Hi Deino just a little detour how Chinese are maintaining jH7/A/B versions I mean about engine & components including shell etc do they have fully rebuild line for these aircrafts & how long usually it will take to retire these aircrafts now I’m not arguing wit you about selling these to Pakistan but will it not be in China own interest to move this kind of fighter assembly line or whatever paraphernalia to Pakistan instead of decommissioning of it
just out of the box I’m asking is it worth to just dismantle related to this fighter
thank you
Hi thanks for your information but as I’m asking about what will happen with the current line of manufacturing these JH7 will those lines start churning something new or will be dismantled completely and approximately how long China will retain JH7 in their fleet
once again thank you for your reply
Sorry for the late reply and I fear I cannot answer your question in the way you asked first of all since I - and I'm not sure if anyone outside the PLAAF, AVIC/XAC or the military has such information on "what will happen with the current line of manufacturing" but l'll try my best on step by step:
1. do they have fully rebuild line for these aircrafts & how long usually it will take to retire these aircrafts now?
I'm not sure if I fully understand your question, bu sure they have a full set of manufacturing & maintenance facilities to manufacture the necesary replacement parts until the end of their service life, but that does not mean the production line is still on. Just look on other types, let's say the European Tornado: Surely parts are build to maintain these aircraft even if its production line has been dismantled and superseded by the one for the Typhoon. How long China will still use is is another question... surely some years to come and another argument that they then will be even more outdated.
2. will it not be in China own interest to move this kind of fighter assembly line or whatever paraphernalia to Pakistan instead of decommissioning of it?
NO. Why shall anyone sell such an expensive facility for free (like some certain members claim) or for cheep when they can eventually reuse it for other types? Even more I don't think that simply transferring the production line would enable Pakistan to build that aircraft and why should China do so?
3 what will happen with the current line of manufacturing these JH7?
IMO it will - or already is - dismantled, what can be reused will be used and otherwise XAC builds so many other types that they surely can re-use the given space in the facility.
4. will those lines start churning something new or will be dismantled completely ...?
IMO dismantled completely. There is no need to produce more JH-7s and as I know since years none is being built anymore.
5. ... and approximately how long China will retain JH7 in their fleet?
That is difficult to say and depends on several factors I don't know: what's the remaining service live? Can and will they receive an MLU or will they be replaced completely? How many J-16s and more modern types can be produced and what are the PLAAF's priorities?
IMO they will retain them for a few years to come, maybe update certain systems and add certain capabilities, maybe they will be transferred to other second-line units but I'm fully convinced that any such ideas like claimed here, China should simply give it to Pakistan (either the production line or retired PLAAF aircraft) will not happen, regardless what some senior members wish and also regardless such an idea maybe was.
Best,
Deino
