China's hypersonic UAV platform carries missiles and drones

A project of a hypersonic unmanned aerial vehicle was presented at the air exhibition in Zhuhai GDF-600, capable of performing a planning flight at a distance of up to 1,500 km, carrying various weapons and developing a speed of up to Mach 7.

Developed by designers from the Guangdong Academy of Aerodynamic Research, the GDF-600 is designed to be launched using either a ballistic missile or a rocket booster. The device has a launch mass of 5,000 kg and is capable of carrying a payload weighing up to 1,200 kg, including missiles, drones or electronic warfare (EW) systems. In flight, it can reach a height of 40 km and cover a distance of up to 600 km, and if controlled drones are used, its radius of action increases to 1,500 km.

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The fuselage of the device is made in a wedge-shaped shape, which is typical for hypersonic gliders, but the dimensions, materials and other technical characteristics remain classified. The developers claim that the GDF-600 can perform a variety of combat missions: from reconnaissance to attacks on land and sea targets. The sample presented at the exhibition is equipped with drones, which increase the possibilities of its application.

Some experts suggest that the GDF-600 is a continuation of the MD-22 project — experimental UAV with a high ratio of lift and thrust. The MD-22 project is characterized by relative simplicity of design, reliability and low cost, which makes it an economically viable option for mass production.

Chinese engineers have also developed a new thermal protection technology, thanks to which the nose fairing of the hypersonic missile is made of steel, and not from tungsten, which significantly reduces weight and cost. This technological solution was described in the August issue of the magazine Acta Armamentarii, and will probably be used in the new Chinese hypersonic vehicles.