Airshow China 2022: Chengdu GJ-2 UAV performing flight demonstrations

Aviation Defense News November 2022
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The Chinese-designed Wing Loong II, or GJ-2 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is set to make flight demonstrations at Airshow China 2022 in Zhuhai. The Chinese Air Force and some Chinese manufacturers will also perform various demos.

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Chengdu GJ 2 UAV source Weibo 925 002 Chinese  GJ-2 unmanned aerial vehicle in flight demonstration at AirShow China 2022. (Picture source: Weibo)

The Chengdu GJ-2, also known as Wing Loong 2, is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group. Intended for use as a surveillance and aerial reconnaissance and precision strike platform, Chengdu unveiled the concept of Wing Loong II at the Aviation Expo China in Beijing in September 2015. Wing Loong II has long-range strike capability with a satellite link. The prototype was presented for the first time to the public during the Airshow China exhibition, held in Zhuhai from 1–6 November 2016.

An investigation led by BBC Africa Eye and BBC Arabic Documentaries revealed that the UAE used Wing Loong II drones to fire Chinese Blue Arrow 7 missiles at a military academy in Libya's capital, Tripoli, in January 2020. The drone was operated from Libya's Al-Khadim air base which has been under the control of the UAE.

During the 2021 Henan floods, because of the interruption of communication in some areas due to flooding, the Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched its emergency disaster-response Chengdu Wing Loong II (Wing Loong 2H) to the corresponding areas and carried out nearly 6 hours of ground reconnaissance and communication relay services.

Variants

GJ-2: military version of Wing Loong II. Distinguished by the lack of winglets. Officially entered service with the PLAAF in November 2018.
Wing Loong II: upgraded variant of the Wing Loong-1, with provisions for up to twelve air-to-surface missiles.
Wing Loong 2H: civilian, communication, emergency response variant, equipped with synthetic aperture radar and optoelectronic pod which is able to relay and amplify telecommunication signals. The Wing Loong 2H debuted at July 2021 when it was deployed to assist with rescue work in Central China's Henan Province after unprecedented heavy rainfall flooding, providing a stable communication signal that can be directly used by normal phones with areas of over 50 km².

Airshow China 2022 Chengdu GJ 2 UAV to perform flight demonstrations 2 GJ-2 displayed in 2017at Zhuhai (Picture source: Air Recognition)