By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
The People’s Liberation Army – Air Force has for the first time revealed a previously unseen GJ-2 armed reconnaissance drone which appears to resemble the well-known US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper, something which therefore raises key questions about the functionality and sophistication of Chinese attack drones.
The new GJ-2 armed reconnaissance drone flew above waters close to the Taiwan-administered Dongsha Islands in the South China Sea to the southwest of Taiwan island, according to a map showing flight paths of the PLA aircraft cited in a Chinese government-backed Global Times newspaper.
It not particularly surprising that the Chinese paper would itself mention that the CJ-2 resembles the US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper, as the PLA’s apparent or visible efforts to “copycat” US platforms is well recognized by US observes and similarities are often cited by Chinese-backed newspapers as well.
The Chinese paper explains that the new GJ-2, which was among of PLA aircraft transiting parts of the South China Sea and Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone, is a new variant of its existing armed Wing Loong-2.
“Comparable with the US’ MQ-9 Reaper armed reconnaissance drone, the GJ-2 is a customized version of the Wing Loong-2 armed reconnaissance drone of the PLA, and is capable of carrying missiles and flying for extended periods,”
The Chinese paper suggested that the GJ-2 drone might pose a particular threat to Taiwan given its endurance
“this type of aircraft could take advantage of its long endurance to conduct round-the-clock, all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance over the island of Taiwan, a move that will create heavy burdens for the armed forces on the island, which would need to intercept the drone with costlier aircraft.
The emerging CJ-2 variant may contain some of the reported innovations built into the Wing Loong-2 such as the use of composite materials designed to lighten the weight and therefore improve endurance. The Wing Loon-2 itself is an upgrade of the PLA’s earlier variant called the Wing Loong-1.
CJ-2 vs. Reaper
As a key point of comparison, it seems it would be relevant to determine the kind of weaponry the CJ-2 is capable of firing, to assess whether the Chinese drone is able to rival the US Air Force’s upgraded Reaper. In recent years, the US Air Force has massively expanded the weapons arsenal for the Reaper to enable a wider range of attack options beyond the well-known Hellfire missile. Air Force engineers built in a universal weapons interface to better enable the drone to accommodate and fire a full envelope of existing weapons as well as new ones as they emerge. The Reaper now fires the AIM-9X in addition to the AGM-114 Hellfire missile, a 500-pound laser-guided weapon called the GBU-12 Paveway II, and GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions or JDAMs. What kinds of weapons might the PLA CJ-2 be capable of firing? Does it enable targeting and data processing at the point of collection, meaning can it greatly shorten the sensor-to-shooter timeline.
Target Pod Hardening
In recent years, the Air Force has also given the Reaper new fuel tanks, weapons, sensing technology and now, “target pod hardening” to enable the armed platform to add value to an air war effort against an extremely sophisticated adversary with advanced technologies.
The new “hardending pod” can, along with other technical adaptations, enable the Air Force with the ability to improve survivability for the Reaper, a larger, less stealthy platform. The conceptual effort intended to make the Reaper survivably in a great power war also involves tactical adaptations, according to former Air Force Europe Commander Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian who told The Mitchell Institute that Reaper flight paths can become more varied and less “predictable” to an enemy, as a way to diminish the possibility of being shot down.
Reaper drone with new technologies to “counter” enemy countermeasures by enabling its sensors, electronics and weapons to sustain functionality even in the event that an enemy attempts to hack, “jam” or disrupt its systems.
The “hardened targeting pod,” a technology with what an Air Force report calls an “electro-optical counter-countermeasure.” While many of the technical parameters central to the technology were not mentioned in Air Force reports, likely for security reasons, it was identified as a system that gives the MQ-9 Reaper an ability to find and detect threats in order to thwart jamming attempts or enemy EW attacks.
The Reaper upgrades are multifaceted, according to an Air Force report, which says the primary aim is to transition the drone into multi-domain operations.
The modifications include the integration of new infrared sensing technology and information assurance systems which may involve various kinds of hardening or data protection systems. Such an upgrade might further preclude the Reaper’s sensor feeds from being disrupted, jammed or hacked by an adversary or hostile force looking to derail drone missions.
The technical specifics of how Reaper data networks are being hardened were not made available in the Air Force report, likely for security reasons, yet an ability to avoid being jammed could introduce a breakthrough level of functionality and mission reliability for the drone as it transitions from years of counterinsurgency into preparations for major great power warfare in environment where adversaries are armed with advanced air defenses and air platforms in position to challenge a Reaper.
These threat circumstances may be one key reason why the Air Force has now armed the Reaper for the first time with an AIM-9X high-tech air-to-air strike missile. The AIM-9X, which also fires from the F-35, uses advanced guidance technology to adjust to and destroy enemy target.
Reaper Defense Electronic Support System
The Reaper technology, identified as the Reaper Defense Electronic Support System (RDESS), is described as having successfully tested an anti-jam, anti-spoofing application which can utilize new aircraft antennas to make essential assessments. The Air Force report also said the new RDESS supports DoD’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, something which could suggest the new target hardening pod draws upon AI-enabled computer technology. It would not be at all surprising if AI-enable algorithms were used to help discern, organize and even deconflict parts of the spectrum to ascertain where the threats are and, if needed, recommend adjustments to protect against jamming.
One of the ways the Air Force is countering enemy countermeasures is by engineering RF technologies capable of frequency hopping for weapons guidance systems. For example, should an enemy EW attack seek to jam the RF or infrared targeting guidance on an air-to-air weapon, targeting adaptations can switch or “hop” from one frequency to another to ensure continued guidance functionality. The Reaper has even been armed with AIM-9X air-to-air weapons, a development which allows for a greater range of air warfare engagement possibilities.
This kind of anti-jamming technology, which was demonstrated at the Air Force’s recent Northern Edge wargame in Alaska, could be extremely significant to a platform such as the Reaper, which the Air Force continues to transition into a great power warfare environment.
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization and the
Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
