN Expo, which took place last weekend in Guangxi Province. Among them, the TB001 anti-tank UAV is said to be Beijing's only unmanned system equipped with two engines and two vertical tails, Sputnik reported.

The TB001 is 10 meters long, has a wingspan of 20 meters, and is capable of operating continuously for 35 hours with a range of nearly 6,000 km. The TB001 is optimized for satellite control, equipped with many optical-electronic sensors and targeting systems. The aircraft can carry up to 200 kg of weapons, including various types of anti-tank missiles or small guided bombs. The TB001 project is the result of development by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), a state-owned unit specializing in space projects.

China is still far behind Russia and the United States in the field of UAV combat, forcing the country to find solutions to catch up with its rivals. One of these is "UAV swarm" technology, using hundreds to thousands of cheap small UAVs controlled by collective intelligence. In the middle of this year, the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) launched a combat reconnaissance system consisting of 119 small UAVs.

In real-world testing, the UAVs were able to take off and fly in formation, maintain a continuous network connection, and divide the reconnaissance area. CETC said the technology allows the UAVs to simultaneously detect targets, then send some of them armed with suicide weapons. The enemy will have a lot of trouble facing more than 100 small UAVs, instead of one large UAV carrying heavy weapons.

According to VNE