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Posted: 6/2/2022 8:45:04 PM EST
Images have emerged online that appear to show multiple examples of at least two different types of commercial or commercial-derivative drones with vertical takeoff and landing capability on the deck of the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong. The exact circumstances behind these pictures are not immediately clear. They do underscore the Chinese People's Liberation Army's ever-increasing efforts to develop and field various types of unmanned aircraft, including those that can operate together in networked swarms, and often with an eye toward performing various roles in the maritime domain.

The images were posted recently on the Chinese microblogging website Weibo, but it's unclear when they were taken. At least one, which actually shows a drone in flight, has a CCTV-7 watermark, indicating that it is a frame from a segment that aired on that television network. China Central Television's (CCTV) channel seven is devoted to People's Liberation Army (PLA) related programming.



https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/chinese-aircraft-carrier-seen-with-fleet-of-drones-onboard
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 8:50:13 PM EST
[#1]
Interesting.  A swarm of those could pose a real test to a ship's defenses.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 8:50:54 PM EST
[#2]
LoL……


Link Posted: 6/2/2022 8:51:27 PM EST
[#3]
They fuel um up, only to have to refuel an hour later
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 8:51:50 PM EST
[#4]
Ace Combat prepared me for this
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 8:52:50 PM EST
[#5]
Probably killed off too many pilots trying to learn carrier skills.

At first I thought target drones. But after seeing how many, I don’t think it’s that. Drone swarms are going to be a future threat if not already.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 8:53:01 PM EST
[#6]
Add a few more Seawiz to the decks.  I’ve seen them in action and they move like a Hollywood movie.  Stupid fast and shoots stupid fast.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 8:54:09 PM EST
[#7]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History

Are we pretending China doesn't have a copy of SOSUS now?
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 8:55:16 PM EST
[#8]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History

Pretty much 1/2 our Pacific win but China is focusing on ASW not sure of 2022 progress. Think 2017 was my last read up or 2018? Congress will have a report coming that I’ll review when I get some time.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 8:57:17 PM EST
[#9]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

Are we pretending China doesn't have a copy of SOSUS now?
View Quote

As of 2017ish? Their engines not so quiet but quiet engines and arctic patrols was on their wish list in 2017 so 2022? They will have more subs than us by 2027.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 8:58:15 PM EST
[#10]
We must fly reapers off carriers? No?
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:00:23 PM EST
[#11]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

As of 2017ish? Their engines not so quiet but quiet engines and arctic patrols was on their wish list in 2017 so 2022? They will have more subs than us by 2027.
View Quote

China has enough domestic sensor suite production I'm not sure I trust them to not have some classified capabilities while I also assume they have copies of everything Walker gave the Soviets. Not to mention all of their domestic spying.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:02:25 PM EST
[#12]
Why would you want a carrier to launch drones? VTOL drones at that?

Why not something a hell of a lot smaller, cheaper, and simpler?
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:03:48 PM EST
[#13]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

China has enough domestic sensor suite production I'm not sure I trust them to not have some classified capabilities while I also assume they have copies of everything Walker gave the Soviets. Not to mention all of their domestic spying.
View Quote

Hopefully they don’t succeed in trying to duplicate our NCO ranks. I don’t think their mainland culture can but they sure love stealing, copying and bribing and buying up whatever they can.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:05:43 PM EST
[#14]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

As of 2017ish? Their engines not so quiet but quiet engines and arctic patrols was on their wish list in 2017 so 2022? They will have more subs than us by 2027.
View Quote


I posted some data about the Chinese navy in other threads but half the posters here think they float around in junks still.  They are very close to doubling our fleet, should be there in a year or two.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:06:07 PM EST
[#15]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

Hopefully they don’t succeed in trying to duplicate our NCO ranks. I don’t think their mainland culture can but they sure love stealing, copying and bribing and buying up whatever they can.
View Quote

I'm not sure NCOs matter much in modern naval combat with most ships being a one hit KO. The concept of fighting a ship while damage parties keep the guns out of the water is mostly an obsolete idea with the current paper-thin ships.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:07:42 PM EST
[#16]
Those don’t look like VTOL drones to me
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:10:37 PM EST
[#17]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Ace Combat prepared me for this
View Quote


Exactly
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:13:02 PM EST
[#18]
That's actually a very smart idea for them. They understand that they do not have the capability to launch manned aircraft  off of their aircraft carriers.

We would be wise to employ similar technology

Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:13:52 PM EST
[#19]
Don’t need a carrier for drones.  Could fly those off a container ship.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:17:05 PM EST
[#20]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Interesting.  A swarm of those could pose a real test to a ship's defenses.
View Quote


I thought that's what the Phalanx is for.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:17:16 PM EST
[#21]
7 drones is a fleet?
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:18:55 PM EST
[#22]
@CarmelBytheSea

Did you see the news today about China's Foreign Minister visiting several Pacific Island regions?  China is offering support, money and free handouts to entice various pacific island nations to come over to the dark side.

While the Western world is more interested in going woke, China is out winning the war without firing a shot.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:24:25 PM EST
[#23]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Are we pretending China doesn't have a copy of SOSUS now?
View Quote

Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:24:39 PM EST
[#24]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
@CarmelBytheSea

Did you see the news today about China's Foreign Minister visiting several Pacific Island regions?  China is offering support, money and free handouts to entice various pacific island nations to come over to the dark side.

While the Western world is more interested in going woke, China is out winning the war without firing a shot.
View Quote

Saw article. Some Pacific island nations are telling China to fuck off but yeah China has racked up a few more than before. Australia and the US seem punch drunk in what to do and think threats are good enough to solve the issue.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:25:52 PM EST
[#25]
SM-3 be like lol.

Show me hypersonic and it gets interesting.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:30:05 PM EST
[#26]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Why would you want a carrier to launch drones? VTOL drones at that?

Why not something a hell of a lot smaller, cheaper, and simpler?
View Quote

They could launch a shit load of them off of a carrier.  A couple hundred drones could fuck some shit up at minimal cost.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:33:48 PM EST
[#27]



It's not going to help that the idiots in the Philippines just elected another Marcos (the son of Ferdinand and Imelda) as president (and Duterte's daughter as VP)- who's talked about wanted to develop closer ties to China.  I miss living in the PI, but God I don't understand how they can be so stupid at times.  
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:34:32 PM EST
[#28]
Fake
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:36:04 PM EST
[#29]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
They fuel um up, only to have to refuel an hour later
View Quote
Attachment Attached File
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:36:48 PM EST
[#30]
Crazy thought: would it be possible to run a carrier dry and prevent flight ops using cheap drones and then actually board and capture it?
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:37:44 PM EST
[#31]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

I'm not sure NCOs matter much in modern naval combat with most ships being a one hit KO. The concept of fighting a ship while damage parties keep the guns out of the water is mostly an obsolete idea with the current paper-thin ships.
View Quote

Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:38:59 PM EST
[#32]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

As of 2017ish? Their engines not so quiet but quiet engines and arctic patrols was on their wish list in 2017 so 2022? They will have more subs than us by 2027.
View Quote


No problem, we will have 10x the trannys.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:40:45 PM EST
[#33]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


I posted some data about the Chinese navy in other threads but half the posters here think they float around in junks still.  They are very close to doubling our fleet, should be there in a year or two.
View Quote

The shipping building facilities only slowed due to coronavirus but I read somewhere they cleared up the work crews to get back to work while everyone in Shanghai is locked in their rooms.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:41:55 PM EST
[#34]
??.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:43:12 PM EST
[#35]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
7 drones is a fleet?
View Quote



Very small fleet.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:44:23 PM EST
[#36]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Add a few more Seawiz to the decks.  I’ve seen them in action and they move like a Hollywood movie.  Stupid fast and shoots stupid fast.
View Quote


Proximity fused 5" shells would likely be quite effective against a swarm of drones.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:47:33 PM EST
[#37]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Interesting.  A swarm of those could pose a real test to a ship's defenses.
View Quote


Low slow fliers of that size shouldn't tax a ships defense, even in large numbers.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 9:48:48 PM EST
[#38]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Fake
View Quote


Maybe, but no reason for it to be, they're well known to operate lots of drones.  As someone else said, it's a whole lot cheaper to have a room full of twenty-something year old video gamers flying drones than it is to train pilots and build aircraft capable of carrying them.  Their AI is improving extremely quickly and they've made a lot of quick strides in their carriers as well.  Heck thousands of Americans are operating inexpensive Chinese drones every day (DJI, etc) which the Chinese are supposedly collecting info from.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 10:01:02 PM EST
[#39]
Something else that China is up to that the US exceptionalism mouth breathers ignore.





Attachment Attached File
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 10:09:09 PM EST
[#40]
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 10:15:10 PM EST
[#41]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

Are we pretending China doesn't have a copy of SOSUS now?
View Quote

Is GD going to take every piece of Chicom propaganda at face value luke the russians? Muh hypersonics!

Before we all panic, look at the drones in question. Those arent going to swarm anything.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 10:17:51 PM EST
[#42]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


Low slow fliers of that size shouldn't tax a ships defense, even in large numbers.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Interesting.  A swarm of those could pose a real test to a ship's defenses.


Low slow fliers of that size shouldn't tax a ships defense, even in large numbers.



I'd bet money they're using them to learn tactics and possibly for training drone pilots- you don't start out flying remote control aircraft with a ducted fan or jet, you start with something slow, predicable and forgiving like a Cessna foamie.  

Most of their drones look like copies of our stuff, largely surveillance stuff but they've also got the one that looks like a miniature B2 bomber, there's this thing https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-building-supersonic-drones-spy-navy-aircraft-carriers-83466, they've got some attack helicopters, etc.  They've got students in all of our universities, they've got employees in all of our companies, they're got Chinese magnet schools in our communities, etc.  See also China's Thousand Talents Program.

Just random links from a quick google search- they're put a lot of research into drones
https://www.militarytech.news/2021-01-26-china-production-military-drones-rival-america.html
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/terrifying-290-ft-chinese-robot-mothership-can-launch-swarms-autonomous-drones/
https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/CASI/Display/Article/1604410/china-is-making-1000-uav-drone-swarms-now/
https://www.fanaticalfuturist.com/2021/08/china-is-developing-hypersonic-ucav-swarms-to-overcome-missile-defenses/
https://nerdist.com/article/world-record-breaking-drone-swarm-china/

I think a lot of folks are underestimating them- we got run out of Afghanistan by a bunch of goat herders.  China is near peer and expanding their land holdings further and further and while they have a poor track record in war, they're working to improve- and not worried about misgendering the person next to them or trying to convince their soldiers and sailors that somehow diversity is strength.  I'm not saying we, along with Japan, S. Korea, Taiwan and Singapore (and Australia if they can unfook themselves from the Chinese; I wouldn't trust or count on New Zealand) couldn't beat them, but I fully expect we'll get a bloody nose in the process and we'll lose some ships and people.  

“There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.”
? Lao Tzu
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 10:18:06 PM EST
[#43]
WHOA.  S-E-V-E-N drones on a boat designed to launch aircraft.



Fuck, we're in trouble.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 10:28:01 PM EST
[#44]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
WHOA.  S-E-V-E-N drones on a boat designed to launch aircraft.



Fuck, we're in trouble.
View Quote

They’re all in on AI so I’m kinda wondering if Beijing will fuck up and their AI starts doing dumb shit
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 10:28:45 PM EST
[#45]
When was the last time China was involved in any sort of semi-widespread warfare?
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 10:43:23 PM EST
[#46]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:

I'm not sure NCOs matter much in modern naval combat with most ships being a one hit KO. The concept of fighting a ship while damage parties keep the guns out of the water is mostly an obsolete idea with the current paper-thin ships.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/56/36/f7/5636f7c3737262e336c70cc73e81ac77.gif

It was pretty eye opening to watch Russia lose ships to relatively speaking small attacks. The days of ships beating the shit out of each other with 16" gun hits and soaking up multiple torpedoes and bombs are over.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 10:46:26 PM EST
[#47]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

Are we pretending China doesn't have a copy of SOSUS now?
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

Are we pretending China doesn't have a copy of SOSUS now?


We are.

We hire Chinese nationals directly into Los Alamos.

Without a doubt, what China knows about us that they shouldn't would easily make them equivalent to TS-SCI clearance.

If their aircraft carrier has potable running water on it, they're far the fuck ahead of us there too.

I feel overall like we're fat, happy, lazy and lax compared to how we were in the cold war years.


Link Posted: 6/2/2022 10:58:24 PM EST
[#48]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

They could launch a shit load of them off of a carrier.  A couple hundred drones could fuck some shit up at minimal cost.
View Quote


One would think by the time it was in range to launch a shitload of those vs a cbg they’d be in range of most of that group’s weapons.
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 11:46:12 PM EST
[#49]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
When was the last time China was involved in any sort of semi-widespread warfare?
View Quote

Were in wars all the time yet Saigon 1975 and Kabul 2021. Who cares if the military is badass or woke ass when you have shitty civilian leadership in charge. Ask the WW2 Germans how the Nazi party and Hitler worked out for them. If war kicked off tomorrow, you think Pelosi and Biden are gonna take a back seat?
Link Posted: 6/2/2022 11:53:15 PM EST
[#50]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

Were in wars all the time yet Saigon 1975 and Kabul 2021. Who cares if the military is badass or woke ass when you have shitty civilian leadership in charge. Ask the WW2 Germans how the Nazi party and Hitler worked out for them. If war kicked off tomorrow, you think Pelosi and Biden are gonna take a back seat?
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
When was the last time China was involved in any sort of semi-widespread warfare?

Were in wars all the time yet Saigon 1975 and Kabul 2021. Who cares if the military is badass or woke ass when you have shitty civilian leadership in charge. Ask the WW2 Germans how the Nazi party and Hitler worked out for them. If war kicked off tomorrow, you think Pelosi and Biden are gonna take a back seat?



Based on what current and former military here as well as ones I know in person have said, I have little faith in most of the upper military leadership either.  The powers that be seem to be doing their very best to run off actual warfighters and replace them with diversity and inclusion feel good appointments. I haven't heard anyone I thought had any sense speak positively about Austin or Miley.  
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