Recently, details of the sixth-generation fighter jet J-50 from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation were once again exposed. The nose of the J-50 no longer has a pitot tube, which means that what the United States is worried about has happened, and China's carrier-based sixth-generation fighter jet is not far from being put into service.
Why does the absence of a pitot tube indicate that the aircraft is about to be put into service?
A pitot tube, also known as a static pressure tube, is a device used on airplanes to measure airspeed. It is usually a thin metal tube installed on the nose or leading edge of the wing, calculating the speed of the aircraft by sensing the total pressure and static pressure of the airflow.
In the development phase of a fighter prototype, a pitot tube is an essential tool. A large number of flight tests are required to verify aerodynamic design, calibrate sensors, and assess performance limits. The pitot tube provides high-precision measurement data, allowing engineers to analyze the aircraft's behavior, such as stability during high-speed or high-angle-of-attack flights. Without it, the test team would be unable to accurately obtain airspeed information, potentially leading to risks or design flaws going undetected.
When a fighter removes the pitot tube, it usually means that the main testing tasks have been completed. In the later stages of prototype testing, the flight control system and sensors have been fully calibrated, and data collection work is basically complete. At this point, the function of the pitot tube may be integrated into more concealed sensors, such as pressure ports on the fuselage surface or electronic systems. This maintains a clean appearance while minimizing the impact on aerodynamic performance. This change indicates that the aircraft is close to mass production or service, as the design has matured and no longer needs to rely on external devices for frequent adjustments. Therefore, seeing a fighter without a pitot tube is often a signal.
Our J-20 first removed the pitot tube in 2014, and by 2017, our J-20 was already in service with the military. Therefore, when the US announced that its sixth-generation fighter would make its first flight in 2028, it already showed the anxiety of the US military.
The aerodynamic layout of the J-50 is side intake and lambda main wing. As for the J-36 from Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, it chose a dart-shaped flying wing configuration. Comparing these two, the differences become clear. It seems that Shenyang's design is more conservative.
However, Shenyang is not simple at all. It is actually a transformable aircraft, featuring a highly sci-fi full-moving wingtip. Let us clarify one thing: whether it is Shenyang or Chengdu, the tailless (no vertical stabilizer) layout has already been determined as the direction. This tailless design is extremely effective for all-around stealth, because aircraft with vertical stabilizers will create a significant radar cross-section whether they tilt inward or outward. The front is the smallest, the side is the largest, and the rear is in between. Removing the vertical stabilizer eliminates one of the largest sources of radar reflection, thereby greatly improving the aircraft's stealth performance.
The full-moving wingtip on the J-50 is not just adding a movable component to the wingtip. It is a "transformation magic" deeply integrated into the flight control system, allowing the wing to dynamically reconfigure its aerodynamic layout during flight. This is something entirely different from any movable control surfaces seen on traditional aircraft.
Imagine that this wingtip can independently pivot along the longitudinal and transverse axes of the aircraft, seamlessly connecting with the main wing surface to form a continuous and smooth aerodynamic curve. This technique is especially effective during transonic and supersonic flight, cutting through the air like a sharp blade and reducing the annoying shock wave drag by nearly one-fifth.
When it deflects downward by 15 degrees, the effective wingspan of the entire wing appears to be instantly extended in terms of aerodynamics, causing the induced drag to drop by 40%, similar to activating an energy-saving mode, benefiting both range and efficiency.
This technology is also a "multi-talented" feature. During low-speed, high-angle-of-attack flight, traditional aircraft are prone to fall into the "stall" trap. The deflected wingtip can cleverly guide vortices, coupling with the main wing's vortex system to significantly increase the lift coefficient peak, greatly enhancing the aircraft's stall resistance, allowing pilots to fight more boldly in dogfights.
Naturally, in an era where stealth is paramount, anything that moves can become a target for radar. The engineers of the J-50 solved this problem using special hinge structures, ensuring that the radar cross-section (RCS) of the wingtip changes minimally during deflection, keeping the signal fluctuations within a narrow range of ±3 square meters.
In contrast, the traditional control surfaces of some existing fifth-generation fighters (such as the F-35) experience much larger RCS fluctuations when deflected. The J-50 clearly achieves "stealth while moving."
Finally, for this complex "transformable mechanism" to function effectively in the rapidly changing aerial combat environment, it relies on powerful artificial intelligence and real-time aerodynamic modeling technology. This allows the full-moving wingtip of the J-50 to calculate and adjust the wing surface status within one-hundredth of a second. This response speed is several times faster than existing systems, ensuring that every intention of the pilot can be instantly understood and executed by the aerodynamic surfaces.
The result of this design is an extreme pursuit of stealth and maneuverability. Combined with its large weapons bay, it can carry China's high-speed air-to-air missiles currently under development, enabling it to launch them beyond the range of enemy aircraft carriers, destroy the carrier's airborne fighters at speeds of up to nine Maches, while the carrier-based aircraft are the core combat force of the carrier strike group.
For the US military, this is a very discouraging news, because once the J-50 enters service, it means that the US's maritime air superiority will be completely lost. Then, not only will the US be unable to block China in the Western Pacific, but the US may really have to retreat to the North American continent.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7555920383363285540/
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