China is preparing a new stage of testing for its TMS-10 supersonic aircraft, a demonstrator designed to explore technology for quieter high-speed passenger travel. The aircraft is in its final assembly and integration phase, with a supersonic test flight expected around the end of 2026, according to the Global Times, which cited CCTV News and the Tianmushan Laboratory. The technology is being developed with the longer-term goal of enabling a 10- to 15-seat aircraft that could potentially cut travel time between Beijing and Shanghai from about two hours to 30 minutes.
Developed by Tianmushan Laboratory, with support from Beihang University, TMS-10 is intended to demonstrate how an aircraft can travel at supersonic speeds while reducing the intensity of the sonic boom. The programme is focused not only on speed but also on aerodynamic efficiency and the management of shock waves generated as the aircraft passes through the sound barrier.
