Chinese firm claims new stealth drone may rival US Air Force’s B-21 Raider

Zhongtian Feilong has made a prototype it says could be used for precision strikes and as part of a swarm for surveillance

Developer says it is close to the American aircraft on speed, attack range, payload and stealth but cheaper to make and could last longer

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Artist illustration of the B-21 Raider stealth aircraft, which is being developed for the US Air Force. A Chinese company says its new drone could rival the B-21. Photo: Northrop Grumman

Published: 5:00am, 22 Apr 2021Updated: 5:49am, 22 Apr 2021

A Chinese drone maker says it has manufactured a prototype unmanned stealth aircraft that it claims could rival the B-21 Raider being developed for the US Air Force.

Zhongtian Feilong Intelligent Technology, based in Xian, said in a statement on its WeChat social media account on Tuesday that the Feilong-2 – or Flying Dragon-2 – prototype had recently been completed.

It said the multirole high-subsonic unmanned aerial vehicle could be used for precision strikes on key assets such as enemy command centres, military airstrips and aircraft carriers.

The Feilong-2 could also be used with a swarm of drones to carry out reconnaissance and surveillance, a saturation attack or damage assessment, the statement said.

It is designed to identify targets using optical and active radars in difficult weather conditions, and stealth features include a special coating to reduce reflection.

The prototype of the Feilong-2, which its developer says could be used for precision strikes on key assets such as enemy command centres, military airstrips and aircraft carriers. Photo: Handout

The drone has an internal payload capacity of 6 tonnes and an operating range of 7,000km (4,350 miles) and it can be flown at an altitude of 49,000 feet. The aircraft can fly at up to 780km/h.