Chinese scientists are working on technology as impressive as it is risky: allow a sixth generation fighter airplane, J-36, to land safely on an aircraft carrier … Even in the open sea. This colossal challenge may well redefine the way in which the naval powers are considering the aeronavale war in the coming decades.
A flying wing designed for stealth
The J-36 is not a plane like the others. It is distinguished by its triangular shape without rear impact, a configuration known as the flying wing, which considerably reduces its radar signature. Its design even evokes a ginkgo leaf according to some observers.
With three engines (a rarity for modern hunters), the J-36 promises an exceptional thrust and a significant load capacity over long distances. According to estimates, it could measure about 23 meters long and weigh up to 54 tonnes, much more than the J-20, the current flagship of Chinese hunting aviation.
But this ultra-overctive conception has a setback: the absence of a tail makes the plane extremely difficult to control, especially during critical phases such as landing on a moving aircraft carrier.
Landing, a technological nightmare
Putting a classic plane on an aircraft carrier is already a high aerobatics exercise. But for a plane without an impact, it’s a headache. The lack of horizontal stabilizers indeed complicates control of the plate and balance. Add to that the turbulence created by the ship and the incessant movements of the bridge, and you get a first -rate aeronautical challenge.
-To meet this challenge, a team of Chinese researchers has developed a “direct force control” system, a technology borrowed from advanced robotics. This system allows real -time adjustments of the rulhes of the plane, without depending on a conventional aerodynamic database, often unsuitable in real situations.
6 -meter waves? Not even afraid
The tests carried out in simulation placed the J-36 against waves of almost six meters, reproducing extremely hostile sea conditions. Thanks to the new system, the plane managed to land precisely, despite the disruptions caused by the wake of the ship and the bridge movements.
According to the research team, this progress laid the foundations for a viable landing methodology for future hunters without tail operating from aircraft carriers. In other words, China could soon project its air power from the sea with new generation stealth aircraft.
A strategic breakthrough for China
If this project results, the J-36 could offer the Chinese navy a formidable technological superiority. Far from being a simple prototype, it embodies an ambitious vision of the aeronaval war, where stealth, maneuverability and the ability to operate from any ocean become new standards.
The sky – and the sea – are changing.
