Table of Contents
Introduction
- Something unusual has been happening on the Line of Actual Control, the de facto border between India and Tibet, for the past four weeks.
- On 10 May, the Indian media broke the news about scuffles between Indian and Chinese soldiers on the north bank of Pangong Tso on the night of 5-6 May and at Naku La in north Sikkim on 9 May.
- Since then, reports have emerged about intrusions and ‘face-offs’ in the Galwan River , on the north bank of Pangong Tso, and possibly at Hot Springs in Chang Chenmo River valley, and at Demchok.
- Mirror deployment has been carried out by both sides with additional troops, and reserves have been positioned to cater for any escalation.
- There are also reports of increased helicopter activity and ‘one-off’ deterrent fighter aircraft mission by India.
Tibetan Plateau
- It is the world’s highest and largest plateau, with an area of 2,500,000 square kilometres.
- With an average elevation exceeding 4,500 metres (14,800 ft) and being surrounded by imposing mountain ranges that harbour the world’s two highest summits, Mount Everest and K2, the Tibetan Plateau is often referred to as “the Roof of the World”
- It is sometimes termed the Third Pole given its ice fields contain the largest reserve of fresh water outside the polar regions.
- Development of AR500C The AR500C
- unmanned helicopter, developed by state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)
Main Mission of AR500C
- According to an AVIC statement
- Its main missions include reconnaissance and communication relay.
- But when equipped with additional devices, it can also run electronic disruption, target indication, fire strike, cargo delivery and nuclear radiation and chemical contamination reconnaissance
Capability of AR500C
- As China’s first unmanned helicopter designed to fly in plateau areas, the AR500C can take off at an elevation of 5,000 meters and has a ceiling of 6,700 meters.
- It has an endurance of five hours, maximum speed of 170 kilo meters an hour and a maximum take off weight of 500 kilograms.
- Highly digitalized and intelligent, it can take off, land and hover automatically and is installed with a number of advanced flight programs for efficient and safe flights.
Technology director at AVIC’s helicopter branch
- Fang Yonghong, technology director at AVIC’s helicopter branch, said on CCTV
- “We utilize advanced aerodynamic design for the rotors. Since the power of the engine will drop significantly on plateaus, we use China’s most advanced engine,“
- He added
- The unmanned helicopter can be easily controlled via a keyboard and a screen.
Comparison to a Traditional Fixed-wing Drone
- Chinese air defence expert FU Qianshao says:
- “Compared to a traditional fixed-wing drone, a drone helicopter does not require a large airstrip with long runways, making it more flexible to deploy”
- Traditional aircraft wont fly easily in plateau region because the thin air on plateaus usually makes it difficult for aircraft to fly.
- According to experts An unmanned helicopter like the AR500C can help in missions in the high elevation border areas if commissioned into the Chinese military in the future, as it can keep a watchful eye on the skies for extended periods and patrol locations that are difficult for infantry troops to reach on foot
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