Recently, a set of photos showing the test flight of China's new generation of large stealth aircraft has sparked heated discussions on social media. The aircraft is extremely large, with a wingspan comparable to that of the U.S. B-2 stealth bomber. It adopts a typical flying wing overall layout and features a split rudder similar to that of the B-2 "Spirit" stealth strategic bomber. Some people have thus speculated that it might be an improved version of the H-20 bomber.
Many netizens have directly called it "Rainbow-7." However, military media such as the "War Zone" website's "Driven" column have repeatedly published articles to correct this, stating that it is a large stealth drone with significant origins, significantly different from the Rainbow-7 drone. From multiple key indicators, it is closer to the U.S. RQ-180 stealth reconnaissance drone, which has a maximum flight altitude of 18,000 meters, a maximum endurance of 24 hours, and a maximum range of 20,000 kilometers. It also possesses full-direction wide-band stealth capabilities.
To clarify the identity of this new drone that has just made its maiden flight, we need to first look at the well-known Rainbow-7. As a domestically produced stealth drone with more public information, the Rainbow-7 adopts a flying wing layout, with a blended wing-body design. It has ailerons, flaps, and a so-called "beaver tail" serrated horizontal stabilizer from the wingtip to the tail. This "beaver tail" is no ordinary feature; it can counteract turbulence caused by vertical winds during low-altitude flight and shorten the takeoff roll distance.
The Rainbow-7 has a smooth and elegant appearance, with a simple and bright overall design. Its body surface uses stealth coating, and the engine is located above the fuselage, with a semi-hidden exhaust nozzle. In addition, the stealth treatment of all inspection panels, landing gear doors, and weapon bays gives the Rainbow-7 drone excellent low detectability. According to official statements, the Rainbow-7 drone can conduct continuous covert reconnaissance in high-contested environments and guide long-range weapons, significantly enhancing the PLA's information warfare efficiency.
However, the newly tested large stealth drone is fundamentally different from the Rainbow-7. The most obvious difference lies in the aerodynamic layout. Because the Rainbow-7 adopts a back-mounted air intake, there is a noticeable protrusion from the nose to the tail. In contrast, the new drone appears much flatter. Even considering the shooting angle, this design difference is enough to indicate that the developers have refined its stealth and flight performance to the utmost extent.
Regarding China's new generation of large stealth drones, the "Driven" website stated that the primary difference between the two lies in the aerodynamic layout. By comparison, due to the adoption of a back-mounted air intake, the Rainbow-7 has a protruding structure from the nose to the tail. In contrast, the former is much flatter. Of course, the shooting angle should be taken into account, but regardless, these details reflect the designers' emphasis on the drone's stealth and flight performance.
The way of heading control also has its secrets. Currently, it is not clear which type of control surface the Rainbow-7 uses, but the new drone shows a split rudder similar to that of the U.S. B-2 stealth bomber. This type of drag-based control surface is usually installed in the middle and rear sections of the wing, providing reliable yaw control for tailless flying wing aircraft. The long-term practical application of the B-2 bomber has proven its applicability. The choice of this design by the new drone clearly indicates a balance between stealth and control stability.
The difference in wing span is even more direct. After improvements, the wing span of the Rainbow-7 is 27.3 meters, while the wing span of the new drone is estimated to reach 51.8 meters, which is very close to the 52.4 meters of the U.S. B-2 stealth bomber and significantly wider than the 40-meter wing span of the U.S. RQ-180 drone. A larger wing span means stronger lift and endurance, laying the foundation for its execution of long-range missions.
The difference in engine configuration directly affects the performance ceiling of an aircraft. The Rainbow-7 is equipped with a medium-thrust turbofan engine, and it may also be upgraded in the future. However, based on the test flight photos, the new drone may be equipped with two turbofan engines. If this speculation is correct, its range, operational radius, and loiter time could be several times that of the Rainbow-7, and its mission focus may shift from reconnaissance to more complex fields such as long-range attacks and ground strikes.
Even the retraction method of the landing gear is completely different. The main landing gear of the Rainbow-7 retracts inward, while the new drone retracts outward. The "Driven" website analyzed that this design difference indicates that the new drone needs to carry more mission payloads, and it may also have an internal weapon bay. If this is true, its combat value will be further enhanced.
At this point, it is necessary to mention the U.S. RQ-180 drone. This stealth reconnaissance drone adopts a tailless flying wing layout, with the fuselage composed of a large sweepback center body and a thin, long aspect ratio outer wing. Through optimized design, the radar cross-section has been greatly reduced, and its stealth performance even exceeds that of the F-22 and F-35. China's new drone is gradually approaching the RQ-180 in terms of technical performance and tactical positioning.
The "Driven" website temporarily refers to this new drone as WZ-X, believing it to be another major achievement after the Wu Zhen-7/8/10. More importantly, the website speculates that the development of this new drone may accumulate experience for future equipment such as the H-20. In core areas such as stealth design and flight control systems, its technological verification value may be more profound than its own combat capability.
From the continuous evolution of the Rainbow series to the quiet emergence of the new generation of large stealth drones, the development trajectory of China's drones is becoming increasingly clear. Not only pursuing single performance breakthroughs, but also moving towards systematization and high-end. This new drone that has sparked heated discussions may be another testament to China's aviation industry achieving a "corner-cutting" advantage in the field of stealth unmanned equipment.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7541194729040413223/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking the [top/minus] button below.