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The Wind Shadow (Chinese: 风影; pinyin: Fēng yǐng)[1] and Cloud Shadow (Chinese: 云影; pinyin: Yún yǐng), also known as Wing Loong-10 (Chinese: 翼龙-10; pinyin: Yìlóng-10), is a series of unmanned aerial vehicles of the High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) type, featuring some stealth characteristics. As of 2017^[update] it is being developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group for reconnaissance and precision strike missions. [2]

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Cloud Shadow / Wind Shadow
AVIC Cloud Shadow UAV on Dubai Air Show 2017
Role	HALE unmanned aerial vehicle Type of aircraft
National origin	People's Republic of China
Manufacturer	Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group
Designer	Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group
First flight	2014
Introduction	2016
Status	In service
Primary user	People's Liberation Army Air Force

History

In 2007, Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group showcased Sky Wing III (Chinese: 天翼III; pinyin: Tiānyì-3) high-speed, high-altitude, tactical unmanned aerial vehicle on the 47th Paris International Aerospace Exhibition. The drone is externally similar to General Atomics Avenger, which was under development at the time.[3] According to the manufacturer, The drone has a 15 km celling and 750 km/h speed, and the endurance is 6 hours.[4] In 2014, the Sky Wing III was renamed to Wind Shadow with a twin-engine, longer endurance design featuring stealth characteristic.[3][5]

An export-orientated version called Cloud Shadow[1] was unveiled at Zhuhai Air Show in 2016.[6] The primary difference between Wind Shadow and Cloud Shadow is the engine. Wind Shadow features twin-engine, stealth nozzle, and is turbofan powered. However, Cloud Shadow features a single turbojet engine without any stealth concealment for the nozzle.[5]

In 2018, China Meteorological Administration launched Haiyan Project, a meteorological observation experiment. Wind Shadow is used by the China Meteorological Administration to monitor typhoon movement. Military observers noted that Wind Shadow is also called Wing Loong-10, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) product line manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, though Wing Loong series previously only had turboprop UAVs.[5]

Design

According to GlobalSecurity.org, the Wind Shadow variant with two engines is designed for PLA domestic service while the single-engined Cloud Shadow is export oriented.[7]

Wind Shadow

The Wind Shadow, designed and constructed by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation for service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force, debuted at the 2014 Zhuhai Air Show. The UAV's wings, fuselage and tail sections are built using composite materials. The bulbous nose assembly is well-streamlined and tapers to the rear to which an air scoop is set over the dorsal line. The scoop is straddled by outward-canted vertical fins. The radar cross section is designed to be reduced.

The UAV is offered in two variants, combat and ISR variant, stands for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The combat version comes with a range of weaponry to attack ground-based targets, on the other hand the ISR variant is provided with payloads to assist armed forces in missions such as reconnaissance, battlefield assessment, observation, and monitoring.

Each Wind Shadow unmanned aircraft system includes three unmanned aerial vehicles, linked with one ground control station, and strike payloads. Cloud shadow UAV ground station by configuration can control three unmanned aerial vehicles to engage simultaneously, the usage of drones can be flexibly configured according to user needs. On manual mode of operation, the operator sends mission commands to the aircraft via the data link. On auto mode the drone will autonomously use the onboard autopilot system.

The UAV wing has six pilons. With a take-off weight of 3,200kg and a payload capacity of 400 kg, the drone can be equipped with 50 kg CS/BBM3 (YL-12) GPS guided bomb, Blue Arrow air-to-surface missile, 100 kg GB-4 precision-guided bomb, and light cruise missiles.[2][8]

Cloud shadow drone is powered by a single WP-11C turbojet engine,[6] or a single 1-ton class ZF850 engine,[9][10] or optionally two AFE-50E turbofan engines.[11]

Wind shadow features two WS-500 turbofan engines, and the engine nozzles are concealed inside the vehicle body with stealth features. In addition, a deceleration parachute is mounted in between the engine nozzles.[6]

Variants

Sky Wing III (Chinese: 天翼III; pinyin: Tiānyì-3)

An early prototype of Wing Loong-10. High-speed, high-altitude, tactical unmanned aerial vehicle. Unveiled on the 47th Paris International Aerospace Exhibition in 2007.[3]

Wind Shadow (Chinese: 风影; pinyin: Fēng yǐng)

A Chinese domestic military version prototype designation for Wing Loong-10. Featured stealth design, twin-engine, turbofan powered, high-speed, high-altitude, long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle. Unveiled in 2014.[5]

Cloud Shadow (Chinese: 云影; pinyin: Yún yǐng)

An export version prototype designation for Wing Loong-10. Stealth featured, single-engine (optional twin-engine), turbojet powered, high-speed, high-altitude, medium endurance unmanned aerial vehicle. Unveiled in 2016.[6]

Wing Loong-10

Mass produced version for both export and domestic use, first debuted on August 2, 2020 for a typhoon detection test flight, while the formal designation for Chinese military forces is still unknown.[12][13][14][15][16]

Operators

 People's Republic of China

• People's Liberation Army Air Force: 12 units[17]
• China Meteorological Administration

Specifications (Cloud Shadow)

Data from Military Factory[18]

General characteristics

• Crew: None
• Length: 9 m (29 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 20 m (65 ft 7 in)
• Height: 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in)
• Empty weight: 2,300 kg (5,071 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 3,200 kg (7,055 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × WP-11C or ZF850[9] turbojet, 9.8 kN (2,200 lbf) thrust
• Powerplant: 2 × AEF-50E[11] turbofan, 4.90 kN (1,102 lbf) thrust each

Performance

• Cruise speed: 620 km/h (390 mph, 330 kn)
• Endurance: 20 hours[9][10]
• Service ceiling: 15,000 m (49,000 ft)

Armament

• Missiles: Blue Arrow air-to-surface missile, light cruise missiles
• Bombs: CS/BBM3 (YL-12) GPS guided bomb, GB-4 precision-guided bomb[2][8]

See also

• CAIG Wing Loong
• CAIG Wing Loong II
• CAIG Wing Loong-10
• CASC Rainbow
• Harbin BZK-005
• Tengden TB-001
• CASIC WJ

Related development

• Chengdu Sky Wing III

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• BAE Systems Mantis
• Guizhou Soar Dragon
• General Atomics Avenger

Related lists

• List of Chinese aircraft
• List of unmanned aerial vehicles of the People's Republic of China

References

На других языках

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- [en] CAIG Wing Loong-10

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[ru] AVIC Cloud Shadow

Cloud Shadow (кит. 云影) — китайский разведывательно-ударный БПЛА, разработанный Aviation Industry Corporation of China и впервые показанный на Чжухайском авиасалоне в ноябре 2016 году[1][2].

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