Taipei Times
Date: Jun 03, 2015
By: William Lowther  /  Staff reporter in WASHINGTON

China has developed a large new drone — known as the Shen Diao or Divine Eagle — which could threaten Taiwan.

Unveiled over the past few days, it is made by Shenyang Aircraft Corp and is a high-altitude long-endurance uncrewed aircraft that makes potential targets in Taiwan more vulnerable.

“For Taiwan, countering this new threat may require a much larger and longer-range air-to-air missile,” military analyst Rick Fisher of the International Assessment and Strategy Center told the Taipei Times.

Fisher said the new drone could provide real-time targeting information to China’s “highly accurate” ballistic and cruise missiles.

“This means that China has a new tool to prevent US and Japanese forces from aiding Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack,” Fisher said. “The Shen Diao will also help Chinese air and naval forces to contest the area out to the second island chain, which could allow the Chinese military to surround Taiwan.”     [FULL  STORY]