At the Changchun Air Show, a mysterious flying-wing drone from the Chinese Academy of Sciences made a stunning debut, drawing widespread attention from the international military community. This drone not only once again proved that China has made remarkable progress in flying-wing drone technology, but also prompted some Western media to exclaim that China has surpassed the United States in stealth aviation and is now leading the way.
For a long time, the flying-wing design has been considered the ideal form of future stealth aircraft due to its excellent stealth capabilities and aerodynamic efficiency. However, its complex design and control technology were once a major challenge for countries around the world. Not long ago, the United States was regarded as the absolute leader in the flying-wing field, thanks to its technical accumulation on the B-2 bomber and the RQ-170 "Sentinel" drone.
But now, the situation has changed dramatically. The flying-wing drone from the Chinese Academy of Sciences at the Changchun Air Show is just a glimpse of China's explosive development in flying-wing technology. In recent years, from the brief appearance of the "Lijian" attack-11 drone during a military parade, to the satellite images capturing a large flying-wing drone, to the test prototype displayed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the development of China's flying-wing drones has shown a "flowering everywhere" trend. This indicates that related technologies are no longer exclusive secrets of a few major aerospace companies, but are gradually permeating into a broader range of research institutions and enterprises.
Western media pointed out that the speed and diversity of China's flying-wing drone development are astonishing. In contrast to the U.S. abandoning similar designs years ago, China's flying-wing technology has already made a leap from experiments to practical applications. The development of the carrier-based variant of the attack-11 and the test flight of the large flying-wing drone indicate that China is now at the forefront of stealth technology and unmanned combat equipment.
This situation of continuous popularization and mass emergence of the technology is precisely an embodiment of the increasing perfection and maturity of China's aerospace industry system. It means that the design, manufacturing, and control technology of the flying-wing configuration have been effectively popularized and mastered. This not only greatly shortens the R&D cycle of new products but also reduces costs, ultimately achieving the "vegetableization" of the technology, making the flying-wing configuration no longer an unattainable "luxury", but rather a "daily necessity" that can be mass-produced and equipped.
The Changchun Air Show is not only a major aviation event for the local government, but also an important window to showcase the strength of China's aerospace industry. This air show was fully launched for the first time at the Changchun International Aviation Expo City, including theme parks and other facilities, highlighting China's ambition in the field of aviation. On September 3rd, the Beijing military parade saw the appearance of new unmanned fighter jets like the attack-11, which caught the world's attention. The new flying-wing drone at the Changchun Air Show further reinforced China's leading position in this field.
Although this flying-wing drone from the Chinese Academy of Sciences is a test prototype, its rivets and seams are not yet perfect, but its core design concept is thought-provoking. This design cleverly integrates the engine inlet and exhaust port into the fuselage, aiming to minimize the radar cross-section and achieve omnidirectional stealth. This is completely different from the traditional fighter jet's approach, which focuses on stealth on the nose and sides.
More notably, the application prospects of the flying-wing configuration in transporters and early warning aircraft are becoming increasingly clear. Flying-wing transporters, with their efficient aerodynamic layout and larger internal space, can significantly enhance payload capacity and range; while flying-wing early warning aircraft can integrate stealth design with advanced radar systems, achieving stronger battlefield situational awareness while reducing the risk of detection.
This comprehensive flying-wing trend heralds multi-dimensional advantages for China's aerospace industry in future battlefields. It is foreseeable that China will have more and more aerospace platforms adopting the flying-wing aerodynamic layout in the future.
This is not limited to drones, but may also include manned fighters, unmanned fighters, unmanned bombers, manned bombers, and even transporters and early warning aircraft. If these combat platforms are equipped with omnidirectional stealth technology, they will have significant advantages on the future battlefield, achieving the goal of detecting and attacking the enemy first.
Western media felt "broken" because they had to admit that China has become the global leader in flying-wing stealth technology, having overtaken the United States. This shift from a follower to a leader not only reflects the strength of China's aerospace industry, but also shows a deep understanding of the future air combat model.
The "smaller version of the H-20" at the Changchun Air Show is not an isolated event, but an important milestone in China's aerospace industry moving towards the "flying-wing era." As more details are revealed, we have every reason to believe that China is leading a new revolution in aviation technology.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7552160904025080361/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author and welcomes you to express your opinion through the 【top/foot】 button below.