China Equips Civilian Arsenal Container Ship with Catapults to Launch UAVs

The Chinese civilian container ship Zhong Da 79, modernized to launch missiles from containers, has received a mobile catapult to launch aircraft-type drones.

This is evidenced by photos published by Rupprecht_A on the X network.

One of the photos shows a mobile catapult consisting of four trucks. Depending on the weight of the aircraft, such a system for increasing or decreasing the total length of the launch line.

In addition, the photos show a previously unknown type of drone mounted on the catapult. It is probably a jet drone, but its exact purpose is currently difficult to determine.

At the same time, other drones were placed on the deck next to the containers, ready to be loaded.

A CH-4 drone was spotted alongside the jet models. Unlike jet models, this device uses a piston engine that runs on aviation gasoline or diesel fuel (depending on the modification).

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that China had turned a commercial 97-meter cargo ship into an arsenal ship.

On the small container-feeder ship Zhong Da 79, containerized launchers with a total volley of 60 missiles were placed. Potentially, such systems are capable of launching a wide range of weapons, including anti-ship, cruise, hypersonic and anti-aircraft missiles.