Chinese carrier drones may need to serve both existing STOBAR ships and a new CATOBAR generation. Arrested recovery is shared, but ski-jump and catapult launches impose different structural and performance demands. A common airframe is possible, yet accommodating both launch systems adds design weight and complexity. China must balance that compromise against the value of fielding aircraft before its carrier transition is complete.
Chapter · 30:53-33:17
China's STOBAR-to-CATOBAR drone design problem
China's transition between ski-jump and catapult carriers forces designers to balance common aircraft with different launch stresses.