Lambda wing
A lambda wing is a wing common to modern combat aircraft. It is named for its similarity to the Greek uppercase letter lambda (Λ). Compared to the delta wing, the lambda wing design dramatically reduces the radar cross section, by breaking up the trailing edge. It is thus commonly featured on stealth aircraft. Due to aerodynamic characteristics, it is very common for lambda wings to be tailless.[1]
The design has been used by stealthy US strategic bombers, the Northrop B-2 Spirit and Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider.[1]
An early experiment with a lambda wing on smaller aircraft was the McDonnell Douglas X-36, which first flew in 1997.[2] It has also been developed for multiple unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV), including Boeing X-45, Northrop Grumman X-47B, Dassault nEUROn, and BAE Systems Taranis.[3]
The UK-Italian-Japanese Global Combat Air Programme considered but abandoned a lambda wing design.[4] The wing is used in Lockheed Martin's "Vectis" proposal for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.[5]
In 2023, Beihang University researchers proposed moving wingtips as a solution to aerodynamic instabilities of the lambda wing, noting them as the cause of the 2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 crash. The Chinese Shenyang J-50, undergoing known flight testing since 2024, is reported to use a lambda wing design with moving wingtips.[6] During the 2025 China Victory Day Parade, a tailless lambda wing UCAV dubbed "Type A" was displayed among other drone designs.
The Boeing F-47 has been speculated to resemble the X-36's lambda wing, alongside the Boeing Bird of Prey and IAIO Qaher-313.[7]
See also
[edit]- Delta wing
- Tailless aircraft
- Radar cross section
- Stealth aircraft
- Sixth-generation fighter
- Northrop B-2 Spirit
- Next Generation Air Dominance
References
[edit]- ^ a b Yuan, Chengen; Ma, Dongli; Jia, Yuhong; Yang, Muqing; Zhang, Liang (2023-10-01). "Numerical analysis of pitch-break and all moving wingtip aileron of lambda wing configuration". Aerospace Science and Technology. 141: 108508. doi:10.1016/j.ast.2023.108508. ISSN 1270-9638.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: article number as page number (link) - ^ "Which Experimental Aircraft Might the F-47 Resemble: X-36 and Bird of Prey, or Why It Reflects McDonnell Douglas's Legacy? | Defense Express". en.defence-ua.com. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
- ^ Nangia, R. K.; Coppin, Joe; Ghoreyshi, Mehdi, "A UCAV Wing Design, Assessment and Comparisons.", 2018 Applied Aerodynamics Conference, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, doi:10.2514/6.2018-2842, retrieved 2025-11-21
- ^ "Japan unveils concept of next-gen fighter". Defence Blog – Military and Defense News. 2024-10-18. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
- ^ "Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works Aims Vectis CCA at International Market | AIN". Aviation International News. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
- ^ Rogoway, Thomas Newdick, Tyler (2025-01-27). "China's Mysterious Tailless Stealth Fighter Has Swiveling Wingtips". The War Zone. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Rogoway, Tyler (2025-03-24). "What The F-47's Canards Say About The Rest Of Its Design". The War Zone. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
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