Taiwan has shown rare combat footage of a Chien Hsiang kamikaze drone with a maximum launch range of 1,000km

Taiwan's Ministry of Defence has decided to share a video showing a Chien Hsiang kamikaze drone destroying a target. The barrage munition was first demonstrated in 2017.

Here's What We Know

Taiwanese authorities emphasise the high value of unmanned aerial systems. The war in Ukraine is a perfect confirmation of this. Inexpensive kamikaze drones are capable of providing the island nation with the ability to strike Chinese troops in the event of a military conflict.

The published video contains a fragment dedicated to Chien Hsiang (starts at 05:02). The clip shows a Taiwanese barrage munition striking a notional target. The military news agency that showed the Chien Hsiang footage is the official media outlet of Taiwan's Ministry of Defence.

The kamikaze drone was introduced to the public six years ago. It has a triangular wing and a single propulsion system that drives a pusher propeller located at the rear. Externally, the Chien Hsiang resembles Iran's Shahed-136 drone, which Russia has been bombarding Ukraine with.

The barrage munition is designed to destroy enemy radar stations. Chien Hsiang can stay in the air for 5 hours and has a maximum launch range of 1000 km, which makes it an effective means of suppressing enemy air defence systems.

The published video contains first-person footage. However, it is currently unclear whether the military plans to equip such a drone configuration with a camera in real combat conditions. It may have only been installed on a test sample.

Nevertheless, the Chien Hsiang exists in a modification with an integrated camera. This will allow the Taiwanese military to use the kamikaze drone not only for strikes, but also for reconnaissance purposes.

To launch the Chien Hsiang, there is a 12-cell launcher that can be mounted on a trailer. This solution is intended to provide additional flexibility and the ability to operate on a shoot-and-scoot basis. Earlier it was reported that the Taiwanese army also has stationary launchers in service.

Source: The War Zone