The Chinese Air Force base will soon receive a unique Phenom-95 drone. Despite the name Peace, the drone has sparked fear in the minds of NATO generals — the most advanced electronic warfare (EW) drone to date. The use of drones to jam enemy signals is a new trend in warfare.
Its use on the battlefield can turn the tide of any war. From Serbia to Saudi Arabia, many countries have shown interest in Chinese drones.
The Phenom 95 drone made its first test flight in 2017, and last year China signed its first export contract.
Among other things, Serbia has shown interest in drones. More and more Chinese weapons are taking on combat missions in the Balkans: for example, Serbia recently took over the FK-3 air defense system of China's Jiangnan aerospace industry.
According to the official newspaper Global Times, the Phenom-95 drone was tested at a military base in northwestern China, and experts were excited about the new drone's capabilities in the field of electronic warfare.
The drone was developed by Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Co., Ltd. (ATFTC), which is part of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
The take-off weight of the Phenom-95 drone is 1 ton and can carry a payload of more than 250 kg. The air endurance is more than 24 hours, which allows operators to set up complex combat missions.
Like other drones, the Phenom-95 is capable of performing traditional missions such as armed reconnaissance, border patrols and water surveillance. However, the Phenom 95 can work in so-called drone "swarms": when other drones perform other tasks, "the Phenom-95 drones will support them with electronic warfare."
Electronic warfare is an integral part of modern warfare, and today's popular drones are primarily designed for reconnaissance and attack. But drones capable of electronic warfare are a new word in military affairs. This kind of drone is indispensable in combat. First, they are capable of remote detection outside the defensive zone. Second, they can coordinate tactical maneuvers and ground attacks with manned aircraft.
China also has a Feihong-97 drone, which is a high-speed stealth drone. The Phenom-95 UAV is mainly to provide cover for the Phenom-97 UAV. The Phenom 97 is designed to penetrate deep into the rear of the enemy and destroy the defensive line.
Well, the Phenom 95 must produce electromagnetic interference so that its "partner" is not detected by the enemy's air defense system. In addition, the Phenom-95 drone is capable of conducting deep reconnaissance – collecting and instantly analyzing sensor data from enemy ground stations.
The Phenom-95 drone itself can perform combat missions. It can carry guided munitions with GPS or laser guidance.
China is one of the world leaders in the development of drones, producing more than 3 million drones every year. Drones from China are very popular all over the world. Saudi Arabia, in particular, has bought them in large quantities. Saudi Arabia has spent more than $126 billion on foreign weapons, buying American Patriots and Apache, Chinook, Black Hawk and light attack helicopters.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia did not buy a single American drone. Instead, the Chinese Pterodactyl-2 drone was purchased, carrying a payload of up to 480 kilograms on 12 hanging points.
China's mission is to try to capture a large portion of the world drone market. The export of Chinese drones is a growing problem for the U.S. Air Force. Chinese drones are so cheap and operating costs so low that even The poorest countries in Africa will make a clear choice to buy Chinese drones.
In addition, since 2020, the Americans have adopted a new military export strategy that limits the supply of drones to their closest allies. The opportunity was quickly seized by China, which only recently completed an agreement to supply Algeria with the Rainbow-5 drone (the largest strike drone). In the future, Saudi Arabia and other countries will definitely be interested in the Phenom-95 drone.
Nearly 70,000 small businesses now produce drones, components and software in China. In addition to the military, more than 80% of the world's commercial drones are also produced by Chinese companies. Shenzhen DJI alone accounts for 70% of the global consumer drone market.
By 2020, China's drone industry is worth $67 billion, making China the largest drone industry on the planet. The annual growth rate is measured in double digits.