According to the South China Morning Post, China has reportedly succeeded in testing a new aircraft that combines a stealth fighter with two detachable drones. This innovative design was demonstrated at an airport located at the southern edge of the Mu Us Desert in Ningxia, northwestern China. However, no photos of this aircraft have been obtained.
The stealth fighter, equipped with a twin-engine turbofan and an integrated fuselage with delta wings, executed a maneuver during the test flight. Segments of each wing detached from the main aircraft, transforming into two “flying wing” drones powered by electric fans. This information should be taken with caution as no images of this event have yet been shared.
However, Chinese media continue to explain the test proceedings: “Despite a brief jolt caused by the sudden reduction in wing area and the shift in the aircraft’s center of gravity, both the fighter and the drones quickly stabilized, demonstrating the effectiveness of the aerodynamic design and automatic control algorithms.”
According to Du Xin, a senior engineer at the Aeronautical Technology Institute of the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center (CARDC), this successful test flight validates a new concept for the next-generation fighter of the Chinese Air Force. The design represents an advanced mode of collaborative manned/unmanned combat, integrating multiple aircraft with different functions for coordinated flight.