DUBAI—Four years after China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) showed the full-scale mock-up of the U8EW rotary-wing uncrewed aircraft system (RWUAS) at the Dubai Airshow, the country’s state-owned arms exporter has unveiled a larger, four-bladed, turbine-powered aircraft RWUAS featuring surveillance systems and pylon-mounted weapons.
Dubbed the AR-2000, the new RWUAS is the latest in an evolving line of more capable, Chinese-developed unmanned rotary-wing vehicles. According to officials from manufacturer AVIC, the AR-2000 made its first flight earlier this year. Optimized for shipborne use with folding blades, the AR-2000 is configured with a chin-mounted electro-optical/infrared turret and large search/surveillance radar.
The AR-2000 also is equipped with an enclosed satcom antenna in the nose section, and a smaller satcom antenna on the tail boom. The mock-up displayed here at Dubai also sports what appears to be antennae for tactical data links and other communications systems.
The AR-2000 features optional provision for multiple short-range air-launched missile positions mounted on stub pylons. The mock-up also was briefly displayed with both short range "PL-9" infrared-guided missiles and what appear to be anti-tank or anti-ship weapons.
The AR-2000 follows in the mold of the smaller AVIC AR-500. Originally planned as a shipborne UAS for both military and commercial purposes, the AR-500 began development in 2017. The latest variant, the AR-500BJ, is due for certification later in 2023.
