Previously, there were several pictures of the mainland's non-vertical tail fighter on the Internet, in which there are many details, and everyone speculated that this may be the mainland is experimenting with the sixth-generation fighter, so what is the specific situation?
[Obviously no hanging tail]
Why can you judge a sixth-generation fighter without a vertical tail
There is such a saying in the military hobby circle that no vertical tail is the "entry standard" of the sixth-generation fighter, and it is curious why a small aircraft component can become such an important criterion?
First of all, it is certain that the vertical tail of the aircraft is not an insignificant thing, and almost all fighters and bombers in history have a vertical tail structure.
Generally speaking, the vertical tail is more about adjusting the direction of the airflow when the aircraft is flying to make it more stable.
[Su-57 fighters also have vertical tails]
At the same time, the vertical tail can also assist in adjusting the flight angle of the aircraft, controlling the direction of the aircraft, and so on.
Without a vertical tail, the aircraft loses its flight balance while cruising and cannot perform highly maneuverable maneuvers.
In high-speed flight, without vertical tail assistance, it can even lead to a serious air crash.
Therefore, the vertical tail is especially important for aircraft, and its status can even be compared to that of fighter engines.
But there are two sides to everything, and in modern warfare, hanging the tail may become a burden to the pilot.
The vertical tail can certainly play an auxiliary role in the aircraft, but it is hindered by the high air current, which also affects the flight speed of the aircraft.
If the upper speed limit of a vertical tail fighter is Mach 2, then the upper speed limit may reach Mach 2.5 or even higher after removing the vertical tail.
For fifth-generation aircraft, more emphasis is placed on their maneuverability, and if the vertical tail can be removed and the fuselage can be stabilized, the upper limit of aircraft performance will be greatly improved.
The fifth-generation aircraft emphasizes maneuverability and produces sonic boom clouds when it flies at high speeds
In addition, the vertical tail is very abrupt to the overall structure of the aircraft, and when the radar wave sweeps by, the radar signature formed on the screen is very obvious.
After removing the vertical tail, the structure of the fighter looks more refreshing, not to mention the use of stealth coating, even if the radar wave is discovered, it may also be mistaken for a bird, so that the radar wave "has no way to start".
For example, the American B2 bomber did a good job, it completely removed the vertical tail of the fighter, and the overall fuselage adopted the design structure of the "Eagle Falcon" shape.
For some countries with low-average radar technology, it is characterized by a "flying bird".
【Rare aircraft without vertical tail】
The current fifth-generation fighter has almost reached the bottleneck of human technology, and if you want to make a breakthrough, then you have to work the details to meet the standards of the sixth-generation fighter.
Obviously, it has also been affirmed by the public.
Is it a sixth-generation fighter?
Judging from the pictures that broke the news on the Internet, this fighter does not have a vertical tail, and the overall appearance is very similar to our current J-20, is it possible that it is a sixth-generation version of the J-20?
The J-20 painted in yellow is very similar to the sixth-generation aircraft on the Internet
But I'm sorry to tell you that these pictures are not real pictures, they should be CG concept drawings made by military fans.
On the one hand, judging by the ratio of ground personnel to aircraft, the length of the aircraft without vertical tail in the picture may have exceeded 25 meters.
You must know that the length of the J-20 fighter currently in service on the mainland is only more than 20 meters, which is the longest of the five generations of fighters.
What is the concept of a 25-meter aircraft? It is equivalent to not meeting the standards of a bomber, and it is too much more than a fighter plane.
For example, our J-26, according to reliable sources, is a fighter-bomber built on the J-20 platform.
There is indeed such a possibility, but considering the scarcity of news about the J-26, we cannot jump to conclusions.
On the other hand, this fighter without vertical tail wings is too similar to the J-20, and it is obvious that it was created by the "avid fans" of the J-20.
Moreover, from all angles of the picture, there is a strong sense of dissonance, and the three views are almost difficult to stitch together.
Based on the above factors, the so-called "sixth-generation fighter" that broke the news may disappoint everyone's expectations.
Chinese sixth-generation fighters
But don't be discouraged, the research and development process of China's sixth-generation fighter may be far beyond our imagination, although it may not have reached the level of being able to test flights, but at least many core technologies should be guaranteed.
For example, in terms of speed, the mainland now has the world's most advanced wind tunnel laboratory, which can simulate and experiment with flights at nearly Mach 30 speeds.
In the standards of sixth-generation fighters, many countries define them as aircraft that can fly at "high speed".
[Concept map of the sixth-generation fighter]
Each country has different standards for "high speed" here, such as the United States and Japan
In fact, whether it is Mach 6 or Mach 10, we have the conditions for simulation experiments, so we don't have to worry about it at all.
In terms of stealth, China already has the world's top aircraft stealth technology, and the J-20 is the crystallization of our technology, and the stealth is better than the F22.
After so many years of rapid development, China's stealth technology should have made great progress, and for now, it may have the conditions to build a 5.5 generation standard stealth fighter.
From the perspective of engines, China's research in related fields can fully keep up with the trend of the times, and all kinds of advanced variable-cycle engines and turbocharged detonation engines are under intense research and development.
In general, China's sixth-generation fighter may be beyond our imagination, J-20 chief designer Yang Wei said:
"Future planes may also be said in science fiction films, Transformers or the like, or they may have been created from us, which has not yet been described in science fiction films."
Adjectives such as "Transformers" and "not yet described in science fiction films" are very intriguing.
Could it be that the sixth-generation fighter of the future will be able to transform into a combat robot while having the ability to fly like the Gundam?
As for the things that have not yet been described in science fiction films, they are even more mysterious, and it can be seen that China's sixth-generation fighters are quite worth looking forward to.
Resources:
[1] Xinhuanet: "A European sixth-generation fighter is expected to make its first flight in 2026"
[2] Global Times: "The Development Status of Global Sixth-Generation Fighters: The Timetable Given by Britain and Italy and Japan Is to Be Built Before 2035"