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| the illustration of a flying submarine that China will develop |
International Military - China does not seem to run out of ideas to always develop its defense system. It is known, Chinese researchers are working on the concept of a flying submarine that can sail underwater and fly in the air. The research team came from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in East China.
Quoted from the Eurasian Times, they claim to have built and tested a prototype submarine drone capable of flying in the air at high speed. According to the researchers, the unmanned vessel can meet a variety of civilian and military needs. It's like an underwater mine inspection.
This unmanned ship is driven by four propellers. Then, 2 large wings will fold on its back as it glides underwater. This offers a streamlined submarine shape to reduce drag and provide greater mobility. Its wings will expand when the drone reaches the surface of the water, allowing it to fly at a speed of 120 km/h. This is twice the speed of a typical propeller-driven drone.
In addition, China is developing many flying submarines referred to as 'Transmedia Ships', reports SCMP. China views this Transmedia Ship as one of the cheapest and most effective ways.
Moreover, if it is aimed at destroying the defense systems of the carrier fleet, according to Ji Wanfeng, a professor at the Naval Aviation University in Yantai, Shandong province.
Modern warships can indeed shoot down about half of incoming threats like traditional planes, missiles or drones.
However, Ji and his colleagues estimated that the Transmedia Ship could break through this layer of defense. This is because Transmedia ships can dive underwater when detected by radar and reappear to avoid the ship's sonar system.
Quoted from Independent Engineering, according to the Ji team's report published in the journal China Electronics Optics & Control last month, a transmedia ship can fly at speeds of more than 93 mph (150 kph). Then, it will have a near 100% survival rate when launched from a distance of 62 miles (100 km).
This type of drone can achieve an efficient attack against the main target of the enemy. According to Ji, this will be a strong supplement to the Chinese Navy's existing combat methods and equipment tactics.
Previously, it was known that there had already been a breakthrough of this type in the world. Where the first flying submarine was built by American defense contractor Donald Reid in the 1960s. However, due to insufficient power, the ship could only float for a short time.