China has allegedly taken over the US in the development of a state-of-the-art new stealth aircraft, a report from the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reveals.
A newly published paper claims Beijing is one step ahead of Washington in developing the next generation of stealth drones.
China’s drones, called dual synthetic jets, rely on eliminating
traditional control surfaces, such as flaps and tail fins to reduce
radar reflections and thermal signatures. The country has tested these
aircraft in real-world conditions. The US is developing similar
technologies, but these are still in the concept phase.
China’s next-gen stealth drones
China’s next-generation stealth drones replace traditional control
surfaces with fluidic systems. These steer jets using precise air
pulses, enabling greater stealth and higher fuel efficiency.
According to the SCMP report, the Pentagon recognized the need for fluidic systems early on. However, DARPA only greenlit its own X-65 program in 2023 to develop and validate the technology.
DARPA, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, is responsible
for stealth jets and GPS. The US agency is known for developing
world-leading defense innovations. However, according to the new report,
China has overtaken it when it comes to fluidic systems, which are also
known as CRANE (Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel
Effectors).
According to a paper by Professor Luo Zhenbing with China’s National
University of Defence Technology (NUDT), the US’s X-65 program is years
behind China’s operational systems. The paper, published in last month’s
Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica journal, states that China was already testing a CRANE aircraft in 2021, while the US was still drawing up concepts.
China’s systems use DSJ, or dual synthetic jet, technology. This
generates a pulse of air by vibrating ceramic plates in wing
compartments. The DSJ units use two chambers that pulse alternately,
reducing stress and preventing these breakdowns. DARPA’s designs,
meanwhile, use single air chambers, which are prone to breakdown.
According to NUDT, the dual-chamber design prevents pressure damage
during dives. It can even enable underwater use. Using the technology, a
submersible drone could suddenly rise from the sea and start flying.
China’s NUDT allegedly overtakes DARPA
Aside from being ahead in the development timeline, Luo and his
colleagues also claim China’s technology has broader applications than
DARPA’s X-65. It is also more energy efficient and will have a longer
operational lifespan.
Luo’s paper states that DSJ units last three times as long as the US’s equivalent while using half the energy.
It’s worth noting, of course, that DARPA’s technology is in the early
development phase. This means comparisons between the two technologies
won’t reflect the finished models.
China’s first DSJ-controlled drones – fixed-wing UAVs – took flight
in 2021. In 2023, NUDT engineers started testing DSJ-controlled
flying-wing drones. By contrast, DARPA’s X-65 program is still in the
concept stage and no flight tests have taken place. That is, at least
according to publicly available information.
The US’s big-tail drone, designed to validate fluidic controls for
the US Air Force’s secretive Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD)
fighter, is expected to make its debut flight this year.