After over 10 years of development, China's Xianglong (Soar Dragon) High-Altitude, Long-Endurance (HALE) aerial drones are about to enter service with the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Xianglong is being billed as the Chinese equivalent of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, one of the U.S. Air Force's premier high-altitude, intelligence collection vehicles that can survey over 100,000 square kilometers a day.

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Chinese state-run media reports an unknown number of Xianglongs have been produced by Guizhou Aviation Aircraft company, which is part of the state-owned aircraft maker, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

Xianlong is being tested and will soon be delivered to the PLA. It was first revealed in 2006 at an air show in China.

What makes Xianglong unique and easily identifiable is its "joined tandem wing" design. This consists of a conventional swept wing joined with a forward swept wing, which makes it look like a diamond-shaped wing when viewed from above.

This unusual joined wing design, which spans 20 meters, increases Xianglong's flight endurance and high altitude performance by reducing wingtip drag. Xianglong has an estimated maximum takeoff weight of some 12 tons.

The main mission of Xianglong is long-range aerial reconnaissance, mostly over water. Because it's a HALE aircraft, Xianglong will inevitably be outfitted with sensors that can designate enemy warships for targeting by Chinese anti-ship ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

Its long endurance and large sensor payload will allow Xianglong to shadow U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. It can also conduct electronic attack with jammers and spoofers.

One source, however, said Xianglong will be armed with missiles and smart bombs. In wartime, Xianglong's jammers will jam radars of enemy fighters and missiles.

It will also jam communications between enemy bombers, airborne early warning and control aircraft, drones and datalinks between satellites, ships, land based missile launchers and missiles.

TagsXianglong, Soar Dragon, High-Altitude, Long-Endurance (HALE) aerial drone, joined tandem wing design