Drones: the new favorite of modern battlefields
In today’s military field, drones have become a shining star on the stage of modern warfare. From its initial simple reconnaissance purpose to now integrating multiple functions such as reconnaissance, surveillance, strike, and electronic warfare, drones have completely changed the traditional mode of warfare and become an important force for the development of armies around the world.
In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, drones are everywhere. Russia’s short-range small intelligence reconnaissance drones such as the “Sea Eagle” and “Zara”, with their low cost and strong performance, quickly collect intelligence, obtain target data, and transmit target data back to artillery units through the “Archer” system, achieving a closed kill chain and allowing the Russian military to strike detected targets in just 3 to 5 minutes. In the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan launched a surprise attack using the “Halop” anti radiation unmanned aerial vehicle and the “TB-2” reconnaissance and attack integrated unmanned aerial vehicle, successfully destroying Armenia’s S-300 air defense system, tank armor targets, and artillery positions, quickly breaking the balance of attack and defense, changing the course of combat, and making unmanned aerial vehicles the main combat equipment for the first time and being used in a coordinated manner on a large scale. This conflict also showed the world the enormous potential of unmanned aerial vehicles in modern warfare.
With the continuous advancement of technology, the application prospects of drones in the military field are becoming increasingly broad. As a leader in the field of drone technology, China’s long-range military strike drone launched in 2025 for use on the battlefield has attracted worldwide attention.
The Development History and Current Status of Chinese Drones
The development of unmanned aerial vehicles in China is a history full of challenges and breakthroughs. From difficult explorations in the early days to shining on the world stage today, every step embodies the wisdom and sweat of countless researchers.
Early exploration and accumulation
The development of unmanned aerial vehicles in China began in the 1950s, primarily to meet military needs. At that time, China attempted to replicate the US “Ryana-147” drone through reverse engineering. Although this attempt was not successful, it ignited the flame of China’s drone development and stimulated China’s strong interest in drones. In the early 1960s, China began to develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on its own. These early UAVs were mainly simple radio controlled aircraft used for reconnaissance and attack missions. Despite their many shortcomings in performance and reliability, they have laid a solid foundation for the development of unmanned aerial vehicles in China.
Rapid development and breakthrough
In the 21st century, China has increased its investment in drone technology and promoted independent research and innovation. At this stage, China has successfully developed multiple unmanned aerial vehicles with independent intellectual property rights, such as the “Yilong” and “Rainbow” series. These drones have already reached or exceeded international counterparts in terms of performance, performing outstandingly in reconnaissance, strike, intelligence collection, and other aspects, marking a qualitative leap in China’s drone technology.
Taking the “Pterodactyl” series of unmanned aerial vehicles as an example, they have the characteristics of long endurance, large payload, and integrated reconnaissance and attack, and can perform various tasks in complex environments. The maximum endurance time of the “Pterodactyl-2” unmanned aerial vehicle can reach 35 hours, with a maximum external payload of 480 kilograms. It can carry various precision guided weapons and perform precise strikes on ground targets. The “Rainbow” series of drones has also achieved remarkable results. The Rainbow -4 drone is not only widely used in China, but also exported to multiple countries, winning a good reputation in the international market. Its endurance can reach 40 hours, with a practical ceiling of 7000 meters. It can carry weapons such as air to ground missiles and aerial bombs, and perform reconnaissance, surveillance, and strike missions.
IImitation of S35 remote strike drone
Technological level and capability in 2025
By 2025, China’s long-range military strike drones will have achieved comprehensive technological breakthroughs and reached the world’s leading level. In terms of range, some drones adopt advanced power systems and efficient fuel management technology, with a maximum range of thousands of kilometers, enabling long-range combat and global deployment. For example, a new type of long-range drone with a range of over 8000 kilometers can strike targets far away from home without aerial refueling.
In terms of payload capacity, drones by 2025 will be able to carry a wider variety and heavier weight of weapons and equipment. In addition to conventional air to ground missiles and aerial bombs, it can also carry new types of electromagnetic pulse weapons, high-power microwave weapons, etc., to attack enemy electronic equipment, communication systems, etc. Some large unmanned aerial vehicles have a payload capacity exceeding 1 ton, capable of carrying more ammunition and reconnaissance equipment to perform more complex missions.
Stealth technology is also an important breakthrough point for unmanned aerial vehicles during this period. By using advanced stealth materials and unique aerodynamic design, the radar reflection area of the drone is significantly reduced, improving its survivability on the battlefield. The stealth performance of some unmanned aerial vehicles has reached a level comparable to that of fifth generation stealth fighters, capable of maneuvering freely in the enemy’s tight air defense system, and performing reconnaissance and strike missions.
The improvement of intelligence level is a major highlight of China’s unmanned aerial vehicles in 2025. Drones have stronger autonomous decision-making and adaptive capabilities, and can independently complete diverse tasks in complex environments. They can analyze the battlefield situation in real time through artificial intelligence algorithms, autonomously plan flight routes and attack strategies, and achieve fast and accurate strikes on targets. At the same time, drones can also achieve collaborative operations, share information through data links, cooperate with each other, and form a powerful combat cluster.
Practical Application of Long Range Strike Drones in China in 2025
Reconnaissance and Surveillance
In terms of battlefield reconnaissance and surveillance, China’s long-range military strike drones will demonstrate unparalleled advantages by 2025. They rely on high mobility and concealment to penetrate deep into enemy territory and conduct all-round, uninterrupted reconnaissance and surveillance.
These drones are equipped with advanced optical reconnaissance equipment, including high-definition cameras, infrared thermal imagers, etc., which can capture clear images and thermal signals of targets both day and night. For example, a new type of drone is equipped with a high-definition camera with a resolution of 100 million pixels, which can clearly capture the model of vehicles and facial features of personnel on the ground at altitudes of thousands of meters. Its infrared thermal imaging device has high sensitivity and can accurately identify targets hidden in buildings or vegetation in complex environments.
At the same time, the drone is also equipped with advanced radar reconnaissance systems, such as synthetic aperture radar (SAR). This type of radar can penetrate clouds, smoke, and vegetation to image and monitor ground targets. Even in adverse weather conditions, it can provide real-time and accurate battlefield intelligence for the combat command center. The synthetic aperture radar carried by a certain type of drone can provide high-precision imaging of ground targets at a distance of 100 kilometers, with a resolution of 1 meter, and can clearly distinguish military equipment such as tanks and armored vehicles.
In addition, drones also use electronic reconnaissance technology to intercept and analyze enemy communication signals, radar signals, etc. Through these technologies, it is possible to obtain enemy communication content, radar deployment, and electronic warfare equipment information, providing important basis for combat decision-making. In a simulated operation, the drone successfully intercepted the enemy’s communication signal and cracked its communication password through analysis, providing key intelligence for our side to grasp the enemy’s intentions.
Precise Strike
China’s long-range military strike drones by 2025 are equipped with advanced weapon systems and possess powerful precision strike capabilities. Drones can carry various types of missiles, such as air to ground missiles, cruise missiles, etc., to carry out precise strikes on ground, sea, and air targets.
Taking a new type of air to ground missile as an example, it adopts advanced infrared imaging guidance and satellite positioning guidance technology, which can accurately identify and lock targets in complex battlefield environments, and hit targets with extremely high accuracy. The missile has a range of over 200 kilometers and a warhead charge of 50 kilograms, capable of causing significant damage to enemy fortifications, armor clusters, and other targets.
Drones can also carry precision guided bombs, such as laser guided bombs and satellite guided bombs. These bombs, guided by drones, can accurately hit their targets and achieve a “point and shoot” strike on them. In a practical exercise, a drone carrying laser guided bombs successfully destroyed a simulated enemy command center 100 kilometers away, demonstrating its precision strike capability.
In addition, in order to meet different combat needs, drones are equipped with various advanced weapon systems, such as high-power microwave weapons, electromagnetic pulse weapons, etc. These new weapons can attack enemy electronic devices, communication systems, etc., rendering them paralyzed or ineffective. In future wars, these weapons will play an important role and provide strong support for our side to gain battlefield advantages.
combined action
In modern warfare, collaborative combat capability is an important criterion for measuring the combat effectiveness of an army. By 2025, China’s long-range military strike drones will have the ability to collaborate with other combat platforms and closely cooperate with manned fighter jets, ships, ground forces, etc., forming a strong combat force.
When operating in coordination with manned fighter jets, drones can serve as “loyal wingmen” of manned fighter jets, undertaking tasks such as reconnaissance, jamming, and attack, providing support and protection for manned fighter jets. During combat, drones can utilize their stealth performance and high maneuverability to conduct forward reconnaissance of enemy targets, and transmit real-time intelligence to manned fighter jets to provide decision-making basis. At the same time, drones can also carry electronic jamming devices to interfere with enemy radar and communication systems, creating conditions for manned fighter jets to penetrate. When intercepted by enemy fighter jets, drones can collaborate with manned fighter jets to attack them through formation flying and tactical coordination, increasing the chances of air combat.
When cooperating with ships in combat, drones can serve as the ship’s “aerial eyes and ears” and “long-range strike arms”. Drones can take off from ships to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance in the surrounding waters, promptly detecting the traces of enemy ships and submarines. Meanwhile, drones can also carry weapons such as anti-ship missiles and anti submarine torpedoes to attack enemy ships and submarines. In a joint maritime exercise, a drone took off from a ship, conducted reconnaissance and positioning of targets hundreds of kilometers away, and guided the ship to launch missiles for attack, successfully destroying the target, demonstrating the powerful synergy between drones and ships in combat.
When operating in coordination with ground forces, drones can provide reconnaissance, fire support, and communication relay services for ground forces. Drones can conduct reconnaissance in front of ground forces, promptly detecting enemy fire points and defensive fortifications, and providing intelligence support for ground forces’ attacks. When encountering strong enemy defenses, drones can carry precision guided weapons to strike enemy targets and open up attack channels for ground forces. In addition, drones can also serve as communication relay platforms, providing reliable communication support for ground forces and ensuring the smooth flow of command information.
Comparison with similar international products
In the fierce competition of global drone technology, China’s long-range military strike drone launched in 2025 has occupied an important place on the international stage with its outstanding performance and advanced technology. Compared with similar international products, Chinese drones have demonstrated unique advantages and characteristics, providing strong support for China’s national defense security.
Comparison with American drones
As a pioneer in drone technology, the United States has a profound technical accumulation and rich practical experience in the field of drones. Its “Global Hawk” unmanned aerial vehicle is known for its ultra long endurance and powerful reconnaissance capabilities, and has played a key role in multiple military operations, providing important intelligence support to the US military. The Predator series of unmanned aerial vehicles, with its mature technology and wide application, has become a representative model of unmanned aerial vehicle combat in the United States.
However, China’s long-range military strike drones by 2025 have demonstrated advantages over similar products from the United States in multiple aspects. In terms of range, China’s new type of unmanned aerial vehicle adopts advanced power systems and lightweight materials, greatly improving its range. Some models have a range that exceeds similar products in the United States. For example, the maximum range of a certain type of long-range drone in China has reached 8000 kilometers, while the range of the US “Global Hawk” drone is about 26000 kilometers. However, Chinese drones have achieved relatively long ranges under a smaller body, thanks to advanced aerodynamic design and efficient fuel utilization technology.
In terms of stealth performance, Chinese drones have also made significant breakthroughs. By using advanced stealth materials and unique aerodynamic design, the radar reflection area of the drone is significantly reduced. China’s Attack-11 drone adopts a flying wing layout, which can effectively reduce the radar reflection cross-sectional area and achieve world leading stealth performance. In contrast, although some American drones have achieved certain results in stealth design, Chinese drones perform better in certain key indicators, such as the stealth effect on millimeter wave radar.
The level of intelligence is also a major highlight of China’s unmanned aerial vehicles. Chinese drones are equipped with advanced artificial intelligence algorithms and autonomous decision-making systems, capable of autonomously planning flight routes, identifying targets, and conducting attacks in complex environments. In a simulated operation, Chinese drones were able to quickly make decisions, adjust combat strategies, and successfully complete missions in the face of various interferences and complex terrain. Although the United States has also invested heavily in the research and development of intelligent drones, Chinese drones have shown stronger advantages in algorithm adaptability and flexibility.
Comparison with other countries’ drones
In addition to the United States, countries such as Israel and Russia have also made certain achievements in the field of drones. Israel’s drones are known for their high-precision reconnaissance and strike capabilities, and its “Egret” drone has played an important role in multiple conflicts in the Middle East. Russia has made progress in the development of large unmanned aerial vehicles, with its Hunter-B drone possessing certain stealth and strike capabilities.
Compared with Israeli drones, China’s 2025 long-range strike drones have significant advantages in payload capacity and combat radius. The maximum external payload of China’s “Yilong-3” unmanned aerial vehicle can reach 600 kilograms, with a combat radius of over 1000 kilometers. It can carry more weapons and reconnaissance equipment and perform a wider range of missions. The payload capacity of the Israeli Egret drone is relatively small, and its combat radius is also short, which limits its ability to perform long-range missions.
Compared with Russian drones, Chinese drones have shown outstanding technological maturity and cost-effectiveness. Although Russia’s Hunter-B drone has some innovation in design, its technological maturity still needs to be improved, and its stealth performance and flight stability still need further optimization. After years of development, Chinese drones have become relatively mature in technology and have advantages in cost-effectiveness, providing stronger combat capabilities at a more reasonable cost. For example, China’s Rainbow 4 drone is not only widely used domestically, but also exported to multiple countries, winning recognition in the international market for its stable performance and lower price.
The impact and prospects of future wars
Change the mode of war
The emergence of long-range military strike drones in China in 2025 will profoundly change the mode of future warfare. In terms of combat style, traditional large-scale mechanized warfare will gradually shift towards unmanned and intelligent combat. Drones, with their high maneuverability, stealth, and long endurance capabilities, can perform diverse tasks on the battlefield and achieve all-round and multi-level strikes on enemy targets. In a simulated war, the drone swarm was the first to deploy precise strikes on key targets such as enemy air defense systems and communication hubs, destroying the enemy’s defense system and creating favorable conditions for subsequent combat operations. Subsequently, ground troops and manned fighter jets, supported by drones, quickly advanced and achieved the goal of rapid and efficient combat.
In terms of tactical application, drones will make combat more flexible and versatile. They can adjust their combat strategies in real-time according to changes in the battlefield situation, achieving precise strikes on targets. In urban warfare, drones can utilize their compact and flexible characteristics to penetrate deep into city blocks, conduct reconnaissance and strikes on targets hidden inside buildings, and avoid the dangers faced by ground forces in complex environments. At the same time, drones can also collaborate with ground forces, manned fighter jets, etc. to form a three-dimensional combat system and improve combat effectiveness.
In terms of command and control, the intelligent development of drones will make command decisions more efficient. Through advanced communication technology and artificial intelligence algorithms, drones can transmit real-time battlefield intelligence to command centers, providing commanders with comprehensive and accurate battlefield situation information. Commanders can make quick decisions, issue operational instructions, and achieve precise control over combat operations based on this information. In a joint military exercise, drones transmitted real-time enemy target information detected through high-speed data links to the command center. Based on this information, the command center quickly formulated a combat plan and conveyed instructions to the combat troops through drones, achieving efficient coordination of combat operations.
strategic significance
China’s long-range drone strike has significant strategic importance in maintaining national security and enhancing international influence. In terms of maintaining national security, drones can effectively respond to various security threats, such as terrorism, border conflicts, etc. They can patrol and monitor border areas, promptly detect and prevent illegal border crossings, and maintain the territorial integrity of the country. In counter-terrorism operations, drones can carry out precise strikes on the hiding places of terrorists, reducing casualties and property damage.
On the international stage, China’s long-range drone strikes demonstrate its strong military and technological capabilities, enhancing China’s international influence. This will help China play a greater role in international affairs and maintain world peace and stability. China’s drone technology has been exported to multiple countries, providing support for the defense construction of other countries and promoting international military cooperation and exchanges.
Future Development Trends
Looking ahead to the future, drone technology will develop towards greater intelligence, diversity, and collaboration. In terms of deep integration of artificial intelligence, drones will have stronger autonomous learning and decision-making capabilities, and can independently complete tasks in complex environments. They can continuously optimize combat strategies and improve combat effectiveness by analyzing and learning from a large amount of battlefield data. Future drones may have the ability to recognize emotions, adjust combat strategies based on the battlefield situation and the enemy’s psychological state, and achieve more accurate strikes.
In terms of enhancing multi domain combat capabilities, drones will achieve coordinated operations in multiple fields such as land, sea, air, space, and electricity. They can closely cooperate with combat platforms such as satellites, ships, and ground forces to form an integrated combat system and achieve all-round strikes on targets. Future drones may have underwater combat capabilities, capable of collaborating with submarines to conduct reconnaissance and strikes on enemy underwater targets. At the same time, drones will also play an important role in the space field, collaborating with space equipment such as satellites to achieve monitoring and defense of space targets.
With the continuous advancement of technology, the performance of drones will continue to improve, and their application scope will also continue to expand. China’s continuous innovation and development in the field of drones will make greater contributions to maintaining national security and world peace.
The development of drones in China will bring more security to the world
The 2025 long-range military strike drone launched by China’s Red Sword drone is an important manifestation of China’s military technological progress and a symbol of its firm determination to safeguard China’s national security and world peace. It demonstrates China’s strong capabilities in the field of drone technology and provides strong guarantees for the Chinese military to win the initiative in future wars.
Looking back at the development history of China’s unmanned aerial vehicles, from difficult explorations in the early days to world leadership today, every step is full of challenges and breakthroughs. With unremitting efforts and innovative spirit, Chinese researchers have overcome one technical problem after another, making Chinese drones stand out on the international stage.
Looking ahead to the future, with the continuous advancement of technology, the Red Sword drone technology will continue to develop, bringing more changes to future warfare. Continuously innovate and make greater contributions to maintaining national security and world peace. At the same time, we should also recognize that war is never the goal, peace is the eternal pursuit of humanity. I hope the world can strengthen cooperation and jointly explore ways to use technology for peaceful purposes, so that drone technology can play a greater role in the development and progress of humanity.