Chinese state-owned television has released footage showing what appears to be a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) AV500 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) taking part in a night-time combat exercise with the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force’s (PLAGF’s) 77th Group Army: an indication that the platform may have entered service.
The footage, which was released on 23 September by state-owned broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), shows the UAV, which was painted in green PLAGF camouflage, taking off at night from an undisclosed location.
A screenshot from CCTV footage released on 23 September showing an AV500 VTOL UAV painted in green PLAGF camouflage about to take off at night during a combat exercise with the PLAGF’s 77th Group Army. (CCTV)
Weihutang, a China Central Television (CCTV) programme on military affairs, reported that the reconnaissance UAV was used to detect the movements of a simulated enemy force during the recently concluded ‘Firepower-2020’ combat exercise.
The UAV, which is made by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), was shown fitted with a chin-mounted, stabilised electro-optical infrared (EO/IR) sensor turret that enables it to perform day/night reconnaissance, battle damage assessment, as well as target detection and tracking.
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