Gallery: CATIC Display At Dubai Airshow 2023

Four years after China National Aero-technology Import and Export Corporation’s (CATIC) showed the full-scale mock-up of the U8EW rotary-wing unmanned air system (RWUAS) at the Dubai Airshow, the country’s state-owned arms exporter has unveiled the AR2000, a new and larger four-bladed, turbine-powered vehicle configured with surveillance systems and pylon-mounted weapons.

The AR2000 features optional provision for multiple short-range air-launched missile positions mounted on stub pylons. The concept is displayed with both short range `PL-9’ `IR guided missiles and what appear to be anti-tank or anti-ship weapons.

The new UAS is the latest in an evolving line of more capable Chinese-developed unmanned rotary-wing vehicles – one of the most recent being the AVIC AR-500. Originally aimed at a shipborne UAS for both military and commercial purposes, work on the AR-500 project began in 2017. The latest variant, the AR-500BJ, is due for certification later in 2023.

Sensors on the AR2000 include a chin-mounted electro-optical/infrared turret and large search/surveillance radar with provision for an enclosed satcom antenna in the nose section.

CATIC also displayed this AR36 tactical uncrewed air system capable of vertical take-off and landing thanks to motors attached to wing-mounted pylons. The UAS was first displayed by Chinese industry in 2022.

China’s aerospace export house, the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation are showing of a variety of models of the combat and airlifter wares including the Xi’an Y-20 airlifter (back), the Chengdu J-10 (centre) a type recently exported to Pakistan, and the Shenyang FC-35, a twin-engine fighter currently under development.