A Chinese container feeder now features a truck-mounted catapult for combat drones, showcasing a shift in military adaptation of merchant vessels.
A Chinese container feeder has been fitted with a truck-mounted catapult designed to launch combat drones, marking a significant advancement in the adaptation of merchant vessels for military purposes, according to reports from Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive.
The vessel, Zhong Da 79, garnered attention last month when it was spotted in Shanghai with 60 missile launch tubes on deck, indicating its potential conversion into an arsenal ship.
Recent images reveal that most of the vertical launch cells have been removed and replaced with a mobile launch rail system mounted on high-mobility trucks, with a single drone fighter positioned on the rail.
This innovative system first appeared at the pier in late December, while radar units and close-in weapons systems remain installed on the vessel.
The launch track measures approximately 120-150 feet, reflecting the ship's limited deck space. Larger vessels could potentially accommodate more modular launch trucks and facilitate a broader deployment of this concept.
Chinese aerospace firms have developed a variety of fighter drones for naval aviation, which are already integrated into the planning of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy). Analysts noted that the demonstration aboard Zhong Da 79 provided significant publicity for these advancements.
