Chinese state broadcaster reveals details of new airborne weapon Tianlei 500 as tensions simmer with Taiwan
- Precision-guided munitions dispenser and air-to-surface missile featured on defence programme
- Analyst calls it ‘one of the most important advanced weapons for the Chinese military right now’
Chinese state media has revealed details of the PLA’s new airborne munitions dispenser and how it can be used to attack targets, amid worsening tensions between Beijing and Taipei.
Footage and new details of the Tianlei 500 – a 500kg precision-guided munitions dispenser and air-to-surface missile – featured in a defence programme on state broadcaster CCTV-7 on Friday.
The dispenser has wings and a square cross-section to hold submunitions, which can also reduce its radar cross-section to boost its stealth capability and make it harder to intercept, according to the report.
Its wings can provide extra lift and give the weapon a range of more than 60km (37 miles), meaning it can be dropped at a safe distance from the enemy.
The Tianlei 500, which translates as Sky Thunder, was designed and made by China North Industries Group, or Norinco. It can carry six types of submunitions to attack different targets, a senior engineer who works on precision-guided weapons for Norinco told CCTV-7.
“It can carry up to 240 submunitions. And when dispersed, they can spread to over 6,000 square metres,” said the engineer, who was not identified in the report.