The latest in the string of new military concepts coming from China is a hypersonic boost-glide weapon that can launch other weapons, drones of its own.

The new unpowered boost-glide weapon concept will carry sub-payloads which can be launched mid-flight to strike multiple targets. Moreover, the sub-payloads can also be used for electronic warfare, and reconnaissance operations.

A model of the concept weapon, called GDF-600, has been put on display at the Zhuhai airshow in China by the Guangdong Aerodynamic Research Academy (GARA).

According to the model presented at the airshow, the weapon can carry several sub-payloads at once. Something that significantly boosts the capabilities of the hypersonic weapon to further raise worries for any enemy.

Hypersonic boost-glide weapons consist of a maneuverable glide vehicle launched on a ballistic missile or rocket booster. Owing to their ability to keep changing their path before hitting the target, they are considered quite difficult to defend against.

The addition of sub-payloads will make the equation more complex, and it will increase the worries of any army which is up against China, if the weapon sees the light of the day.

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GDF-600 – China’s hypersonic boost-glide weapon concept

According to the details shared by Michael Jerdev on X (formerly Twitter), the GDF-600 concept promises to have a maximum speed of up to Mach 7 (5,370 miles per hour).

The company states that it can have a launch mass of 11,023 pounds (5,000 kg), and can carry payloads of up to 2645 pounds (1200 kg).

Further, the hypersonic vehicle can travel up to a range of 372 miles (600 km), and reach maximum trajectory altitude of 24 miles (40 km).

The company also states that it can carry five different types of sub-payloads, which can further reach varying levels of top speeds and can hit targets at varying ranges.

Prima facie, it seems that the company's sub-payloads were created to accomplish varying goals, such as reconnaissance, hitting land targets, and even those at sea.

Further, it can also accommodate several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as the model displayed at the air show reveals.

Some X users have also pointed out that the GDF-600 hypersonic vehicle seems to be based on the MD-22 test project which was unveiled two years earlier at the Zhuhai air show.

Other revelations at the Zhuhai air show

Some other innovations which are surfacing at the Zhuhai air show include a drone mothership, which is said to have a maximum takeoff weight of 10 tons, and could have the capability to launch drone swarms in the air.

The drone, called Jiu Tian, which stands for ‘High Sky’ in Chinese, is powered by jet engines. Its design is by the government-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

Further, Beijing’s latest carrier-based warplane, the J-15D, was publicly showcased for the first time during an adaptive training session in Zhuhai City, in South China’s Guangdong Province.

The J-15D is a two-seat electronic warfare aircraft that integrates electronic jamming capabilities with strike functions, potentially playing a vital role in combat situations.

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