SOURCE: MAHESH SHETTI / FOR MY TAKE / IDRW.ORG
Chinese gyrocopter Hunting Eagle for PLA special forces was recently sported when PLA was carrying out military exercises near LOC and Tibetian plateau. Usually, a military Gyrocopter is used by the Special Forces Operations for deploying soldiers behind the enemy line. This military Gyrocopter has been specially designed for high-altitude operations and has a claimed range of 690 kilometers and can touch a ceiling of 5,300 meters with a takeoff weight of 560 kilograms.
Hunting Eagle gyrocopter can operate in temperatures as low as minus 36 C and recent images can be seen with two light air to surface antiarmor missiles that are usually seen on the smaller UAVs. Chinese OSNIT members claim that the small dimensions and low-flying ability keep it from being detected easily and are much better than helicopter insertion to carry out military operations behind the enemy lines. Some claim it was developed for low-level insertion into the island of Taiwan which lies barely 160km away from mainland China.
Manufacturers of the Hunting Eagle gyrocopter claim that it can also glide for complete noise-less insertion if the engine power is cut out for a few minutes in the flight and can also operate at night with the help of night vision devices. The program began as a platform that can be used by Government agencies for traffic observation duties, and search and rescue coordination but the first military variant was developed in 2016 and since then many changes have been made so that it can operate even in hostile terrains like seen near Line of control.
While the mainstream Indian defense analysts have not picked up on it but the reaction of the Indian OSNIT community had a hilarious take on its utility and how Chinese forces could be sitting ducks. But small section did make some wonder if due to low flying capabilities and very less radar cross section if forward radars may or may not be able to pick them up in time. since this is being used primarily by Chinese special forces they might have carried out validation of many tactics which they might use for successful operations.