Difference between revisions of "Wing Loong I"

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The '''{{Specs|name}}''', designated as GJ-1 (攻击-1; attacker-1) in PLAAF service, is a Chinese strike UCAV. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].
 
The '''{{Specs|name}}''', designated as GJ-1 (攻击-1; attacker-1) in PLAAF service, is a Chinese strike UCAV. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].
  
The first PLAAF UCAV in service and one of the earliest UCAVS from Asia, although having a missile with lesser penetration to USA/Russia counterpart, if utilized properly, it can do sufficient damage to enemy team with high precision; while players has to think twice for when to deploy an UCAV or alternatively deploy fixed-wing jets/rotorcrafts.
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was the first PLAAF UCAV in service and is one of the earliest UCAVS to come from Asia. While the [[AKD-9]] AGMs lack both range and penetration compared to its contemporaries, the missiles are still adequate against enemy ground targets. It is however to be noted that the high (750) SP cost to spawn a UCAV must be weighed against other available options, such as aircraft and helicopters, and only be spawned in if the player has no other close-air support option or deems the drone's benefits to be worth the high spawn cost.
 
 
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Flight performance ===
 
=== Flight performance ===
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{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
To say at least, although UCAVs of the era use composite materials for the airframe, but UCAV themselves are not designed for high-intensity battles and also flies slow in this case; any near misses or a direct hit from cannons or missiles is very likely to send Wing Loong straight back to the ground.
+
While UCAVs use composite materials in their construction, as they are not designed for direct enemy confrontation they cannot realistically survive any enemy fire, be it Surface-to-Air missiles, Air-to-Air missiles, aircraft cannon fire or proximity fused shells. Avoid being hit at all costs if possible to save the UCAV from plummeting back to earth.
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
  
* 2 x AKD-9 missiles
+
* 2 x [[AKD-9]] missiles
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
  
Like other available Strike UCAVs in the game, Wing Long I is available to all players playing ground battles and is beneficial to players who have not researched BR appropriate aircraft or helicopters.
+
Like other available Strike UCAVs in the game, the Wing Long I is available to all players playing ground battles above a certain BR, and is beneficial to players who lack BR-appropriate aircraft or helicopter close air support options.
  
You start off by spawning at an altitude of 4,000 m above the battlefield. Priority targets should be the enemy SPAA to allow your team's air support to fly without resistance. Enemy SPAAs are usually found stationary at the enemy spawn, though be aware of those moving closer to the frontlines as well. If there are no SPAA around, your next target would be enemy tanks that are near/on the capture points. Once you fire both [[AKD-9]] missiles, you have three options:
+
You start off by spawning at an altitude of 4,000 m above the battlefield. Priority targets should be enemy SPAAs to allow your team as well as your own safety from an express ticket back to the ground. Enemy SPAAs are usually found stationary at the enemy spawn, though be on your guard for players moving closer to the front lines as well. If there are no SPAAs around, your next target will be enemy tanks that are near/on the capture points. Once you fire both [[AKD-9]] missiles, you have three options:
  
# '''Loiter over the battlefield and provide reconnaissance:''' Just because you can no longer use your missiles doesn't mean you can't help your team! Fly around the battlefield and scan the area with your amazing optical camera. Once you spot any enemy vehicles that pose a threat to your team, quickly mark them on the map and tell your teammates using the in-game chat (alternatively if you have any squad mates, you can work with them and point out enemies nearby using the squad marker)
+
# '''Loiter over the battlefield and provide reconnaissance:''' Just because you can no longer use your missiles doesn't mean you can't help your team! Fly around the battlefield and scan the area with your amazing optical camera, preferably with your thermal vision turned on. Once you spot any enemy vehicles that pose a threat to your team, quickly mark them on the map and tell your teammates using the in-game chat (alternatively if you have any squad mates, you can work with them and point out enemies nearby using the squad marker)
# '''Land and rearm:''' Once the two ATGMs are used, reduce your throttle and glide towards the airbase. Once you land, begin any repairs and necessary rearming so you can take off. It should be worth noting that the UCAVs suffers from a low speed and a horrid climb rate, making the return to base and return to the battlefield incredibly lengthy. In terms of battlefield survival, the drone's altitude is its only saving grace, as helicopters/attack aircraft will generally be at lower altitudes and SPAAs will have no trouble sending a very slow target back to the hangar screen. Consequently, fighting at low altitudes should be regarded as a suicide mission.
+
# '''Land and rearm:''' Once the two ATGMs are used, turn around and fly back towards the airbase. Once you land, begin any repairs and necessary rearming so you can take off. It is to be noted that UCAVs cannot land at helipads to resupply, nor do they have any brakes in their wheels - so try and bleed all your speed before touching down to shorten your braking distance. It should be worth noting that the UCAVs suffers from a very low top speed and a horrid climb rate, making the return to base and return to the battlefield incredibly lengthy. In terms of battlefield survival, the drone's altitude is its only saving grace, as helicopters/attack aircraft will generally be at lower altitudes and SPAAs will have no trouble sending a very slow target back to the hangar screen. Consequently, fighting at low altitudes should be regarded as a suicide mission.
# '''Bail out of the vehicle and spawn in a more capable vehicle:''' While it feels counterintuitive to bail out of a vehicle that cost 750 spawn points, it is the fastest and best way to get you back into the battle. Using the spawn points you accumulated from the carnage your two missiles scored, you can get enough to spawn another tank, an attack aircraft, or a helicopter. The advantage of this is that you should have cleared the path for you or other pilots to make some damage, as the SPAAs and anti-air threats are no longer there.
+
# '''Bail out of the vehicle and spawn in a more capable vehicle:''' While it feels counterintuitive to bail out of a vehicle that cost 750 spawn points, it is the fastest and best way to get you back into the battle. Using the spawn points you accumulated from the carnage your two missiles scored, you can get enough to spawn another tank, an attack aircraft or a helicopter. The advantage of this is that you should have cleared the path for you or other pilots to cause some damage, as the SPAAs and anti-air threats have been ideally suppressed by your missiles just now.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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* Spawns at altitude
 
* Spawns at altitude
 
* Exceptional optical camera
 
* Exceptional optical camera
* Hard to counter by SPAA
+
* Has a clear thermal imager (Button: Toggle Night Vision) and sight stabilization for ease of target identification
 
* Available to everyone to use
 
* Available to everyone to use
  
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* Horrid climb rate
 
* Horrid climb rate
 
* [[AKD-9]] missiles are quite underpowered
 
* [[AKD-9]] missiles are quite underpowered
* Access to only two ATGMs for a price higher than most helicopters and attack aircraft (which can carry more ATGMs)
+
* Access to only two ATGMs for a price higher than most helicopters and attack aircraft (which can carry far more ordinance)
* A large amount of time will be spent going from spawn to the airfield to rearm and back
+
* Takes a lengthy period of time to rearm and return to the battlefield
 +
* Faces anti-aircraft vehicles which can knock UCAVs out of the sky before the missiles even get within range, which can cause a 'severe emotional event'.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==

Revision as of 09:15, 11 September 2023

Wing Loong I
ucav_wing_loong_i.png
GarageImage Wing Loong I.jpg
Wing Loong I

Description

The Wing Loong I, designated as GJ-1 (攻击-1; attacker-1) in PLAAF service, is a Chinese strike UCAV. It was introduced in Update "Drone Age".

The Wing Loong I was the first PLAAF UCAV in service and is one of the earliest UCAVS to come from Asia. While the AKD-9 AGMs lack both range and penetration compared to its contemporaries, the missiles are still adequate against enemy ground targets. It is however to be noted that the high (750) SP cost to spawn a UCAV must be weighed against other available options, such as aircraft and helicopters, and only be spawned in if the player has no other close-air support option or deems the drone's benefits to be worth the high spawn cost.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 1 000 m220 km/h
Turn time22 s
Max altitude7 500 m
EngineSNECMA Atar 9C
Type
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight1 t
Max speed
(km/h at 1,000 m)
Max altitude
(metres)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(metres/second)
Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
220 220 7500 22.0 22.0 2.5 2.5 250

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
X X X X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
390 450 N/A N/A N/A ~__ ~__
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 200 < 200 < 200 > ___

Survivability and armour

Crew0 people
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear450 km/h

While UCAVs use composite materials in their construction, as they are not designed for direct enemy confrontation they cannot realistically survive any enemy fire, be it Surface-to-Air missiles, Air-to-Air missiles, aircraft cannon fire or proximity fused shells. Avoid being hit at all costs if possible to save the UCAV from plummeting back to earth.

Armaments

Suspended armament

Main article: AKD-9

The Wing Loong I can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

Usage in battles

Like other available Strike UCAVs in the game, the Wing Long I is available to all players playing ground battles above a certain BR, and is beneficial to players who lack BR-appropriate aircraft or helicopter close air support options.

You start off by spawning at an altitude of 4,000 m above the battlefield. Priority targets should be enemy SPAAs to allow your team as well as your own safety from an express ticket back to the ground. Enemy SPAAs are usually found stationary at the enemy spawn, though be on your guard for players moving closer to the front lines as well. If there are no SPAAs around, your next target will be enemy tanks that are near/on the capture points. Once you fire both AKD-9 missiles, you have three options:

  1. Loiter over the battlefield and provide reconnaissance: Just because you can no longer use your missiles doesn't mean you can't help your team! Fly around the battlefield and scan the area with your amazing optical camera, preferably with your thermal vision turned on. Once you spot any enemy vehicles that pose a threat to your team, quickly mark them on the map and tell your teammates using the in-game chat (alternatively if you have any squad mates, you can work with them and point out enemies nearby using the squad marker)
  2. Land and rearm: Once the two ATGMs are used, turn around and fly back towards the airbase. Once you land, begin any repairs and necessary rearming so you can take off. It is to be noted that UCAVs cannot land at helipads to resupply, nor do they have any brakes in their wheels - so try and bleed all your speed before touching down to shorten your braking distance. It should be worth noting that the UCAVs suffers from a very low top speed and a horrid climb rate, making the return to base and return to the battlefield incredibly lengthy. In terms of battlefield survival, the drone's altitude is its only saving grace, as helicopters/attack aircraft will generally be at lower altitudes and SPAAs will have no trouble sending a very slow target back to the hangar screen. Consequently, fighting at low altitudes should be regarded as a suicide mission.
  3. Bail out of the vehicle and spawn in a more capable vehicle: While it feels counterintuitive to bail out of a vehicle that cost 750 spawn points, it is the fastest and best way to get you back into the battle. Using the spawn points you accumulated from the carnage your two missiles scored, you can get enough to spawn another tank, an attack aircraft or a helicopter. The advantage of this is that you should have cleared the path for you or other pilots to cause some damage, as the SPAAs and anti-air threats have been ideally suppressed by your missiles just now.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Spawns at altitude
  • Exceptional optical camera
  • Has a clear thermal imager (Button: Toggle Night Vision) and sight stabilization for ease of target identification
  • Available to everyone to use

Cons:

  • Low max speed
  • Horrid climb rate
  • AKD-9 missiles are quite underpowered
  • Access to only two ATGMs for a price higher than most helicopters and attack aircraft (which can carry far more ordinance)
  • Takes a lengthy period of time to rearm and return to the battlefield
  • Faces anti-aircraft vehicles which can knock UCAVs out of the sky before the missiles even get within range, which can cause a 'severe emotional event'.

History

Mainland China has been closely observed on different types of UAVs including those which flew and being shot down by PLAAF or those of foreign countries; as Israel and USAF has proved the necessity of deploying UAVs for recon or eliminating ground targets, the development for domestic UCAVs was given the green light at early 2000s with limited resources under the team of Li Yidong (李屹东), whose mother was also a employee of Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.

The team managed to gather spare parts from gliders and civilian products (such as the brakes, from motorcycles) and built an earlier prototype within 2 years; but this also meant the team has to rebuilt a new UCAV from scratch with every possible new standards introduced to the production, with 100 orders overseas overhead and new technologies from J-10's production, the new Wing Loong UCAV passed for tests in 2007 and its mock-up first shown in 2010's Zhuhai Airshow. Eventually introduced to PLAAF in early 2010s and was first shown to the public in 2012's Zhuhai Airshow then 2015's VJ Day parade known as GJ-1 UCAV, countries of Central Asia and Middle East purchased multiple batches of them and they became the cornerstone of Chinese export weapons where they scored multiple victories over insurgents and sometimes even fellow UCAVs, along with CH (彩虹, Rainbow) series UCAV.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (中航工业成都飞机工业集团)
Jet Fighters 
J-7  J-7II* · J-7D · J-7E
J-10  J-10A
JF-17  JF-17**
Drones  Wing Loong I
  *Unlicensed and reverse-engineered version of the MiG-21.
  **Jointly developed and built by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.
See Also  Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau · Pakistan Aeronautical Complex

Strike UCAVs
USA  MQ-1
USSR  Orion
China  Wing Loong I