American Think Tank: China's First Tiltrotor Aircraft Is in Testing

Tiltrotor aircraft combine the vertical takeoff, hover, and vertical landing capabilities of helicopters, but offer the longer range, faster speed, and more fuel-efficient performance of turboprop aircraft.

For over a decade, China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) has been developing a tiltrotor aircraft similar to the Bell Boeing V-22 "Osprey" or the Bell V-280 "Valor". This aircraft, called "Blue Whale", was first introduced as a concept verification project in 2013 and made an appearance at the 2022 Zhuhai Airshow.

These efforts have finally paid off, with the first prototype recently completing its maiden flight and reportedly undergoing further testing.

Photos of this unnamed aircraft have circulated on social media. However, it is currently unclear when these photos were taken or when they were first posted online.

What is a tiltrotor aircraft?

Tiltrotor aircraft combine the vertical takeoff, hover, and vertical landing capabilities of helicopters, but offer the greater range, faster speed, and more fuel-efficient characteristics of turboprop aircraft. As vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, they can take off and land on facilities lacking traditional runways, such as helicopter carriers.

After taking off, the aircraft transitions from vertical flight to horizontal flight by rotating the propellers. The engine nacelles of the V-22 (including the engines and propeller groups on each wing) rotate to the front position. However, the design of the Chinese version is closer to the V-280 than the V-22, as its engines remain fixed while the rotors and drive shafts transition from vertical to horizontal flight.

This technology is inherently more complex than standard helicopters. The V-22 "Osprey" tiltrotor has been controversial due to several fatal crashes that resulted in the deaths of U.S. military personnel. The issues were traced back to clutch-related problems that occurred within seconds of takeoff.

Despite the problems with the Osprey, Beijing has shown interest in this type of aircraft, which can be used for disaster relief, cargo drops, search and rescue, and other non-military purposes. However, it is not difficult to imagine that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) would benefit from having such an aircraft, which could rapidly deploy troops during island invasions, including those targeting the Taiwan Strait.

Tiltrotor aircraft can quickly deploy forces in areas without runways or where beach access is limited—areas common in Taiwan. Using tiltrotor aircraft in cross-strait invasions would allow Beijing to avoid capturing key airfields that are major choke points. Additionally, the aircraft could also supply invading forces while conducting other operations, including anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions.

What We Know About China's New Aircraft

China and AVIC have not publicly commented on the "Blue Whale" aircraft, but it is reported that the prototype featured in online posts has straight wings with a drive shaft. According to Defense Blog, this allows both rotors to be driven by a single engine in the event of an engine failure. In addition, like the V-280 "Valor" tiltrotor, this Chinese tiltrotor also features retractable tricycle landing gear. However, unlike the "Valor" tiltrotor, this aircraft uses a T-tail design.

The aircraft developed by AVIC is also smaller than the V-22, and is believed to be comparable in size to the Italian-made AW609, which can carry up to 12 passengers. This aircraft is about half the size of the Osprey, so its utility is relatively limited—but for Beijing, it may be a concept validation, as Beijing is seeking to develop a more powerful tiltrotor aircraft.

China has heavily publicized the performance of its UR6000 tiltrotor UAV, the first tiltrotor UAV released last autumn. It is reported that this UAV can carry up to 2,000 kilograms of cargo, with a range of 1,500 kilometers, and can be used for civil and military purposes. Although this UAV cannot carry troops, it can help the Chinese military transport supplies when establishing beachheads. It is reported that the UAV's range covers most of the Western Pacific, not only covering the Taiwan area, but also the U.S. military bases in Japan and South Korea, which are within its firing range.

Sources: The National Interest

Author: Peter Suciu

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841022780770312/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author.