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Chinese defence scientists seek to turn old rocket artillery into plane-killing glider

Technological upgrades to make rocket artillery capable of striking aerial targets may rewrite the rules of warfare

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China’s defence university scientists test the Sky Star-2 ground-to-air rocket artillery in August 2022. Credit: National University of Defence Technology
Stephen Chenin Beijing
The Chinese military marked the world’s first recorded use of rockets in combat nearly eight centuries ago, when they deployed fire arrows and possibly gunpowder-launched grenades against Mongol invaders in the Battle of Kaifung-fu in 1232, according to Nasa.

Today, Chinese scientists and engineers are pursuing technological upgrades to transform the affordable, mass-producible traditional rocket artillery into a system capable of striking aerial targets.

A research team led by professor Zhang Shifeng at the National University of Defence Technology’s College of Aerospace Science and Engineering has developed a small rocket named Tianxing-1 or “Sky Star-1”.

Unlike conventional rocket artillery, this guided munition features lift-enhancing wings and adjustable tail fins for extended range and powerless-flight manoeuvrability.

Launched at an angle from ground-based platforms, the rocket rises to a designated altitude before transitioning into a glide phase, where it autonomously adjusts its trajectory to engage targets.

The Tianxing-1 operates on principles similar to hypersonic glide missiles, but travels at a far slower pace. Its maximum speed of 200 metres (656 feet) per second, or just over half the speed of sound, may see it struggle to chase high-speed aircraft or drones.

The Sky Star-2 is launched at an angle from a ground-based platform. Photo: National University of Defence Technology
The Sky Star-2 is launched at an angle from a ground-based platform. Photo: National University of Defence Technology
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