Wing Loong I

The Chengdu GJ-1, also designated Wing Loong I or Pterodactyl I, is a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute (CADI) and manufactured by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group. The program commenced in May 2005. The initial version, the Pterosaur I, completed its maiden flight in October 2007. The refined Pterodactyl I flew in 2009 and entered service in 2011. The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) operates approximately 60 units.

Design

The aircraft is 9.05 meters long with a 14-meter wingspan and a gross weight of 1,100 kg. It is powered by a single 75 kW Rotax 914 turbocharged engine driving a three-bladed propeller. Performance specifications include a maximum speed of 280 km/h, a service ceiling of 5,000 meters, and a maximum range of 4,000 km. It has an operational endurance of 20 hours. Sensors include a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) turret and synthetic aperture radar, with a dedicated avionics capacity of 100 kg.

Armament

The Wing Loong I has a total payload capacity of 200 kg for sensors and weaponry. It is equipped with hardpoints for air-to-surface munitions. Factual weapons testing included both bombs and missiles. Compatible munitions include FT-10, FT-9, FT-7, GB7, and GB4 bombs, as well as BRM1 and AKD-10 missiles.

Operational History

Operational use includes counter-insurgency and civil war deployments. In March 2017, the Egyptian Air Force utilized Wing Loong UAVs to kill 18 militants in North Sinai. Saudi Arabian and United Arab Emirates (UAE) forces deployed the type during the intervention in Yemen; in April 2018, a Saudi-operated Wing Loong killed Houthi leader Saleh Ali al-Sammad. Between 2016 and 2022, multiple units were lost over Yemen to Houthi fire. In the Libyan Civil War, the Libyan National Army (LNA) used the aircraft extensively against the Government of National Accord, including a 2019 strike that destroyed an Ilyushin Il-76TD on the ground. Export customers include Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, and Serbia. Pakistan evaluated the type in 2016 but did not select it for initial procurement.

Variants

• Pterosaur I: The initial model lacking a satellite antenna nose bulge, resulting in a maximum control range of 200 km.
• WJ-1: An armed configuration that serves as a weapon platform without the chin-mounted reconnaissance and targeting pod.
• GJ-1: An attack variant that combines a chin-mounted sensor pod with hardpoints for autonomous target engagement.
• Sky Saker: A Norinco-developed export derivative that carries either a reconnaissance payload or weaponry, but not both simultaneously.
• Wing Loong ID: An upgraded 2018 variant featuring composite construction and improved aerodynamics for increased takeoff weight and endurance.