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China's first stealth combat drone, the Lijian, has a combat radius of 1,200 kilometers and is able to launch an attack against targets within the First Island Chain — which extends from Alaska, South Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan and the Philippines, reports Duowei News, an outlet run by overseas Chinese.
The region may become a primary target for the Lijian as tensions between China and Japan spiral over disputed islands in the East China Sea, with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force recently deploying its Type 88 anti-ship missiles to the island of Miyako near the contested islands.
The Lijian is designed to attack ground targets at low altitude and it is a perfect weapon against Japanese anti-ship missile positions at Miyako, the report said.
The development of stealth combat drones like the Lijian can enhance the force projection capability of the PLA Air Force. It is unable to conduct long-range strategic bombing missions like the B-2 stealth bomber of the US Air Force, however unmanned combat aerial vehicles are more cost-effective.
As most of China's potential enemies such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam are all within the First Island Chain, the PLA Air Force will be able to deploy the Lijian to conduct tactical bombing missions with a total range of 4,000 kilometers. The stealth design will also help the Lijian evade enemy radar and it will thus play a key role in penetrating the Japanese defense line in a potential conflict.
Lijian stealth drone can launch attack within First Island Chain|Politics|News|WantChinaTimes.com