Turkmenistan is the only country where China has exported modern high-speed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) WJ-600 A / D. This was reported on December 6 by the authors of the blog Oryx , dedicated to military equipment.

developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), is powered by a turbofan engine (a variant of the turbojet used on modern airliners) rather than the turboprop (propeller-driven) found in most other UAVs. This allows the drone to reach speeds of up to 700 km / h, while the speed of simpler vehicles is about 200 km / h. In this regard, however, its operation time is limited to 3-5 hours, while the Chinese CH-3A turboprop drone can stay aloft for up to 12 hours.

The is not equipped with a landing gear and is launched with a rocket booster, but lands with a parachute. The UAV can carry out reconnaissance missions, but due to its high speed and small size, which makes it less visible to radars, it is more intended to carry out combat missions and strike ground targets deep in enemy territory. The device can be equipped with two air-to-ground missiles.

HT's commentary. In Ashgabat, two units were demonstrated during the military parade in honor of the 25th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence in 2016. At the same time, Chinese drones CH-3 and II-250K were shown, as well as other military equipment imported from the PRC. It should be noted that the did not bear the symbols of the Turkmen Air Force. In subsequent years, this UAV did not get into the lenses of television cameras during parades.

Also, the authors of Oryx noted that Turkmenistan replenished the UAV fleet with Turkish Bayraktar TB2 attack vehicles and Israeli SkyStriker kamikaze drones, which were shown at the parade in honor of the 30th anniversary of independence in September 2021. It is believed that these devices played a decisive role in the victory of Azerbaijan in the second Karabakh war.

Bayraktar TB2

Skystriker

Turkmenistan actively purchases reconnaissance and combat drones of various types. In 2015, the country opened the Center for unmanned aerial vehicles, which is under the jurisdiction of the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs. Then it was reported that drones would be used, among other things, to monitor compliance with traffic rules and fire safety.

In February 2021, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was shown the types of aircraft produced at the Center and was told about plans to build additional hangars for UAVs.

The state news agency did not publish information on the successful use of drones in any area. In the interval between the opening of the UAV Center in 2015 and the visit by the head of state in February 2021, the work of the Center was not reported. A week before the visit of the head of state, Serdar Berdimuhamedov was appointed deputy prime minister in charge of introducing innovative technologies into the system of public administration and social structure.

Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan