Wing Loong X (UAV)

History

2025: Product Announcement

The Chinese Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) officially unveiled the new large Wing Loong X unmanned aerial vehicle at the Dubai Air Show, which took place in November 2025. The device is positioned as the world's first autonomous system designed to perform anti-submarine operations.

This drone is a development of the Wing Loong line and was created for long-term missions to search for and destroy submarines. According to Interested Engineering, the wingspan of the new UAV exceeds 20 meters, which is comparable to the size of a small business jet. The aircraft is able to stay in the air for up to 40 hours and operate at altitudes of up to 10 km.

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Фото: Mztourist/Wikimedia Commons

According to Interesting Engineering, a key feature of the Wing Loong X is the ability to independently drop sonar buoys - small floating sensors that listen to underwater space to detect submarines. After data collection, on-board artificial intelligence conducts acoustic analysis, classifies targets and, if the threat is confirmed, can use light anti-submarine torpedoes.

The deployment of such systems can radically change the balance of power in regional waters, in particular, in the South China Sea. Submarines traditionally rely on stealth, but the simultaneous use of 20-50 such drones creates a constant threat of detection and attack for them. In addition, the use of drones is a more economical solution compared to the construction and maintenance of manned anti-submarine aircraft.

At the same time, the declared opportunities raise questions from experts. In particular, according to Interest Engineering, anti-submarine warfare is associated with a high risk of false positives, when whales or merchant ships can be mistaken for a target.^[1]

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