Lankan Ranger
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Chinas Secret Fleet of Stealth Fighters
The signs have been there for some time. In 1997, the US Office of Naval Intelligence stated their conviction that a 4th generation stealth fighter was under development in China. Then in December, 2008, the highly respected Janes All the Worlds Aircraft went on record saying that China has been developing a heavyweight stealth fighter for many years.
In 2005, a former Northrup B2 design engineer was arrested for selling highly classified data about the B-2 and its stealth design to China. Noshir Gowadia has admitted to the charges and so there is no question that the propulsion system and stealth design features of the B-2 have been studied intensively by those designing fighters and bombers for Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).
In April 2009, China cyberwar experts attacked the US Department of Defense computers that hold classified data about the F-35 program. Apparently a great deal of data was downloaded, although theft of information in the highest security classification was not acknowledged.
At least two Chinese stealth fighters are farther along in development than anyone would have imagined six months ago. The most recent of these stealth fighter photographs was published on November 25, 2009 on a website that has high level expertise in all matters relating to Chinese military aviation.
Unveiled in 2002, the Shenyang J-11B is a very advanced, multi-role attack fighter with Chinese-made avionics and some degree of reduced radar cross section (stealth) ideal for trying out new ideas about increased stealth. Since 2006, it has been a testbed for the Chinese FWS-10A TaiHang turbofan engine. The FWS-10A is similar to the Russian AL-31F, and is a candidate for next generation stealth aircraft propulsion.
The J-15 is expected to be stationed on the Varyag aircraft carrier, now in the last stages of fitting out in Dalian. The Russian AL-31F, an advanced and proven turbofan engine, is the first choice for a power plant. The American fighter that most closely resembles what little we know about the J-15 is the F/A-18C Super Hornet. Latest news from China states that the J-15 made its maiden flight on August 31, 2009.
A second new stealth fighter the J-20 seems to be in development and we know even less about it than the J-15. Russia remains essential for important features: reduction of radar cross section and the best of the advanced turbofan engines. The J-10B fighter is used as a testbed for many J-20 systems. A full scale model of the J-20 may have been completed in 2009. The maiden flight for the J-20 is scheduled for sometime in 2012 with production and combat readiness set for 2015.
The Chinese scrutinize many foreign aircraft for best design features beyond those in the USA and Russia.
A prototype of the advanced Su-33 was acquired by China from the Ukraine in 2001. It likely contributed many design features to current Chinese stealth fighter designs.
This concept is often described as an Xian-H6i which is an odd identification. All versions of the Xian H6 bomber series are designed with an earlier generation, classic long narrow fuselage that has no flying wing characteristics.
Chinas Quest for Superpower Status
Think about it! There is No Reason why the Chinese should not be aggressively developing stealth military aircraft. Flush with 2 trillion+ USD as they ride out the global recession in much better shape than the United States, research and development can easily be financed. If China can approach parity with the USA in numbers and quality of stealth aircraft, nuclear carrier battle groups and nuclear attack submarines, they have become a superpower via projection of their foreign policy and military strength.
A trillion dollars + will be spent on the F-35 program before it concludes many years hence. Monies spent on stealth aircraft in the United States further weaken the overall economy of the crumbling super power. In that alone, Chinas stealth aircraft program will have accomplished a great deal.
This planet does not want to see a continuation of America as the worlds sole superpower, nor would it be a good thing for China to assume first position by itself. When neither country can achieve dominance, there is a bipolar world in which cooperation, rather than confrontation, should be the foreign policy of choice. Ideally, trillion dollar weapons system programs should not be the route to peace, but history often takes a less than direct path to conflict resolution and friendly competition.
China’s Secret Fleet of Stealth Fighters|Environmental Graffiti
The signs have been there for some time. In 1997, the US Office of Naval Intelligence stated their conviction that a 4th generation stealth fighter was under development in China. Then in December, 2008, the highly respected Janes All the Worlds Aircraft went on record saying that China has been developing a heavyweight stealth fighter for many years.
In 2005, a former Northrup B2 design engineer was arrested for selling highly classified data about the B-2 and its stealth design to China. Noshir Gowadia has admitted to the charges and so there is no question that the propulsion system and stealth design features of the B-2 have been studied intensively by those designing fighters and bombers for Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).
In April 2009, China cyberwar experts attacked the US Department of Defense computers that hold classified data about the F-35 program. Apparently a great deal of data was downloaded, although theft of information in the highest security classification was not acknowledged.
At least two Chinese stealth fighters are farther along in development than anyone would have imagined six months ago. The most recent of these stealth fighter photographs was published on November 25, 2009 on a website that has high level expertise in all matters relating to Chinese military aviation.
Unveiled in 2002, the Shenyang J-11B is a very advanced, multi-role attack fighter with Chinese-made avionics and some degree of reduced radar cross section (stealth) ideal for trying out new ideas about increased stealth. Since 2006, it has been a testbed for the Chinese FWS-10A TaiHang turbofan engine. The FWS-10A is similar to the Russian AL-31F, and is a candidate for next generation stealth aircraft propulsion.
The J-15 is expected to be stationed on the Varyag aircraft carrier, now in the last stages of fitting out in Dalian. The Russian AL-31F, an advanced and proven turbofan engine, is the first choice for a power plant. The American fighter that most closely resembles what little we know about the J-15 is the F/A-18C Super Hornet. Latest news from China states that the J-15 made its maiden flight on August 31, 2009.
A second new stealth fighter the J-20 seems to be in development and we know even less about it than the J-15. Russia remains essential for important features: reduction of radar cross section and the best of the advanced turbofan engines. The J-10B fighter is used as a testbed for many J-20 systems. A full scale model of the J-20 may have been completed in 2009. The maiden flight for the J-20 is scheduled for sometime in 2012 with production and combat readiness set for 2015.
The Chinese scrutinize many foreign aircraft for best design features beyond those in the USA and Russia.
A prototype of the advanced Su-33 was acquired by China from the Ukraine in 2001. It likely contributed many design features to current Chinese stealth fighter designs.
This concept is often described as an Xian-H6i which is an odd identification. All versions of the Xian H6 bomber series are designed with an earlier generation, classic long narrow fuselage that has no flying wing characteristics.
Chinas Quest for Superpower Status
Think about it! There is No Reason why the Chinese should not be aggressively developing stealth military aircraft. Flush with 2 trillion+ USD as they ride out the global recession in much better shape than the United States, research and development can easily be financed. If China can approach parity with the USA in numbers and quality of stealth aircraft, nuclear carrier battle groups and nuclear attack submarines, they have become a superpower via projection of their foreign policy and military strength.
A trillion dollars + will be spent on the F-35 program before it concludes many years hence. Monies spent on stealth aircraft in the United States further weaken the overall economy of the crumbling super power. In that alone, Chinas stealth aircraft program will have accomplished a great deal.
This planet does not want to see a continuation of America as the worlds sole superpower, nor would it be a good thing for China to assume first position by itself. When neither country can achieve dominance, there is a bipolar world in which cooperation, rather than confrontation, should be the foreign policy of choice. Ideally, trillion dollar weapons system programs should not be the route to peace, but history often takes a less than direct path to conflict resolution and friendly competition.
China’s Secret Fleet of Stealth Fighters|Environmental Graffiti
It's a good looking drawing alright but I'm really hoping we can fly a 4th gen fighter without the canards, but until it is really rolled out we don't really know, we are still years away from it yet.
