ChangKong-1 Target Drone | Air Power

The ChangKong-1 (CK-1) is a Chinese copy of the Soviet Lavochkin La-17C radio-controlled subsonic target drone. It was developed by Nanjing Institute of Aeronautics in the late 1960s. The CK-1 has been in PLAAF service since the late 1970s for target drone and nuclear air sampling roles. A more capable CK-2 supersonic target drone was developed in the 1990s as a successor to the CK-1.

The PLAAF obtained a small number of the Lavochkin La-17 radio-controlled, ramjet-powered subsonic target drone from the Soviet Union in the late 1950s for airborne- and air-defence weapon testing. The acquisition of additional units was unsuccessful due to Moscow’s decision to stop its technical aids and withdraw all Soviet advisers from China in 1960. This has forced the PLAAF to develop its own indigenous target drone. Development of China’s first subsonic target drone known as Chang Kong-1 (CK-1) began in the early 1960s by PLAAF’s Weapon Test & Training Base. The chief designer of the programme is General Zhao Xu, who is known as ‘the Father of Chinese UAV’.

Chinese engineers dissembled several La-17s for research and reverse engineering. Because of the Chinese aviation industry’s incapability to produce a suitable ramjet engine, the Ck-1 designer replaced it with a Wopen-6 (WP-6) turbojet engine originally designed for the Chinese Shenyang J-6 (MiG-19 Farmer copy) fighter. The CK-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 CK-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 CK-1 entered PLAAF service in the late 1970s for weapon testing and air defence training. The nuclear air sampling variant CK-1A was first deployed in Lop Nor nuclear test site in 1978, ending the history of using manned aircraft for air sampling missions in China’s nuclear tests.

The CK-1 is generally similar to the La-17 in appearance. The UAV has a slim, round fuselage with a sharp nose. The wings, vertical fin and tails are all square-shape. A WP-6 turbojet engine is mounted under the fuselage. The mission payloads are carried on the two under-wing pylons. The UAV is controlled by autopilot and radio command.

Unlike the La-17, which is carried and released by the carrier aircraft in the midair, the CK-1 uses a unique ‘skateboard’ system to takeoff from ground directly. The drone is mounted on an un-powered three-wheel glide, which performs as the landing gear during the takeoff. Once the drone approaches the takeoff speed on the runway, the glide is separated from the drone and slowed down by a break chute. Early variants CK-1s were only powered by the WP-6 turbojet engine during the takeoff, and therefore required a fairly long runway to generate enough speed. The later variants are accelerated by rocket boosters and only require a short runway for takeoff.

Since the CK-1 was originally designed as a target drone, the recovering was not a primary concern in its design. However, to reduce the cost if the drone was missed by the weapon, as well as the requirement for other missions such as air sampling and aerial photography, the drone could be recovered by a guided belly-landing, which requires certain repair before it can fly again. Later variants of the CK-1 might be capable of parachute recovering.

The mission equipment onboard the CK-1 includes five passive radar reflectors, four HaiYing light reflecting missiles, and wingtip-mounted infrared equipment pods.

The CK-1 is powered by a WP-6 turbojet, rated at 24.5 kN. Fuel capacity: 600kg, volume of 820l, models B and C can increase capacity to 820l with fuel pods.

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