The “Cloud Shadow” high altitude high speed UAV with the integration of reconnaissance and attacks, is developed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. of China Aviation Industry Corporation. This unmanned vehicle is made for the international market, designed with the first multi-functional foreign trade unmanned aircraft system. It is also the first foreign trade product of the "shadow" series of unmanned vehicles in the aviation industry, which is mainly used for high altitude and long-distance reconnaissance and precision attack.
As a high-end unmanned aircraft, definitely, it shall have more functions than the most of existing models. For this demand, Chengdu Aircraft require that “Cloud Shadow” shall be able to be used in the medium-intensity battlefield environment, possessing of “attack beyond defense area” capability at a certain degree, capable of clearer situational awareness to replace some types of reconnaissance, and share part of missions with the second and third generations fighters. At present, for ground strikes many countries still rely on old-fashioned bombers, attacker and even trainers, the ground attack effectiveness of "cloud shadow” shall far exceed these old aircrafts.
Now, the "Cloud Shadow" UAV has been carried out tests many times, including normal flight testing and dragsaw flight testing in various environments and complex meteorological conditions.
With the combination of reconnaissance and attacks that reach to international advanced level, "Cloud Shadow" UAV is the achievement of the most advanced technology in the unmanned aerial vehicle field, occupying the leading position in this field. Its flight altitude, speed and attack, distance of reconnaissance and other performance far exceed most of the world's same kinds of products. And its performance on the medium-intensity military tasks with high speed and efficiency.
"Cloud Shadow" UAV is capable of flight with a maximum speed of 620 km / h at altitude of 14,000 meters, which makes “Cloud Shadow” is more secure and more rapid to reach the battlefield. It will be helpful to grasping the advantages during battle.
“Cloud Shadow” UAV has the features of strong power and excellent stealth. It is the first unmanned aerial vehicle with turbojet engine in China, equipped with the advanced WP-11C turbojet engine. This engine supplies 1 ton thrust, with the superiorities of high jet speed, small in the windward area and overall resistance, low fuel consumption rate at the high altitude, and is able to provide great power to help UAV fly higher, faster and further.
"Cloud Shadow" UAV is designed with a large number of advanced scientific research results, owning the world's advanced avionics flight control system with high level of intelligence. It realized the unified cross-linking on the flight platform, fire control system and airborne reconnaissance system, which can discover targets independently, making attack decision autonomously, planning route and controlling firepower to attack automatically, without the requirement of pilots' remote control on the ground. All these make it unique in domestic market.
"Cloud Shadow" UVA adopts design of dual positioning for the functions of reconnaissance and its integration with attack. There are 3 different models, with name separately, "Cloud Shadow 1" image reconnaissance type, "Cloud Shadow 2" electronic reconnaissance type and "Cloud Shadow 3" integration of reconnaissance and attack type. The completed system of “Cloud Shadow” is usually configured in “one ground station, three UVAs”, this ground station will control three UAVs at the same time to combat. Multiple UAVs can cooperate with each other effectively and exert great battle effectiveness, while it is simpler in logistical maintenance.
The overall appearance of “Cloud Shadow” is similar to “Global Hawk” of the United States. Therefore, in the view of many people, “Cloud Shadow” is likened to the Chinese version of “Global Hawk”. In fact, the positioning of the "Cloud Shadow" UAV is between the US "Global Hawk" and "Death" UAVs. The comprehensive performance on stealth and speed of "Cloud Shadow" is better than the US MQ-1 "Predator “and MQ-9 "Death", but its stealth performance is inferior to the "Global Hawk". However, unlike the "Global Hawk", a purely reconnaissance, different models of "Cloud Shadow" can cooperate through the data links, which creates its stronger survivability in battlefield.
The research and development of the “Cloud Shadow” UAV, was adopted the model of military-civilian integration. Chengdu Aircraft have cooperated extensively with private enterprises in the aspects of fuselage manufacture, airborne products, and UAV systems, and have incorporated a plenty of advanced military and civilian technologies. This method is not merely effective in developing China's UAVs, but also inevitable for subsequent development. Considering the research and development of the "Cloud Shadow" UAV, with the adoption of this way, this aircraft possessed maturity technology and high performance-price ratio, which has great international market prospects. At present, there is no such products in the international market. Therefore, the “Cloud Shadow” UAV shall enhance competitiveness with its advanced technology. It is foreseeable that this UAV will be the representative of high quality and open up the international market rapidly, thus consolidating China's leading position in the global Unmanned Aerial Vehicle market.
