Known as Jiu-Jitsu or Nine-People Heaven, the unmanned “drone mothership” is deployed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force and aims to lay the foundations for expanding the scope of air combat.
When fully operational, Jiu-Jitsu releases a vast flock of drones that cooperate to overwhelm the enemy’s air defense system.
The jet-powered drones undergo a series of tests first before being fully deployed by the Chinese Air Force.
The ultra-high-altitude Jiu Tian can carry up to 6 tons of ammunition and small drones, with the maximum range of UAVs being 7,000 km.
Jiu Tian is the latest addition to China’s rapidly developing arsenal of advanced drone technology, with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) becoming increasingly important on modern battlefields.
According to an article published in the South China Morning Post, the new China “drone mothership” is considered a rival to establish US models such as the RQ-4 Global Hawk and the MQ-9 Reaper.
Jiu Tian was designed by a state-owned China-owned air industry company and built by Xi’an Chida Aircraft Parts Manufacturing.
The manufacturer says the design of Jiu Tian allows drones to perform several different functions, including high security transport, border defense and emergency rescue operations.
The announcement comes following the repeated threat of military accumulation that has been closely watched around the world, particularly annexation into Taiwan, as China seeks to strengthen its military capabilities.
China sees democratically controlled Taiwan as a segregated area that must be forced to be brought under mainland control if necessary.
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Taiwan’s President Rai Qingte said, “Today, 80 years from now, we share the same values and face similar challenges as many democracies that took part in the European war.”
MNA