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Satellite photographed the secret Chinese WZ-8 drone, which can reach speeds in excess of 3,700km/h and is designed to destroy F-35 and F-22 fighters
Defense News ^ | May 20, 2023 | Maksim Panasovskyi

Posted on 05/22/2023 3:18:18 AM PDT by tired&retired

Defense News reporters have obtained an image of China's secret supersonic WZ-8 drone. The drone is parked outside one of the new hangars at Lu'an Air Base in Anhui province.

Here's What We Know The People's Republic of China is actively upgrading the airbase where the People's Liberation Army bombers are stationed. As you can see, a hypersonic unmanned aerial vehicle capable of speeds of Mach 3 (more than 3,700km/h) is also located there.


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: china
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To: FarCenter
"Manned aircraft will soon never be obsolete."

Fixed it for you.

Automatomic a/c will only ever dominate in certain sectors. Many people enjoy the act of piloting an aircraft and it's unlikely they ever will stop finding ways to do so.

21 posted on 05/22/2023 6:07:12 AM PDT by Paal Gulli
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To: PIF

Looks like a paper plane design.


22 posted on 05/22/2023 6:27:37 AM PDT by Macho MAGA Man (The last two weren't balloons. One was a cylindrical objects )
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To: FarCenter

This is being actively planned right now. The new Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) the Air Force is testing can fly with up to 4 drones, or in reality 4 unmanned NGADs and use them as wingmen.

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2021/05/air-force-planning-future-without-f-22/174001/

A manned fighter aircraft is the centerpiece program of NGAD and has been referred to as the Penetrating Counter-Air (PCA) and is to be supported by uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), or “Loyal Wingman” platforms, through manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T).


23 posted on 05/22/2023 6:32:00 AM PDT by Alas Babylon! (Gov't declaring misinformation is tyranny: “Who determines what false information is?” )
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To: BobL

Uh yes, you are an idiot.


24 posted on 05/22/2023 7:20:53 AM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Red Badger; AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; BraveMan; ..

25 posted on 05/22/2023 7:22:48 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (NeverTrumpin' -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: BlackbirdSST

I’m not going to waste my time once again recounting for you how every American military failure and reverse has been the result of the LEFT.

Just like the leftists here want to concede Europe to Russia and Asia to China.

The idiocy is obvious and astounding.

There is a real world and the consequences of turning it over to enemies doesn’t go away because you throw a tantrum about “nazis homos and biolabs” or whatever is the left wing chant of the week.

Like the incredible American deep water port at Cam Ranh Bay which we desperately need against Red China right now, but was turned over to the communists by the left wing democrats in Congress. Not by neocons.

The tantrum they threw then will kill many of us in the future.


26 posted on 05/22/2023 7:28:23 AM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: tired&retired; SunkenCiv

The WIZ-8?.....................


27 posted on 05/22/2023 8:08:11 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Paal Gulli; FarCenter

Isaac Asimov (IIRC) wrote a short story about this subject back in the 50’s.

In a future of all computerized warfare, no one flew anything, only computers. Every computer could counter every move by a enemy computer. It was a standstill.

No one could do math, or do simple arithmetic except a lone professor whom everyone thought was a anachronistic kook.

He showed the generals how to do math and they were astounded. Then they put actual pilots into the aircraft like the ‘ancient old days’ and the computers could not predict their moves.....................


28 posted on 05/22/2023 8:13:57 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Williams

“The constant references to “neocons” as a negative are being used by our adversaries”

Our adversaries are in Washington DC.

They are a clear and present danger to liberties of every single American.

Neocons are folks who go to fight in the next town while leaving the back door of their house unlocked.


29 posted on 05/22/2023 8:19:43 AM PDT by cgbg (Claiming that laws and regs that limit “hate speech” stop freedom of speech is “hate speech”.)
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To: tired&retired

More Chinese hypersonic hyperbole...


30 posted on 05/22/2023 8:21:14 AM PDT by shotgun
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To: PIF

Nice plane, but they’re missing a few pieces of the puzzle.


31 posted on 05/22/2023 8:38:49 AM PDT by nicollo ("I said no!")
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To: Paal Gulli

An advantage of AI autonomous systems is that the best performing AI can be replicated in any number of vehicles at minimal cost.

With human pilots the transference of knowledge from one to another is called “training”, which is very expensive and time consuming. Not to mention that AI systems are easier to manufacture than pilots are to acquire.


32 posted on 05/22/2023 9:03:45 AM PDT by FarCenter
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To: tired&retired

I suspect the Chinese working on these projects weren’t chosen for their jobs based on sexual kink, color or who their daddy was... Their Generals aren’t chosen that way either...

Our country is becoming second rate by our own stupid choices.


33 posted on 05/22/2023 9:09:26 AM PDT by GOPJ (How many 'intelligence' goons & thugs live in mansions on $180,000 a year? And drive expensice cars?)
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To: BobL

“””(p.s., did they ever find all the pieces of those Patriot launchers that got minced up in Ukraine?)”””

What are you talking about?


34 posted on 05/22/2023 9:31:38 AM PDT by ansel12 (NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.)
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To: beef

Not a problem. Biden will propose a Trans-Force.
What can stop a Tranny?
Those fduckers are almost unstoppable!.


35 posted on 05/22/2023 9:51:42 AM PDT by Honest Nigerian
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To: PIF

You are misinformed. Ballpoint pen tips?
In the 1980s China could not manufacture precision ballbearings. USA gave them the technology (machinery) to do it in the 1980s.


36 posted on 05/22/2023 9:54:58 AM PDT by Honest Nigerian
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To: Honest Nigerian

We sold them the rope they will hang us with.


37 posted on 05/22/2023 9:59:09 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Honest Nigerian

You are misinformed. Ballpoint pen tips?


No its true, laughably they could not - the ball bearings they make are inferior to anything made in Sweden where most Western high quality ball bearings originate.

What ever they had in the 80s is what they still have; meanwhile, the rest of the world has moved on.

Western ball bearings are embargoed as is the equipment needed to make them. Same for high end microchips.


38 posted on 05/22/2023 10:32:00 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: srmanuel

“However, every time there is a leap forward in technology on the battlefield, there will always be some type of countermeasures developed.”

We are more worried about pronouns then countermeasures. I have no faith in our current political hack generals in charge.


39 posted on 05/22/2023 12:28:09 PM PDT by BushCountry (A properly cast vote (1 day voting) can save you $3.00 a gallon.)
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To: tired&retired

It’s a recon drone. It isn’t designed to destroy anything


40 posted on 05/22/2023 10:11:54 PM PDT by rmlew ("Mosques are our barracks, minarets our bayonets, domes our helmets, the believers our soldiers." )
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