I know the chances are very low but IF this is a bomber then the first thought that comes to my mind was that stealth striker model that popped up a couple of years ago, and since we have no idea what happened to that project there might be a (very small) chance that it is that striker.Deino posted the link in the Chinese Aviation Industry thread and ask for a translation already. I just posted a short translation there.
This the first flight of certain type of plane since transferred to the test flight center. This plane's mission profile is special and the flying style is also unique, flight speed and heigh of this plane exceeding all other test planes since the inception of this flight test center.
The difficulty of this flight test mission is extremly high, but preparation time is short that put heavy pressure on this project and team. The flight test center achieved a breakthrough in the field of hypersonic flight.
And the plane color is dark. Maybe some kind of Chinese new hypersonic high attitude reconnaissance plane or bomber? Or hypersonic high attitude UAV... but then the article did mention pilots. I hope it was my avatar's first flight. It might be bigger news than 2016.
Chinese Hypersonic Developments (HGVs/HCMs)
- Thread starter A.Man
- Start date
My bet is that this is a test design, not a production design. It may have no assigned role other than to push the frontiers of manned hypersonic flight.
Interesting.
The US has been working with hypersonic designs for a long time...and testing several of them.
I know China has tested Hypersonic aircraft over the last few years as well.
On 2004, the US successfully tested the experimental X-43 ramjet/scramjet aircraft developed with NASA. The aircraft was attached to a Pegasus booster and then attached to a B-52 fro flight tests.
In the fall of 2004, three test flights were conducted.
First pic is of the B-52 taking off with the Pegasus booster under one wing and the X-43 there on the end of the booster:
The second pic is of the B-52 in flight with the Pegasus and X-43
3rd picture shows the B-52 dropping the Booster and X-43 away from the aircraft.
4th picture is the Pegasus booster igniting with the X-43 on the end.
5th picture is the Pegasus booster accelerating away from the B-52
Ultimately, the Pegasus booster releases the X-43 and falls away and the ramjet/scramjet activates, powering the aircraft into Hypersonic flight.
In these tests the X-43 achieved Mach 8.63
Here's how the X-43 looks alone:
See my
.
Skywatcher
Captain
My first thought is that its a Mach 3.0-4.0 recon/strike platform (the YJ-12 already acheives Mach 3+ speeds, though that begs the question about solid vs liquid fuels), but it could be much much more.
If this is a hypersonic plane, then maybe we won't have to hear that tripe about "China can't make engines" anymore.
If this is a hypersonic plane, then maybe we won't have to hear that tripe about "China can't make engines" anymore.
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
Looking forward to your article on this.
Skywatcher
Captain
We'll see how much it pans out. It almost sounds too good to be true, but China has surprised us plenty of times before.
yeah i'd wait until we get more solid confirmation, or even a picture. don't want to to jump the gun too mjuch
My guess is we won't see anything for a very long time...
Skywatcher
Captain
It certainly does.
Now if this does pan out, it might explain why SAC built a mockup of the JH-XX (there's a photo of the J-15 designer inspecting a large, black painted mockup) but didn't go any further with it. After all, if you had the J-20 coming down the pipeline ten years later, you wouldn't really invest resources in a twin engined J-10.