Lighter, simpler, faster: could this thrust device give Chinese drones an edge over F-35s?
An aerodynamic tail nozzle designed in Nanjing proves its mettle in a high-subsonic speed drone test
In a world first, Chinese researchers have flight-tested new streamlined thrust technology in a high-speed drone, capping nearly two decades of research in the area for the lead scientist.
The lighter and simpler aerodynamic thrust vectoring system abandons the complex mechanical parts of elite fighter jets like the F-35B and Su-37 to redirect engine exhaust to make the aircraft more manoeuverable.
Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics announced last month that a team led by Professor Xu Jinglei succeeded in its flight test of an aerodynamic thrust vectoring nozzle on a high-subsonic speed drone.
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The PLA has also been retrofitting outdated aircraft to act as uncrewed drones, with both militaries unveiling similar systems within a month of each other last year.
It was one of the key products introduced at this week’s Singapore Airshow by Sikorsky, a US helicopter maker and subsidiary of aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.
Frank Crisafulli, director of global pursuits at Sikorsky and a former Marine Corps helicopter pilot, said the driver for U-Hawk demand in the Asia-Pacific could be seen “geopolitically” – from the “perception of what the threat is in the region”.
The UH-60 Black Hawk is a medium-lift military utility helicopter, first designed by Sikorsky in the 1970s for the US Army.
