China Unveils Plans for Supersonic Successor to Concorde

China has officially announced its ambition to create a supersonic passenger jet, entering a competitive aerospace race with the United States. Engineers from Comac, the state-owned aircraft manufacturer, recently disclosed blueprints for the new aircraft, labelled the C949, in an academic paper published earlier this month.

The C949 is designed to exceed the speed of sound by a factor of 1.6, with a maximum range of 11,000 kilometres or 6,800 miles, allowing for non-stop flights from Britain to Malaysia. This significant advancement eclipses Concorde’s maximum range of approximately 4,500 miles. Notably, the C949 aims to be considerably quieter than its predecessor, producing sonic booms measured at 89.3 decibels, compared to Concorde’s 105 decibels. This is attributed to the innovative “reverse-camber” fuselage design which mitigates shock waves from supersonic travel.

With a passenger capacity of 168, the new Chinese jet surpasses Concorde’s maximum of 128 seats. However, it will not match Concorde’s top speed, reaching a maximum of Mach 1.6 compared to Mach 2.2. The Concorde’s impressive speed allowed for transatlantic flights, such as London to New York in under three hours, a feat that the C949 will not replicate.

This announcement comes amid a resurgent interest in commercial supersonic travel, which largely faded with the retirement of the Concorde in 2003 following safety concerns. Various start-ups, mainly based in the US, are also attempting to create the next generation of supersonic jets. Boom Supersonic, based in Denver, recently achieved a significant milestone with a successful test flight of its XB-1 prototype, reaching speeds of 850 miles per hour.

As the US continues to pursue advancements in this sphere, with firms like Spike Aerospace planning their own quiet supersonic jets, concerns arise regarding the potential dual-use of this technology for military applications. This development is particularly pertinent given Comac’s established connections with the Chinese military, which are currently under scrutiny due to US sanctions.

China’s ambitions in supersonic technology signify a significant shift in the aviation landscape, enhancing competitive dynamics with implications for global aerospace and defence sectors.