Chengdu WZ-7 Xianglong ("Soaring Dragon") joined-wing UAV/UCAV

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Interesting. The supporting structure seems to be covered in pyramids of RAM, which would support some kind of RF apertures test. +1 to Quellish so far.

 

[rousseau]

Did you guys notice that joint wing merely a model maybe by wood, there is no undercarrage there... ...

 

[Blitzo]

Did you guys notice that joint wing merely a model maybe by wood, there is no undercarrage there... ...

The lack of/retractged undercarriage could be due to the aircraft being tested for rcs or other kinds of testing.

We don't really know if it's real or just a really accurate mock up.

 

[Deino]

IMO a real one esp. regarding the air-data-probe.

A simple mck-up or one to test the systems would not reqire that.

 

[LowObservable]

It could be gear-up but supported at the gear attachment points.

Phantom Works, back in the 1990s, had a compact RCS range that operated in the near-field. The same technology has been used for in-field verification (for repairs, for example). Looks like that's what's happening here.

 

[sferrin]

I must admit, I'm a bit envious of Chinese aerospace these days. It seems they've been given the mandate of "move us forward ASAP" with a minimum of bureaucratic nonsense to slow them down. Makes me think of the US back in the 60s. :'(

 

[Deino]

Latest photo ... first flight is rumoured to be soon !

Deino

 

[Blitzo]

Actually deino, china defense blog said xianglong made its first flight in late 2009...

http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2009/11/xianglong-uav-conductes-its-maiden.html

 

[Deino]

Actually deino, china defense blog said xianglong made its first flight in late 2009...

http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2009/11/xianglong-uav-conductes-its-maiden.html

Actually I don't know, and even if I remember that report, I think these were mixed with the smaller one ("Sky Wing" aka mini-Global Hawk UAV http://www.china-defense.com/smf/index.php?topic=5724.20) ??

I can't think that the first flight of this huge UAV would have been missed by any spotter.

Deino

 

[Deino]

Here's an interesting video on the "Soaring Dragon" UAV ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQqefi9ShRM&feature=player_embedded
(or: http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?205018-China-s-new-UAV) ... sadly not available in Germany because of some music-gema-problems

.... or here:

http://top81.jschina.com.cn/top81bbs/thread.php?cid=1&rootid=3400319&id=3400319


Deino

 

[Blitzo]

Big plane, looks around the size of RQ-4. This thing obviously isn't meant to be a "village hawk".

 

[donnage99]

Looks bigger than an RQ-4 to me.

 

[Grey Havoc]

I would suspect it's intended to support PLAN operations.

 

[Deino]

some nice large photos ... but seem to be older ones !

¶¦Ê¢ÂÛ̳ ¾üÊÂÌìµØ ÏèÁúUVA½Øͼ

Deino

 

[Michel Van]

let see on Reaction in Pentagon and Capitol Hill
On China newest Aircrafts developments

pure panic...

 

[sferrin]

let see on Reaction in Pentagon and Capitol Hill
On China newest Aircrafts developments

pure panic...

You give them too much credit. They'd have to recognize it's significance for there to be any concern.

 

[AAAdrone]

let see on Reaction in Pentagon and Capitol Hill
On China newest Aircrafts developments

pure panic...

You give them too much credit. They'd have to recognize it's significance for there to be any concern.

I'm thinking the usual response from Congress and the pentagon is that they've "been monitoring the situation for some time" and that "any advancements the Chinese make is not surprising and was expected." :

 

[Deino]

Last images ....

 

[GTX]

It is certainly an attractive looking design.

 

[Sundog]

Oh Noes, China has a UAV looking airplane that hasn't flown, isn't operational, but the sky must be falling. Some times you guys are really silly.

Though, as GTX said, that joined wing design is nice looking.

 

[Steve Pace]

That thing is huge, it is bomber-sized. -SP

 

[chuck4]

2 observations:

1. That thing doesn't seem to have deployed its landing gears, and appears to be proped up very high on big piles of blocks positioned where a set of bicycle landing gears like those of the B-52 could conceivably be. But it would be odd if the real landing gears are this tall.

2. The wings seem very thin. What kind of airfoil could that be? Certainly no landing gear is going fit in that wing. If the thing has bicycle gears, where are the outriggers?

My conclusion is whatever is in the photo is not an real flying article. It's more likely a mockup for some sort of fit check.

 

[bipa]

Some sort of EMC testing going on (maybe lightning indirect effects, or HIRF ?).
They did similar kind of testing with the J-20 just few days or weeks before its first flight.

 

[Deino]

That thing is huge, it is bomber-sized. -SP

YES .... via http://www.top81.cn/top81bbs/thread.php?cid=1&rootid=4764083&id=4764083

 

[2IDSGT]

I top-view rendering I found from 2011 (apologies if it's already been posted elsewhere).

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

That thing is huge, it is bomber-sized. -SP

YES .... via http://www.top81.cn/top81bbs/thread.php?cid=1&rootid=4764083&id=4764083

Very nice pics, missed this post. Triangular exhaust nozzle - shape is interesting.

 

[GTX]

This is an extremely attractive looking design.

 

[chuck4]

It seems to my eyes that this UAV has rather low wing span and small overall wing area for a high altitude, long endurance aircraft.

 

[saintkatanalegacy]

^Wing tip devices for shorter wingspan

 

[Trident]

It seems to my eyes that this UAV has rather low wing span and small overall wing area for a high altitude, long endurance aircraft.

Direct result of its wing configuration. As the two wings are effectively act as structural braces to one another their chord can be much narrower than usual, resulting in a shorter span for the same or higher area and aspect ratio. Span itself is irrelevant.

 

[AeroFranz]

Given how one of the wings is in the low position, there must be an outrigger somewhere. Otherwise a crabbed landing will inevitably scrape a tip. Either that or a REALLY stalky fuselage landing gear. No obvious place where the outriggers would fold, my guess is a strong attachment point could be found at the joined wing intersection, which is also sufficiently far out spanwise to be effective.
Droppable pogoes a la U-2 seem unlikely...

my .02.

 

[Deino]

It seems as Chengdu's stealty UAV has started with its taxi-tests !!!

http://www.fyjs.cn/bbs/htm_data/27/0810/159906.html

Cheers, Deino

And now similar to the joined wing UAV it seems as here is a version II of the Sky Wing ! ... seen at CAC this morning.

Deino

 

[Deino]

And now similar to the joined wing UAV it seems as here is a version II of the Sky Wing ! ... seen at CAC this morning.

Deino

I just noticed that the revised Soaring Dragon II is missing in this tread ... here it is !

 

[AeroFranz]

Given how one of the wings is in the low position, there must be an outrigger somewhere. Otherwise a crabbed landing will inevitably scrape a tip. Either that or a REALLY stalky fuselage landing gear. No obvious place where the outriggers would fold, my guess is a strong attachment point could be found at the joined wing intersection, which is also sufficiently far out spanwise to be effective.
Droppable pogoes a la U-2 seem unlikely...

my .02.

I stand corrected! thanks for posting the pictures. Crabbed landings are still going to be tough, but looking at the pictures it doesn't look like the geometry is any worse than an MQ-4 Triton...

 

[donnage99]

are soaring dragon and sky wing interally competing designs for the same mission or meant to fill 2 different missions?

 

[LowObservable]

Please pass my thanks on to whoever put the truck in that photo.

 

[Deino]

Please pass my thanks on to whoever put the truck in that photo.

May I ask why ? ... For a better size-comparison ?

 

[Deino]

Sorry ... I did not notice Your PM before I posted !

By the way I found this interesting "fan-art" made by a very talented CG-artist, who took my CA-report and did his one (IMO much better one !) ... however I think it is indeed a bit smaller than a Global Hawk.

Deino

 

[AeroFranz]

Good looking model - the specifications look a bit fanciful, though. A T/W of .56 on a parsimonious HALE seems doubtful.

 

[LowObservable]

0.56 would be an 9300 lb st engine - not, therefore, a trainer engine but a non-reheat WP-13-based turbojet (that is, R-11/13 ancestry). The inlet size is not far out of line with such an engine. However, I think the weight is far on the low side - wing area and length are both close to G-Hawk. The jet's SFC is not good - but it's better suited to high altitude and can provide more electrical power.