New largest Chinese-made HALE combat drone WZ-7 Soar Dragon enters into service
The WZ-7 will be used by the Chinese armed forces to conduct reconnaissance missions but according to Chinese military sources, it could be equipped with sensors suitable for designating naval vessels for targeting by anti-ship ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. The drone can provide data for ballistic missile launcher units such as the DF-21D. In addition, it is equipped with advanced battlefield communication and electronic jamming equipment, which can be used as a high-altitude communication transfer class, and it can also fly to the opponent’s fleet to turn on electronic jamming equipment.
The WZ-7 is powered by a Guizhou WP-13 turbojet engine mounted at the rear of the drone while the air intake for the engine is mounted on the upper part of the fuselage. The drone will be able to reach a cruise speed of 750 km/h with a maximum range of 7,000 km. It has a length of 14.33 m, a wingspan of 24.86 m, and a height of 5.41m. The WZ-7 has a flight of endurance of 10 hours and a payload capacity of 650 kg.