WZ-7 Soaring Dragon
Country: 
ChinaManufacturer: Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corporation (GAIC) / Chengdu
The WZ-7 Soaring Dragon (Xianglong) is China's strategic HALE UAV: unique tandem joined-wing configuration for maximum high-altitude efficiency, operates at 18,000 m for SIGINT/ELINT missions along the first island chain and the Indian border.
The WZ-7 Soaring Dragon (Xianglong) is China's strategic HALE UAV: unique tandem joined-wing configuration for maximum high-altitude efficiency, operates at 18,000 m for SIGINT/ELINT missions along the first island chain and the Indian border.
Community
Data trust
- Reliability
- Unverified
- Sources
- Sources pending review
Identity
- Designation
- WZ-7 Soaring Dragon
- Alias
- Xianglong / WJ-7 / EA-03
- Manufacturer
- Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corporation (GAIC) / Chengdu
- Country
- China
- Year
- 2018
- Category
- ISR (Reconnaissance)
- Class
- HALE (High-altitude / long-endurance)
- Status
- In service
Performance
- Range
- 7000 km
- Endurance
- 10 h
- Top speed
- 750 km/h
- Service ceiling
- 18,000 m
- Propulsion
- Turbofan WP-13 (~43 kN)
Physical characteristics
- MTOW
- 7500 kg
- Payload
- 650 kg
Onboard systems
- Sensors
- SAR ad alta risoluzione, SIGINT/ELINT, EO/IR opzionale
- Datalink / control
- SATCOM + LOS, data link strategico
- Launch
- Decollo da pista
- Recovery
- Atterraggio su pista
Tags
Main operators
History
First flight in 2009 at Chengdu, prolonged development until operational introduction in 2018. The joined-wing configuration (lower front, upper rear joined at the tips) is unique worldwide among UAVs in service.
Deployed since 2021 at Yishuntun (Manchuria, vs Japan/Korea), Lingshui (Hainan, vs South China Sea) and Shigatse (Tibet, vs India) bases. Regularly spotted over the Yellow Sea and Taiwan Strait since 2022.