UAS Flights Indicate PLA Training to Use Them During Potential Conflict
The flights by TB-001 and BZK-005 indicates China training to use armed drones to deny the Taiwanese military's use of the island's eastern coast.
Beginning in April, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) completed three circumnavigation flights using two types of armed Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) – TB-001 Twin Tail Scorpion 双尾蝎 and the BZK-005 BZK-005 Long Eagle/Sea Eagle长鹰/海鹰. The flights represent a new tactic the PLA will likely use in a potential conflict to deny or degrade the Taiwanese military the ability to use Taiwan’s eastern coast as a refuge for its air force and other military equipment.
Taiwan’s Eastern Coast
The Taiwanese military long considered the eastern side of Taiwan as a haven for its military forces in the event of a conflict with China because of the island’s geography. The Chungyang Mountain Range 中央山脈 is the only mountain range found on Taiwan and extends from the island’s northern tip to its southern coast.
The Taiwanese military long considered the eastern side of Taiwan as a haven for its military forces in the event of a conflict with China because of the island’s geography. The Chungyang Mountain Range 中央山脈 is the only mountain range found on Taiwan and extends from the island’s northern tip to its southern coast. The range’s length is approximately 170 miles (273 km) long and is approximately 50 miles (80 km) in width. The mountain’s average height is about 9,850 ft (3,002 m), with the Yushan mountain 玉山 the tallest at 12,967 ft (3,952 m). The mountain range divides the island into a western and eastern half, causing difficulties in traveling between the two coasts. For example, cross island travel is extremely difficult because of the rugged terrain and the thick evergreen forests that severely limit the number of railways and roads that go through the range.
Cross island travel is extremely difficult because of the rugged terrain and the thick evergreen forests that severely limit the number of railways and roads that go through the range.
The only railway that extends into the mountains is the Alishan Forest Railway line – a 53 mile (86 km) long narrow-gauge rail line built by the Japanese – that goes to the town of Chiayi to the village of Zhushan. The range also contains several small roadways, with the longest and most modern is the Alishan Highway, at 67 miles (108 km) long. The highway connects the city of Chiayi to the Alishan National Scenic Area and the Yushan mountain. However, there are railways and highways that enable travel to the eastern coast of Taiwan, but these are located along the tips of either island. The quickest and most reliable way to travel between Taiwan’s coasts is flying via aircraft. However, both commercial and private aircraft do not travel through the mountain range but around it because of safety considerations such as turbulence and the difficulty in maneuvering around mountains.
The Chungyang Mountain Range presents a difficult obstacle for PLAAF and People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) aircraft to maneuver through for two reasons. The first reason is the immense difficulty the aircraft would have when flying over the mountains if they were flying from either the mainland or aircraft carriers. The difficulties range from carrying sufficient fuel to travel over the mountains, conducting their assigned missions and returning to base to the potential for the aircraft to face turbulence when flying over the mountains. Another reason is how Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) or Republic of China Navy (ROCN) aircraft will actively oppose any PLAAF or PLAN aircraft that trave through the mountain range. The mountain range also allows the Republic of China Army (ROCA) to set up ambush sites to shoot down the aircraft using various Air Defense Artillery, mobile Surface-to-Air Missile systems, and Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADs). The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could use Special Forces to destroy these sites but would be extremely hard to locate due to the terrain and priority on intelligence support to other operations.
Drones
TB-001
The Sichuan Tengoen Technology (Tengden) developed TB-001 Twin Tail Scorpion 双尾蝎 Medium-Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAS flew two of the three circumnavigation flights – April 27th and May 11th – around Taiwan.
The Sichuan Tengoen Technology (Tengden) developed the TB-001 Twin Tail Scorpion 双尾蝎 Medium-Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAS flew two of the three circumnavigation flights – April 27th and May 11th – around Taiwan. The UAS is designed around the twin-boom concept with two three-blade turbo-charged piston engines mounted on the underside of wing between its central fuselage. The UAS is about 32 ft (10 m) long with a 66 ft (20) wingspan and is 11 ft (3.3 m) high. The original TB-001 has a range of 3,728 miles/3,239 nautical miles (6,000 km), a flight ceiling of 26,000 ft (8,000 m), and an endurance of about 35 hours. The UAS has a Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTW) of about 6,200 lbs. (2,800 kg) while carrying a 2,646-pound payload (1,200 kg) on four hardpoints. However, Tengden developed an improved variant, the TB-001A, that has an additional engine mounted in the central fuselage’s rear in a push-pull configuration. The new engine increased the UAS’s MTW from 6,200 lbs. to 7,100 lbs. (3,200 kg) with an increased payload of 3,300 lbs. (1,500 kg), and increased the number of hardpoints to twelve. The drone’s flight ceiling increased from 26,000 ft (8,000 m) to 31,000 ft (9500 m) and a sustained ceiling of 30,000 ft (9000 m) but with same endurance time of 35 hours.
The drone can carry different types of Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs), such as guided bombs, cruise missiles, and Air-to-Surface Missiles (ASMs). For guided bombs, the TB-001 was seen carrying the FT-7 glide bomb, FT-8D, FT-9, and FT-10 PGM 飞腾精确制导炸弹 families. The drone is also capable of carrying some ASCMs, such as the YJ-7 鹰击-7/C-701 Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM), the AR-2, AR-3, AR-4, and CM-502 family of ASMs. The TB-001’s nose reportedly contains a radar, can carry various external pods (such as signals intelligence collection or communication relay pods), and fitted with turret likely containing Electro-Optic/Infrared (EO/IR) cameras mounted behind the front landing gear. However, one of the most interesting munitions the TB-001 can carry is a new loitering munition. Tengden unveiled the loitering munition at the Zhuhai Air Show in 2022 alongside the TB-001A. One of the most significant aspects of the loitering munition is its size, estimated to be approximately four to five feet long (1.2 to 1.5 m). Recent footage of the drone appeared on Chinese media showing the UAS taxiing and flying with the loitering munition along with six other PGMs—three on each hardpoint.
BZK-005
A BZK-005 Long Eagle/Sea Eagle长鹰/海鹰 conducted the other circumnavigation flight on May 2nd but flew halfway up Taiwan’s eastern coast before turning around and flying back using the same route on April 27th. The BZK-005 is a MALE UAS developed by Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Institute of Unmanned Systems and manufactured by Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Co. The drone is designed around the twin-boom concept like the TB-001 but only one engine located in the fuselage’s rear and wings incorporate a swept wing design. The BZK-005 has a wingspan of 59 ft (18 m) and is approximately 33 ft (10 m) long. The drone’s range is 1,500 miles (2,400 km), and a flight ceiling of 24,000 ft (7,500 m). The BZK-005’s MTW is 3300 lbs. (1,500 kg) with an endurance of approximately 40 hours.
The BZK-005C variant can carry 220 lbs. (100 kg) of weapons with a maximum weapon load approximately 661 lbs. (300 kg) on two hardpoints located in center of the fuselage near the root of the wings. The BZK-005E variant has a maximum weapon load approximately 815 lbs. (370kg) on four hardpoints located under the wings of the fuselage. The BZK-005C and E can only carry small PGMs, AGMs, and bombs due to its low maximum weapons load of 815 Ibs. The UAS can fly in both day and night and in all weather conditions in various environments such as the desert, high altitude, and over the ocean. The UAS has a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensor located under its nose and a turret containing Electro-Optic/Infrared (EO/IR) cameras mounted behind the front landing gear near the center of the drone. The BZK-005 also incorporated a modular design that allows it to rapidly change out different payloads.
Analysis: The circumnavigation flights indicate the PLA will potentially use them to degrade and deny the Taiwanese military’s ability to use the island’s east coast as a haven during a potential conflict. The reason why is due to the multiple challenges that PLAAF or PLAN aircraft would have when traveling above the Chungyang Mountain Range. These challenges range from aircraft having limited fuel to conduct missions and return to base and the potential for the ROCA units or ROCAF/ROCN aircraft to ambush aircraft as they fly over the mountain. While the PLAN could deploy one of its three aircraft carrier groups to the eastern coast, doing so represents a significant risk for China because the group would be isolated without any reinforcements or cover from aircraft. The lack of any support will mean the group would have a higher chance of being attacked by either Taiwanese, Japanese, or the United States military.
The PLAN would also choose to use all three carrier groups to support the landings along Taiwan’s western coast since they would be better protected from any enemy aircraft or naval vessels. However, the PLA understands the challenges associated with trying to deny Taiwan the ability to use the east coast to shelter its forces and equipment and are developing ways to counter it. One way is for the PLA to test the feasibility of using armed drones such as the TB-001A and the BZK-005 as hunter-killer teams in the eastern part of Taiwan. The reason why is how the TB-001A can carry a wide range of PGMs – including loitering munitions – that would enable the PLA to destroy several targets in one flight. The BZK-005C or BZK-005E would be used to locate and designate targets for the TB-001A to destroy while also having the ability to destroy some targets as well.