A JL-9 trainer aircraft attached to a regiment affiliated with the Naval Aviation University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) lands after a combat exercise in the spring of 2025. Photo: Screenshot from the Sina Weibo account of China Bugle, an official media account affiliated with the PLA news media center
An upgraded version of China's JL-9 naval trainer jet was featured in a recent official report, revealing newly added wingtip split rudders. A Chinese military affairs expert said on Sunday that the technology will enhance carrier pilot training and could be applied to future stealth aircraft.
A regiment affiliated with the Naval Aviation University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently organized pilots to conduct an aerial maneuvering exercise under combat scenarios, China Bugle, an official media account affiliated with the PLA News Media Center, reported on Saturday evening.
By putting a red team and a blue team against each other in close-range combat training, the exercise tested the pilots' comprehensive combat capabilities in complex battlefield conditions.
The video report showed JL-9 trainer jets in action, with one deploying wingtip split rudders during landing.
Public reports indicate that wingtip split rudders are a new feature to an upgraded version of the JL-9 that made its maiden test flight in May 2020.
Compared to the original JL-9, the upgraded version of the aircraft removed the drogue parachute installation located at the vertical tail, and added wingtip split rudders, aiming to improve stability and low-speed performance, eastday.com, a Shanghai-based news website, reported at the time.
The JL-9 trainer aircraft is used to train pilots for aircraft carrier-based fighter jets, which do not use drogue parachutes, so it is normal for the trainer to remove this design. The new split rudders act as air brakes, helping pilots practice carrier landings more effectively, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Sunday.
Using split rudders instead of drogue parachutes can also help lowering the weight of the aircraft, improving overall performance, Song said.
The appearance of the upgraded JL-9 in an official report is an indication that the aircraft has technically matured, Song said.
Beyond the JL-9, Song noted that wingtip air brake and split rudder technologies have potential in future stealth aircraft. To achieve better stealth, next-generation aircraft tend remove vertical wings, so they need to use other types of stabilizers to control the aircraft, and this is when alternative control surfaces like wingtip rudders become relevant.
