On April 13, 2020, the official account of Sina Weibo on the eastern theater of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army released a microblog, confirming the report of CCTV-7 on April 11 which revealed that a new type of combat reconnaissance unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) is already in service with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. This is the first official confirmation that the Chinese Army is equipped with unmanned combat vehicles. As a result, China formally entered the “Unmanned Combat Vehicle Service Country” club with only a few members.
According to Jane’s Defense Weekly, this time the official Weibo of the Eastern Theater of the People’s Liberation Army confirmed that the new unmanned ground combat vehicles of the Chinese Army that have entered service are Ruizhao I (Sharp Claw I) combat reconnaissance small unmanned combat vehicles developed by Norinco of China North Industries Corporation.
Ruizhao I unmanned ground vehicle is a typical small tracked unmanned ground vehicle, which debuted at the 2014 Zhuhai Air Show. It is 70cm long, 60cm high, and has a total weight of 12 kg. And the operating range is 1km.
Ruizhao I unmanned combat vehicle carries integrated photoelectric reconnaissance equipment, which can perform short-range reconnaissance, detection, and surveillance tasks in small infantry units (squad/platoon), and can also carry a 7.62mm squad machine gun to perform firepower-support missions. It is designed to operate in remote, complex terrain and all-weather conditions that are not suitable for personnel operations.
Ruizhao I can either walk autonomously or be carried in the cabin of the larger Ruizhao II (Sharp Claw II) transport type unmanned combat vehicle. It is transported by Ruizhao II when marching to reach the combat area. Ruizhao II wheeled unmanned combat vehicle has a rear panel that is lowered behind the vehicle and allows Ruizhao I to drive down into the battleground.
Four years later, at the 2018 Zhuhai Air Show, North Company once again exhibited an upgraded version of Ruizhao I unmanned combat vehicle. The new version has a number of upgrade functions, including improved short-range photoelectric load, machine vision, and lighting components as well as a newly designed remote control weapon station, which uses ammunition boxes for bombs, which can improve the continuous firepower of the unmanned combat vehicle.
Chinese “Ordnance Technology” magazine infers that Ruizhao I was originally aimed at the international military trade market at the beginning of its successful development. However, its excellent comprehensive performance and more successful improved models impressed China’s domestic users – so it became an unmanned combat platform of the PLA.
At present, the PLA official has not disclosed when Ruizhao I enters service, nor the number of it in service, nor announced the deployment of combat troops deploying such unmanned ground combat vehicles.
Ruizhao I and II unmanned ground vehicles greatly improve the technical and information level of the Chinese Army units. They give the infantry unit stronger battlefield reconnaissance, situational awareness, and support firepower.