China’s state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) developed the AR-500B vessel-borne unmanned helicopter. The UAV made its maiden flight at a test facility in Poyang County, East China’s Jiangxi Province, on November 27, 2020, according to AVIC China Helicopter Research and Development Institute statement.
The UAV is designed for tactical ISR, target acquisition, precision strikes, and maritime relay communication. Nigerian Navy will most likely deploy the UAVS at the Chinese-made P-18 offshore patrol craft and the hydrographic survey vessel NNS Lana.
The AR-500B UAV’s maximum take-off weight is 500 kg, and its payload capacity is 70 kg. The UAV has an endurance of four hours within an operating radius of 100 km. The drone’s maximum endurance speed is 140 km/h, and the cruising speed is 120 km/h.
Although Nigeria’s version appears unarmed, the AR-500B can carry observation equipment, small laser-guided missiles and machine gun weapons.
