Blueprint

DEFENCE

Zero-carbon trainer

On the eve of the South Korea’s ADEX defence and aerospace exhibition in October, Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) unveiled the ‘Black Kite’, a concept for a twin-seat electric-powered military basic trainer. Based on the turboprop-powered KAI KT-1 trainer, the Black Kite would use four distributed electric motors. The electric propulsion would reduce operating and maintenance costs, minimise noise, as well as producing a zero-carbon training aircraft.

Battery power
Battery packs for the Black Kite would be contained in the nose, inner wing and sides of the cockpit.

Virtual wingmen
The Black Kite would also feature advanced avionics and embedded training systems including an augmented reality helmet allowing students to fly formation with ‘virtual’ aircraft. The cockpit would be compatible with that of the T-50/FA-50 advanced trainers and and the KF-21 stealth fighter.

Leveraging design
The Black Kite will reduce risk by reusing the tail, cockpit and undercarriage of the previous turboprop-powered KT-1 trainer.

Distributed power
The Black Kite would feature four electric motors driving four propellers mounted on the wings. Power output would be 1,190kW.

Specifications
Wingspan 11.2m
Height 4.7m
Length 11.6m