China's J-20 Mighty Dragon fighter jet receives a new wingman, the FH-97A.
Chinese J-20 stealth fighters perform at the Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong province on November 6, 2018.
This new combat drone will assist the aircraft in its defense operations.
The Chinese government introduced its new cutting-edge combat drone at the biennial Zhuhai air show last November 2022.
Pairing the new FH-97A with the J-20 Mighty Dragon will improve the performance of the fighter jet in combat activities.
China J-20 Mighty Dragon's New Wingman Arrives!
According to the South China Morning Post, the new Chinese combat drone will free the J-20 fighter jet from frontline tasks.
A J-20 jet performs at Zhuhai Air Show in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong province on November 1, 2016. Two of China's secretive J-20 warplanes swept over a gasping crowd at the Zhuhai air show on Novembert 1, potent symbols of Beijing's aspirations to military might. / AFP / STR / CHINA OUT
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This will allow the aircraft to specialize in functions, such as data distribution, communication interruption, as well as command and control.
Interesting Engineering reported that the combat drone can keep up with the speed of the J-20 Mighty Dragon.
Aside from this, the FH-97A can also carry eight intelligent air-to-air missiles (loitering munitions).
This is expected to solve the ammo capacity deficiency of the Chinese fighter jet.
Overall, the new drone can improve the combat performance of the J-20 Mighty Dragon and increase the pilot's chance of survival.
FH-97A Combat Drone's Other Details
The Chinese combat drone debuted in 2022 in southern China.
It was developed by Feighong Company; a China Aerospace and Technology Corporation division.
When the combat drone was unveiled, many experts compared the FH-97A to the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie; the jet-powered drone which flies with the F-35 and F-22 fighter jets of the United States.
"The Valkyrie is a subsonic drone, while the FH-97A is a super-speed variant," said Zhou Chenming, a Beijing-based military analyst.
As of writing, China is planning to work on more wingman drones for its advanced fighter jets.
If you want to learn more details about the new Chinese combat drone FH-97A, you can click this link.
China is not the only country improving its military defenses.
Recently, the U.S. Air Force's new MUTANT missile, which can bend its nose, was introduced.
Meanwhile, a new fighter jet development deal was previously discussed by Italy, Japan, and U.K. ministers.
For more news updates about combat drones and other defense innovations, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
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