China Develops Containerized Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System
Quick Look
- China has developed a containerized electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) capable of launching propeller drones from an airfield runway.
- The system was showcased in a video posted by the Beijing Institute of Technology, which appears to have been deleted.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
China has developed a containerized electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) that can be deployed on cargo vessels. This system was first observed six months prior to a recent video demonstration.
The footage shows three eight-wheeled flat-top trucks driving on to what appears to be an airfield runway. Once aligned and connected via mechanical hinges, they form a continuous platform, along which a fixed-wing propeller drone accelerates and takes off.
The Beijing Institute of Technology’s (BIT) school of mechanical engineering posted the video to social media on Tuesday – about six months after the system was first seen aboard the cargo vessel Zhong Da 79 at a Shanghai shipyard.
The post appears to have been deleted.
The late-December sighting attracted much attention, with photographs showing a range of military equipment, including vertical missile launchers, radar sensors and self-defence systems, all integrated into modified freight containers.
The new video also features a scene of the latest containerised modules revealed in Tuesday’s post – including the segmented electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) – being loaded onto the Zhong Da 79.
Open Questions
- What is the operational range of the drones launched?
- What is the full military application of this system?
