Weaponry that makes China's formidable 'mothership' drone such a threat

China is 'levelling up' its military capabilities with a new drone 'mothership' that can strike anywhere in the region set to take flight very soon.

The country's national broadcaster has touted the aircraft as a 'game changer' - something that could pose a threat to the UK, US and the rest of the world.

The Jiu Tian drone, built by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China, has a wingspan of 82 feet and runs on a turbofan engine.

It has a maximum range of 4,350 miles, as well as a 15km ceiling, while it can exceed 435mph. Yet what sets it apart the most is its ability to launch smaller drones mid-flight from both sides of its fuselage.

Not only does the weapon boast swarm-launching, but has a host of other capabilites as well. These include the ability to arm itself with air-to-air, anti-ship and air-to-ground missiles, as well as 1,000kg/2,200lb guided bombs.

It is also extremely flexible. The drone's payloads can be swapped out in around two hours and used in different types of missions such as strike and support, emergency rescue and electronic warfare. Versatility continues with the possibility of using it as a communication relay for the smaller drones it launches, allowing them to operate well beyond their capabilities.

But the 'modern mothership' is not without its faults. Due to its sheer size, this makes it a tempting target for modern air defence systems, and even at its maximum altitude would be well within range of the likes of the U.S.'s THAAD and Patriot PAC-3, Taiwan's Sky Bow III, Japan's Aegis BMD, and South Korea's KM-SAM Block II.

Speaking to Newsweek, Tom Shugart, Archer Strategic Consulting and athe Center for a New American Security's Defense Program, said: "I certainly think it's an interesting concept, but given that the "mothership" drone doesn't appear to be particularly stealthy, with micro-drones that seem likely to have a fairly short range, I imagine in a high-end fight it could be subject to destruction by enemy aircraft or air defenses before it got close enough to release those drones. Definitely worth keeping an eye on its development, though."

According to reports, the Jiu Tian drone is expected to take its first test flight at the end of June.

This advancement is yet another sign of The People's Liberation Army's rapid build-up of its military capabilities as they hope to take the US's place as the leading power in the Asia-Pacific.

Not only does it now operate more warships than the US Navy, but with a growing missile and drone fleet, as well as their continued investment in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and swarm technologies, China are well and truly making their bid to become the world's sole superpower.