WZ-7
The WZ-7 () , also known as Soar Dragon (), is an unmanned aerial vehicle of the High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) type, featuring an unusual joined, tandem wingplan. it is being developed by the People's Republic of China for reconnaissance and maritime patrol missions. Development. The WZ-7, designed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group and constructed by the Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corporation for service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force, was originally displayed as a model at the Zhuhai Air Show in 2006 as the "Soar Dragon". Optimized for long-endurance missions at high altitude, the aircraft features  an unusual tandem, joined wing platform. The WZ-7 entered serial production in 2015 to 2016. In 2018, the unmanned aircraft system was spotted in PLA military bases. In 2019, the WZ-7 was spotted in active reconnaissance mission at Taiwan Strait. The WZ-7 was officially unveiled to the public in 2021 at Zhuhai Airshow. Design. Large by the standards of UAVs, the WZ-7's tandem, joined-wing design allows for a more rigid, less flexible wing than other configurations, with benefits said to include an increased lift-to-drag ratio and less complex flight controls than a HALE UAV with a  conventional wing would require. The aircraft is powered by a Guizhou WP-13 turbojet engine, a copy of the Soviet Tumansky R-13; it is anticipated that a newer, improved engine, will be installed in production aircraft. The air intake for the engine is mounted atop the fuselage, with the engine itself mounted in the rear of the aircraft. The WZ-7 has a similar role and mission to the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk operated by the United States Air Force, but the aircraft design, including the unusual tandem wings and vertical stabilizers, is different. Operational history. As of 2011, the WZ-7  was not known to have yet conducted its maiden flight, however it was undergoing radar cross-section and other electromagnetic tests in anticipation of flight testing. In service with the PLAAF, the primary mission of the WZ-7 is expected to be aerial reconnaissance, but it is anticipated that the aircraft will also be fitted with sensors suitable for designating naval vessels for targeting by anti-ship ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Since 2018, seven WZ-7 and supporting infrastructure have spotted at three bases: three each at Shigatse Airbase in the Tibet Autonomous Region and Lingshui Air Base on Hainan Island  (near the South China Sea), and two at Yishuntun Airbase. On July 24, 2019, a WZ-7 followed an American , the as it transited the Taiwan Strait, marking its first operational use. As of 2019, the WZ-7 was being operated from three strategic sites: an airbase in Jilin province, Yishitung near Tibet and Lingshui on Hainan Island.