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ChangKong-1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle & Target Drone
The ChangKong-1 is a radio-controlled , jet-powered subsonic unmanned aerial vehicle developed from the Soviet Lavochkin La-17C.
Developed by Nanjing Institute of Aeronautics in the late 1960s, the ChangKong-1 has been in serving with the PLAAF since the late 1970s for target drone and nuclear air sampling roles.
The PRC obtained a small number of the Lavochkin La-17 radio-controlled, ramjet-powered target drone from the Soviet Union in the late 1950s.
These drones were being sued for airborne- and air-defence weapon testing and practicing. Acquisition of additional units was unsuccessful due to Moscows decision in 1960 to stop all of its technical aids to the PRC. This forced the PLA to develop its own indigenous target drone ChangKong-1.
The ChangKong-1 project began in the early 1960s, with the development work carried out by the PLAAF Weapon Test & Training Base. The chief designer of the programme is General Zhao Xu, who is known as the Father of Chinese UAV. Several La-17C examples were dissembled by Chinese engineers for study and reverse engineering.
Because of the PRCs incapability to produce a suitable ramjet engine, the indigenous target drone was powered by a Wopen-6 (WP-6) turbojet engine originally developed for the Shenyang J-6 (MiG-19 Farmer) fighter.
The ChangKong-1 successfully flew in December 1966, but the development programme was severely disrupted by the political impact of the Culture Revolution in the 1960s~70s.
The ChangKong-1 development was resumed by Nanjing Institute of Aeronautics (now Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, NUAA) in the 1970s and the development did not finish until 1976, eight years after the project began. The ChangKong-1 entered PLAAF service in the late 1970s for weapon testing and air defence training.
ChangKong-2
The ChangKong-2 supersonic target drone was derived from the ChangKong-1. The CK-2 programme began in the early 1990s in response to the PLAAFs requirement for a supersonic target drone to test its new generation air-to-air missile.
No detailed information on the CK-2 is available, but it is understood that the drone first flew in the early 1990s, and its first successful supersonic flight took place in early 1995. The drone features a digital flight control, which was seen as a major breakthrough in China's UAV technology.
Specifications
Dimentions: Wingspan 7.5m; Length 8.435m; Height 2.955m
Weight: Empty 2,000~2,500kg; Fuel 600~840kg
Speed: 850~900km/h
Range: 600km
Flight endurance: 70min (low level); or 45~60min (high-level)
Service ceiling: 10,000~18,000m
Operational altitude: 500 ~ 5000m
ChangKong-1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle / Target Drone - SinoDefence.com
The ChangKong-1 is a radio-controlled , jet-powered subsonic unmanned aerial vehicle developed from the Soviet Lavochkin La-17C.
Developed by Nanjing Institute of Aeronautics in the late 1960s, the ChangKong-1 has been in serving with the PLAAF since the late 1970s for target drone and nuclear air sampling roles.
The PRC obtained a small number of the Lavochkin La-17 radio-controlled, ramjet-powered target drone from the Soviet Union in the late 1950s.
These drones were being sued for airborne- and air-defence weapon testing and practicing. Acquisition of additional units was unsuccessful due to Moscows decision in 1960 to stop all of its technical aids to the PRC. This forced the PLA to develop its own indigenous target drone ChangKong-1.
The ChangKong-1 project began in the early 1960s, with the development work carried out by the PLAAF Weapon Test & Training Base. The chief designer of the programme is General Zhao Xu, who is known as the Father of Chinese UAV. Several La-17C examples were dissembled by Chinese engineers for study and reverse engineering.
Because of the PRCs incapability to produce a suitable ramjet engine, the indigenous target drone was powered by a Wopen-6 (WP-6) turbojet engine originally developed for the Shenyang J-6 (MiG-19 Farmer) fighter.
The ChangKong-1 successfully flew in December 1966, but the development programme was severely disrupted by the political impact of the Culture Revolution in the 1960s~70s.
The ChangKong-1 development was resumed by Nanjing Institute of Aeronautics (now Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, NUAA) in the 1970s and the development did not finish until 1976, eight years after the project began. The ChangKong-1 entered PLAAF service in the late 1970s for weapon testing and air defence training.
ChangKong-2
The ChangKong-2 supersonic target drone was derived from the ChangKong-1. The CK-2 programme began in the early 1990s in response to the PLAAFs requirement for a supersonic target drone to test its new generation air-to-air missile.
No detailed information on the CK-2 is available, but it is understood that the drone first flew in the early 1990s, and its first successful supersonic flight took place in early 1995. The drone features a digital flight control, which was seen as a major breakthrough in China's UAV technology.
Specifications
Dimentions: Wingspan 7.5m; Length 8.435m; Height 2.955m
Weight: Empty 2,000~2,500kg; Fuel 600~840kg
Speed: 850~900km/h
Range: 600km
Flight endurance: 70min (low level); or 45~60min (high-level)
Service ceiling: 10,000~18,000m
Operational altitude: 500 ~ 5000m
ChangKong-1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle / Target Drone - SinoDefence.com
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