Shenyang BA-5
The unmanned aircraft Chang Kong -1 - series (Chinese长空 一号, Pinyin Changkong YIHAO, Next skies No. 1 ' ) are based on the constructive Soviet Lavochkin La - 17th They were the first target drones of the People's Republic of China and have been developed over many decades for Chinese requirements and equipped with its own technology.
History
In the late 1950s, China received a shipment of a few La -17 drones. After the political break with the Soviet Union and the associated loss of the supplier, it was decided to produce its own target drone in China. As the easiest and fastest way proved to be the one to make a copy of the proven La - 17 as it made the People's Republic at the time, with many Soviet aircraft types.
The Chang Kong 1 project began in the 1960s in the weapons testing and training base of the Chinese Air Force under the leadership of General Zhao Xu. The first flight should have taken place successfully in 1966, but because of the Chinese Cultural Revolution had to be interrupted several times to development. Work on the project was taken over in 1970 by the Nanjing Institute of Aeronautics (now Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, NUAA ). Only in 1976 and, ten years after the start of the development came as the CK -1 ( Chang Kong - Blue sky ) designated target drone officially to the armed forces. There, it is also listed under the symbol "Target 5 " or D-5 used. A few sources also refer to the designation BA -5 to the CK -1, although already an unmanned target drone version of the fighter aircraft J -5 ( MiG -17) is conclusive enough, so designated.
Construction
Despite the obvious ancestor the Changkong 1 was not 1- to-1 copy. As drive were converted Wopen WP -6 Turbojettriebwerke - in a license -produced RD -9B turbine. By using a Turbojettriebwerks from the beginning, the Chinese designers had taken the same path as their Soviet colleagues with the current La -17 further developments of that time. The WP -6 engines were developed by J -6 ( MiG -19) machines, when they had almost reached its intended use time and prepared by the expansion of the afterburner and modification of the air intake for mounting on the CK -1. The first engine version delivered a thrust of 21.08 kN. Other differences from the La -17 related minor changes to the hull, a separate autopilot and the installation of a parachute system.
All Chinese variants were designed from the outset for the ground start. For this, the drone was set to a non-powered trolley with which they could take off on normal runways. A braking parachute stopped the trolley after the separation of the target drone after reaching a predetermined speed was. While at first served only the turbine to start acceleration, later auxiliary rocket could shorten the take-off distance significantly.
Development
CK -1A
The first development with the identification CK -1A was cylindrical container equipment that were attached underneath the wings to the fuselage. This was taken at atomic bomb tests samples by the CK -1A flew directly after the detonation by the radioactive cloud. The produced in few numbers of CK -1A could replace the use of manned aircraft for similar samples flights and provide faster and more direct results.
CK -1B
To be able to use the full target drone optimized for low altitudes CK -1B was developed by the year 1983. The equipment containers were enlarged and supplemented by additional fuel tanks. It also sets a smoke generator or light reflective missiles were installed as a visual aid for the pilots and drone operators on the ground and radar reflectors to simulate a warplane typical radar signature. For the same purpose also served the infrared transmitter at the wing tips.
CK -1C
The target representation of modern fighter aircraft, Chinese Designers CK -1C, which was built as the first version in significant quantities developed in 1984. With its reinforced hull and the adjusted flight control system, the target drone could even fly maneuvers at high G-load, simulating agile combat aircraft. In the wingtips, a measurement system of close-range hits was installed. In addition to the rocket -assisted rolling start the drone could also be started flying large airplanes.
CK -1E
With the CK -1E came a more optimized for very low altitudes variant with a shorter wingspan to the armed forces that served to represent the contours of flights of aircraft and cruise missiles. The development began in 1986 and the test flights began two years later and led to the commissioning of a target drone could 850 km / h flying fast and at altitudes of 50 to 100 meters above ground.
CK -1G
In 2000, named as CK -1G version with rocket boosters in the armed forces has been introduced, by which the operation is no longer limited to runways.
CK -2
In the early 1990s began the development program of Chang Kong 2, which is based largely on the CK -1. The supersonic -capable drone allows the realistic objective presentation of the latest generation of air threats and was first equipped with a digital flight control system. About details of the program status of the Changkong drones with current developments or use by the Chinese armed forces is not known. Also, how many drones have been produced is unclear, but it should until 1987 - just before the introduction of the CK- 1E - have been only 50 copies.