Foreign media comment on the Chinese high-LFC-16 light fighter agility
After the 2004 Zhuhai Air Show, a number of online statistics reached a surprising fact: the most attractive User eye it is not the blue sky became well-known SU-27 fighter, nor is it pretty lightweight L-15 advanced trainer, but rather bizarre appearance on stage in your air show LFC-16 high-agility fighter model.
In fact it is not just interested in China Netizen, even foreign media, this aircraft also showed some interest in the U.S., "Aviation Week and Space Technology" magazine for its evaluation: "It is confusing model" .
Yes, this aircraft will not only shape confusing, confusing numbers, and even its life experience, use all a bunch of confusing issues. So, let us approached the plane and look at history, a common theme behind these fans.
According to the official explanation of your flight, LFC-16 stands for "light (Light) fighter (Fighter) Chinese (China) -16", 16 for your flight's internal numbers.The fighter is your CSC and civil aircraft design company "super wing" companies to "Mountain Eagle" advanced trainer based on the body, using side-duck-style layout of the technical design made of lightweight fighter program of high mobility. The fighter program is characterized by: low price, high mobility, the installation of relatively simple electronic equipment, are fighting-type low-cost models at the same time have a certain-to-ground attack capability.
LFC-16 course of development
LFC-16 fighter jets can be seen the course can be traced back two years ago. As early as 2002, the Zhuhai Airshow, this aircraft will be in CY-1's number appears in front of an audience. That time, the CY-1 is a side of the body based on the J-7 duck layout highly mobile fighter program, which already has a LFC-16 fighter jets basic features: duck-style layout and side technology. According to its researchers "super wing" company presentation, CY-1 mobility will be significantly better than the J-7 series airplanes, hovering near the F-16 fighter aircraft performance. This aircraft is not visible is more a long journey, according to presentations, side technology and duck layout dates back to several decades ago, the Chinese study "carrying layout" in years (and lift layout is also part of duck-style layout one of the main fighter in order to increase the lift-drag ratio, improving the aircraft taking off and landing performance, etc.), concrete is no longer on this.
Yet, when the CY-1 completely non operational state.As we all know, developing a modern fighter aircraft need to be resolved aerodynamics, materials, engines, avionics and other range of issues, just need to spend a lot of aerodynamic studies of time and money, which is an ordinary private company could not complete the work. According to "super wing" company introduction, the early side of duck layout techniques have been adopted by Beijing Institute of Aeronautics, Air Force, and other relevant assistance, has done some hair tests, however, part of the data obtained after the plane was because there is no potential users demand for funds can not be continued to develop, so the launch of the air show to seek funding support.
Obviously, the "super wing" company finally got your Air Group's cooperation intentions. From the exterior view in 2004, appeared in front of an audience of LFC-16 fighter has had a lot of difference between CY-1.LFC-16 fighter jets of the body based on the "Mountain Eagle" advanced trainer, but will be replaced by two-seater single-seat, vertical tails, also made the top cut sharp handling, CY-1 the main characteristics of canard-layout and body side remain . LFC-16's appearance looks more coherent than the CY-1 is obviously expensive aircraft facilities and design experience have played a vital role.
So, LFC-16 in the future? Chinese Navy and Air Force will purchase such a low-cost highly mobile fighters do? Air show-related information is not disclosed, but we can from the technical and tactical point of view to some of its analysis.
LFC-16 fighter jets of the technical characteristics of
Usually we know a fighter, from the flight performance, avionics equipment, airborne weapons, and logistical support on several fronts in order to get a more objective assessment.Similarly, for LFC-16, we have also followed suit.
LFC-16 fighter model
Airworthiness
Decide the performance of an aircraft is its aerodynamic layout and engine, LFC-16 aircraft, followed the "Mountain Eagle" in the body, so from the engine side, J-7 series engines can use it can be used, including the WS - 13 series, "Kunlun" engine and so on, taking into account the FC-1 fighter has used the RD-93 engines, so you can guess after a certain change, the LFC-6 aircraft will also be able to use the medium-thrust turbofan engine (intake, but this way Road to do some big changes, but not in line with the low price strategy, so this option could be temporarily not be considered). From the model perspective, LFC-16 aircraft, with the "Mountain Eagle" trainer in the structure size is not much difference, it might be similar to the weight of the two planes, that is, if you use the same engine, then the LFC-16's thrust-weight ratio and the dynamic performance will be close to "Eagle" aircraft.
Aerodynamic layout is LFC-16 relative to the "Mountain Eagle" the largest part of the changes, but also achieve the "high mobility" of the key.J-7 series of aircraft aerodynamic layout of large swept delta wing to normal distribution, this distribution highlights the high-altitude aircraft, high-speed performance, but because of large swept delta wing at high angles of attack resistance state induced by large, but not head symmetric vortex would undermine the stability of cross-side, it is not conducive to high-mobility fighting air, at close range combat slowdown will appear quickly, turning radius is too large, easy to stall and so on. "Mountain Eagle" and the J-7E / G fighter uses a dual-triangular wings, increased aspect ratio, thereby improving the performance of the aircraft's high angle of attack (effectively reduce induced drag and increase lift line slope), so the low-altitude combat improved performance.
We know that close-coupled canard-layout has the advantage of the high angle of attack when the canard wing vortex with the formation of coupling effect, thereby increasing the wing's lift; In addition, close-coupled canard-layout has a more uniform distribution of the vertical space can effectively reduce the transonic drag, which can improve aircraft maneuverability. Of course, the duck-style layout also has its disadvantages, such as the case of static stability in the design of fighter jets, duck-wing induced drag at high angles of attack, when a larger, its also early in the wings stall. And the canard vortex may cause the aircraft to vertical and horizontal side of the instability increases.LFC-16 in taking close-coupled canard layout, while also increasing between the duck wing and wing with two side panels, support to be provided with the dynamic manipulation of the side fins, then the wing has little effect? According to "super wing" company personnel, and J-8II aircraft has been the chief architect of Mr. Gu Songfen side technology will be summed up as "vortex control" technology, I believe that its main role is in the air at a high angle of attack of the state produce similar side vortex of the eddy, with a common interference with the eddy canard wing, and to prevent the canard leading-edge vortex breakdown leading to vortex lift is not continuous, thus enhancing the aircraft's handling and stability during high angle of attack. The side fins provides additional cross-lateral stability control. Therefore, LFC-16 should be to ensure low cost, have better control of high angle of attack (in the modern fly-by with, the use of the aircraft with the same control layout of the high angle of attack have better flight performance, but its a very high price), so that aircraft circled, pitch and so have a good performance, which is fighting one of the elements highlighted in aerial combat.
But in other areas, duck-style layout + side has also led to increased resistance of the aircraft, taking into account the factors that the engine, the aircraft accelerated performance, climb performance, etc. will not be more than J-7 series have markedly improved, while the aircraft range, ceiling and other indicators will not be much stronger than the J-7 series. In addition, there are a few points should be noted: side will not be conducive to the aircraft stealth, and if out of duck-style layout, then the side of the role will be greatly reduced.
Avionics equipment, airborne weapons, logistical support
Because LFC-16 is merely a technical solution, so these areas no clear targets. However, the characteristics of its cheap look, it should be, and J-7 series belong to the same grade, which means that the aircraft may be equipped with a simple function of the radar and associated fire control equipment, using the simplest possible airborne equipment and flight instrumentation, weapons side can choose to Air Force active duty in the arsenal of weapons and most of all Chinese-made air-ground weapons.
Overall Performance Evaluation
As can be seen from the above analysis, LFC-16 aircraft will be a low-altitude hovering outstanding performance, the overall mobility lower than the typical third-generation fighters fighting fighters, its operational capability over the horizon is not prominent, but in close able to most of the aircraft during air combat threat. Obviously, if only so, the Chinese Air Force, Navy will not have much of their interest, because the system has entered the air age of today, not stress-the-horizon air combat capability of the aircraft will be little opportunity to enter close combat . As a fighter is concerned, LFC-16 will even go on behind the trend of the times.
Prospects on the LFC-16 and Thinking
Although the LFC-16 was not a good fighter, but it may be better then? The answer is yes. First of all, the maturity of fax technology, has made aircraft design concepts into a new era, using active control technology and static instability of the layout will be able to play the greatest advantages of duck-style layout and to some extent, to overcome its shortcomings, such as to improve the high-speed flight performance, such as for direct lift.Some of the world have adopted this new type of fighter ideas, such as France's "gust", Europe's "Typhoon", China's "F-10" and so on. Second, integrated fire control system, avionics upgrades and modular design concept makes the aircraft of electronic equipment upgrades easier, while the electronic equipment will have a direct bearing on the merits of air combat performance, good or bad.
However, all this means giving up the idea of cheap, it is clear that this is a violation of the LFC-16 development in mind, from the engineering point of view is not desirable.
However, if we have another point of view, side technology is indeed to bring the benefits of the performance of the aircraft, then why should we not put LFC-16 aircraft, seen as a significant technical validation aircraft? After all, technology is the side that can not be negative.
We all know that the United States NASA developed a large number of X series of Technology Demonstrator, from supersonic to the mobility of its proven technology, all-inclusive, from which verification machine technology has been applied to the design of the aircraft China also has many technical verification machine, such as stealth technology F-7 testing machine, F-8II active control technology demonstrator aircraft, etc., but these mostly come from manufacturers or the Air Force conduct a research project, there is no specialized agency to conduct an overall planning and accountability -- - If all this into a system of development, under the guidance of scientific theory to work, then they will surely achieve better research results.
Looking back LFC-16, perhaps because there is no market, your flight will be the ultimate intention to abandon the development of such aircraft, but the side panel technology has not only stop at the wind tunnel should be worked out. We may be the emergence of the LFC-16 as a signal, a call for reform of China's aviation research institutes signal, LFC-16 as a technology demonstrator aircraft, its meaning will be much greater than as a cheap fighter. Perhaps one day technology will be on other side as well as civil aircraft, combat aircraft be reflected, this is the LFC-16 aircraft, the real value.
