Enhanced Chinese Sky Hawk stealth UAV conducts flight tests

CASIC is enhancing its Sky Hawk low-observable UAV for improved stealth characteristics and greater range. This graphic is based on the most recent imagery of the UAV, from February 2024. (Janes)

China’s Tianying (Sky Hawk) tailless low-observable, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has started flight-testing following upgrades to its “main parameters”. According to Chinese state-owned media, the changes improve the UAV’s “stealth” characteristics and “endurance”.

Janes has assessed video imagery of the Sky Hawk conducting a test flight aired by the state-owned broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) on 27 February. The video footage of the UAV also showed it in flight with its tricycle landing gear in wheels down position, which is indicative of preliminary flight-testing.

The upgraded UAV exhibits some design changes compared with an earlier iteration displayed during the China Air Show 2018 at Zhuhai. One prominent change is an expansion of the wing aileron surfaces. The UAV also appeared to have a new antenna for very-/ultra-high-frequency (V/UHF) communications on its mid-dorsal surface.