Chengdu J-20 5th Generation Aircraft News & Discussions

[Tiqiu]

Some in Chinese forum think this maybe a navy vision of J-20, or even an enlarged- J31 based on the comparison to the early satellite photo of J-20 RCS test. Some even said it is a new single-engine plane.

 

[Tiqiu]

Yesterday China Air Force made an announcement at its official Weibo account: J-20 is not yet in service, but In a foreseeable future (在不久的将来), J-20 and Y-20 will enter China Air Force.
http://www.guancha.cn/military-affairs/2016_06_01_362440.shtml

This will lead to next question: what does it mean by a foreseeable future (在不久的将来)?

Let's look at some timeline about J10 and the government announcement about is deployment.

1998: J10 prototype maiden flight
2002: First production vision of J10 conducted fly test
2004: J10 was equipped to Chinese Air Force Chengdu Division
2006,12,29: CCTV for the first time covered J10 publicly.

 

[The Eagle]

Some in Chinese forum think this maybe a navy vision of J-20, or even an enlarged- J31 based on the comparison to the early satellite photo of J-20 RCS test. Some even said it is a new single-engine plane.

View attachment 308169

New single engine, then probably hints about something like J-10D... Isn't it?

 

[Akasa]

New single engine, then probably hints about something like J-10D... Isn't it?

Unlikely; a Janes imagery analyst who has access to higher-resolution photographs claims that the model has two engines. Furthermore, the RCS model measures almost exactly as the J-20 in terms of dimensions, ruling out a J-10 variant.

 

[mehboobkz]

• China says first stealth fighter J-20 not yet in service, but coming soon

 

[Deino]

Some in Chinese forum think this maybe a navy vision of J-20, or even an enlarged- J31 based on the comparison to the early satellite photo of J-20 RCS test. Some even said it is a new single-engine plane.

View attachment 308169

Nice, I did a similar comparison a few days ago ... but I also don't have a solution to this mystery:

In consequence I only have these "theories" ....


1. a random RCS-experiment on a design loosely resembling the J-20 ... but WHY ?

2. indeed a modified J-20 maybe related to the final engine WS-15, a naval-version or whatever .... but since that type must be designed with the WS-15 in mind, I can't imagine requiring it such extensive modifications on the wing-patform to fit them??

3. what if this is a RCS model hidden under a tarpaulin and assisted by certain structures to make it look different ? ... but this won't explain the shortened tails.

As such, I don't have any idea.

Deino

 

[Tiqiu]

New single engine, then probably hints about something like J-10D... Isn't it?

The trailing edges of the delta wing are forward-swept, so j-10 can be ruled out I think

 

[星海军事]

Some in Chinese forum think this maybe a navy vision of J-20, or even an enlarged- J31 based on the comparison to the early satellite photo of J-20 RCS test. Some even said it is a new single-engine plane.

View attachment 308169

I think it's an RCS model of J-20 with tailbooms and vertical stabilizers removed.

 

[Tiqiu]

Nice, I did a similar comparison a few days ago ... but I also don't have a solution to this mystery:

View attachment 308185

In consequence I only have these "theories" ....


1. a random RCS-experiment on a design loosely resembling the J-20 ... but WHY ?

2. indeed a modified J-20 maybe related to the final engine WS-15, a naval-version or whatever .... but since that type must be designed with the WS-15 in mind, I can't imagine requiring it such extensive modifications on the wing-patform to fit them??

3. what if this is a RCS model hidden under a tarpaulin and assisted by certain structures to make it look different ? ... but this won't explain the shortened tails.

As such, I don't have any idea.

Deino

The below diagram is said to be the modified vision of J-20 appeared on the net 5 years ago. It shows the delta wing on the modified vision is more closer to the canard wing compared to the prototype on the right. Those CRS satellite photos seem to resemble this.

 

[Tiqiu]

@Deino
Can you combine this thread to the J-20 thread? I should have posted there in the first place. My bad.

 

[Tiqiu]

http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/chin...er-not-yet-in-service-but-coming-soon-1414257

Beijing:
Highlights

1. China says it is still testing the J-20 but it will enter service soon
2. China expects the warplane to help narrow the military gap with the US
3. However, experts say China is struggling to develop advanced engines

China is still testing its first stealth fighter, the J-20, but the warplane will soon enter service, the air force said, after pictures circulated in Chinese media suggesting it had already joined the active fleet.

China expects the J-20 to help narrow the military gap with the United States, and its confirmation of the aircraft's first test flight coincided with a visit to Beijing in 2011 by then-U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Some analysts have said J-20 photographs suggest China may be making faster-than-expected progress in developing a rival to Lockheed Martin's radar-evading F-22 Raptor.

In a statement, China's air force described as "unreliable" reports that the J-20 had appeared in training exercises, following a weekend state television broadcast that showed grainy pictures of what some viewers took to be the aircraft.

"At present, the J-20 has yet to be equipped for air force service," the air force said on its official microblog late on Tuesday afternoon.

Both the J-20, and another new aircraft, the Y-20 transporter, are still being test flown as planned, the air force said.

"In the near future, the J-20 and Y-20 will, in succession, be equipped for service, effectively raising the air force's ability to fulfil its mission," it added, without giving a timeframe.

However, experts say China is struggling to develop advanced engines that would allow its warplanes to match Western fighters in combat.

China has rapidly been ramping up research into advanced new military equipment, including submarines, aircraft carriers and anti-satellite missiles, which has rattled nerves regionally and in Washington.

There is nothing unusual about developing new technology, which every country does if it wants a modern military, China's air force said in its statement.

"In recent years, China has mostly been relying on its own strength to develop new armaments, one after another," it added.

"This is a completely reasonable requirement to protect the country's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and protect the nation's security developments. It is a necessary guarantee of effecting peaceful development."

© Thomson Reuters 2016

 

[BoQ77]

J-20 would have some significant changes in appearance ? in near future ?
then it's too early to talk about "in service"
you guys burn up some steps.

 

[Deino]

J-20 would have some significant changes in appearance ? in near future ?
then it's too early to talk about "in service"
you guys burn up some steps.

Why ??? ... following all reports we have it will be in service soon. Maybe already this year within a test-regiment assigned to the FTTC. That surely does not mean FOC at a frontline unit - but hey, also the USMC needed some time to bring its F-35 from IAC to that ... - and even if it will be an interim version only not powered by the definitive engine (that was also clear since the beginning) the J-20 will surely have a significant impact.

Not sure why You again want to throw mud ?

Deino

 

[BoQ77]

Why ??? ... following all reports we have it will be in service soon. Maybe already this year within a test-regiment assigned to the FTTC. That surely does not mean FOC at a frontline unit - but hey, also the USMC needed some time to bring its F-35 from IAC to that ... - and even if it will be an interim version only not powered by the definitive engine (that was also clear since the beginning) the J-20 will surely have a significant impact.

Not sure why You again want to throw mud ?

Deino

You are bitter to me, actually I'm expecting the deployable J-20 as early as they can.
to you, IOC for first squadron could be in 2017, 2018, 2019 or later?

Am I wrong to say there'll be significant change in appearance of J-20 afterall ?

What's "in service" meaning ( equal FOC ) ? as we both noticed that there's recently the thread of "J-20 in service" or "in service in near future"

 

[dingyibvs]

I think most people here mean that J-20 has been turned over to the military and will achieve IOC soon. FOC is probably still a couple years away.