WIP
History
Spoiler
The F-CK-1A is Taiwan’s first indigenous jet fighter. Development started in 1978 when diplomatic relations with the U.S. were rocky and the Republic of China Airforce (ROCAF) foresaw the need to develop its own fighter aircraft instead of relying on the U.S. for new ones. Following refusals to allow Taiwan to purchase new fighters such as the F-16/79 and F-20 (F-5G) President Chiang Ching Kuo decided to expand the Taiwan defense industry.
Plans to upgrade their fleet of F-104’s or F-5E’s were put forth but eventually a project design called the XF-6 was decided on. This aircraft design had a delta wing with canards and would perform as an interceptor. This project design however didn’t get very far and was instead developed into the “Anxiang Project”.
In 1982 the “Anxiang Project” a plan to research and develop an indigenous defense fighter was submitted to the Executive yuan. The project underwent multiple phases and had assistance from the US (Mainly from General Dynamics).
General Dynamics assistance phases:
Stage 1: GD analyzes the military strength and aircraft performance requirements of the ROC according to the enemies capabilities and the situation.
Stage 2: Review the research report of GD and decide whether to continue to develop our original design (C-2) or carry out a new design of GD (G-2) and provide the necessary support for GD.
Stage 3: Send staff to carry out the preliminary design at GD Fort Worth, TX Branch
Stage 4: GD sends staff to Taiwan to help complete the project
When the two sides met up to choose which design to go through with, Mr. Anderson of GD presented the “G” design and Hsi-Chun “Mike” Hua presented NCIST’s “C” design. The “G” design won out but incorporated elements from the “C” design to create the joint SE-1 design.
C-2 design had two tails and a “beaver tail” elevator.
The project was divided into 4 phases:
Ying-Yang (鷹揚): development of airframe
Yun-Han (雲漢): development of Powerplant
Tien-Lei (天雷): development of avionics
Tien-Chien (天劍): development of air to air missiles
AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo - Wikipedia
On December 10 1988 the first F-CK-1A (10001) rolled off the factory line and was displayed to the public for the first time. Them President Lee Teng-Hui named the fighter “Ching Kuo” in honor of the former president Chiang Ching-Kuo who had died earlier that year.
On May 28 1989 the F-CK No 10001 was successfully tested and soon a second prototype was made. Eventually multiple test flights were made and subsequent adjustments were made as a result of those flights.
In April 1992 the 427th wing of the 7th squadron received their first F-CK-1’s and started training on them.
F-CK-1A C/D (MLU) early
F-CK-1A C/D (MLU)
Cockpit (F-CK-1A)
Specifications (F-CK-1A)
Length: 14.21m
Wingspan: 9.42m
Height: 24.26m
Wing area: 24.26m 2
Empty weight: 6,492 kg
Air combat weights:
8,982kg (base weight + 100% internal fuel + 2 x TC-1 missiles)
8,505.6 kg (base weight + 60% internal fuel + 2 x TC-1 + 2 x TC-2 missiles)
8,137.6 kg (base weight + 60% internal fuel + 2 x TC-1 missiles)
Maximum take off weight: 12,530 kg
Internal fuel capacity: 2,111 kg
Maximum horizontal flight speed: 1.8 mach
Rate of climb at sea level: 14,326 m/min
Service ceiling: 16,760m
Combat radius: 130 km (emergency interception mission)
Engine: TFE-1042
military thrust: 2,749 x 2
Maximum after burning thrust: 4,295 kg x 2 (more than likely 4,354kg and may be up to 4,540kg)
Air combat wing load:
370.2 kg/m2 (at 8,982 kg)
350.6 kg/m2 (at 8,505.6 kg)
335.4 kg/m2 (at 8,137 kg)
Thrust to weight ratio:
0.956 (at 8,982 kg)
1.009 kg/m2 (at 8,505.6 kg)
1.055 kg/m2 (at 8,137 kg)
Sustained turn rate at sea level: Unpublished
Roll rate: 270 degrees/second
Maximum G loads: -3g - + 9G
Aspect ratio: 3.689
Payload weight: 4000 kg
Armament: 1 x 20mm M6A1 Vulcan (400 rounds)
Missiles: 2 x TC-2, 4 x TC-1
Has the same digital FCS as the JAS 39 made by Lear and incorporates the same instability design as the F-16 ( mainly because the Fort Worth GD team worked on F-16’s?)
Project lead Hsi-Chun “Mike” Hua also known as the “ Father of the Indigenous Defense fighter”
Spoiler
Sources