What's new

China's 5th Gen. Carrier-based Fighter

Who knows? At this point, we know that Pakistan may also have armed drones (which it got from China and may have used at least once) and isn't saying anything.

I am sure that Pakistan might have worked with China on technology but the UAV would be of Pakistani origin...
 
On the Forward Swept Wings:

This was also proposed before the X-29A was selected,

GDF-16FSW_zps396b98f1.jpg


In 1976, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) awarded funds to General Dynamics, Rockwell and Grumman under the Forward-Swept Wing Program. Forward-swept wings offer low drag and improved low-speed handling characteristics, but they are extremely difficult to manufacture using conventional techniques. The use of advanced composite materials makes the wing rigid enough to withstand the forces introduced by aerodynamic stress, while simultaneously avoiding a weight penalty.

The engineers at General Dynamics studied several designs, including one with canards and an aft-mounted wing. The final design submitted to DARPA used the landing gear and most fuselage components of the traditional F-16, yet it had a slightly lengthened and strengthened fuselage to allow the forward-swept wing to be attached, since the new wing was slightly larger than the traditional wing.

The SFW/F-16 was rejected by DARPA in January of 1981 in favor of the Grumman 712 (an F-5/F-20 derivative), later designated the X-29A. The decision was mainly a political one, as many thought that the test-scene at NASA was heavily dominated by General Dynamics' F-16s (AFTI, CCV, F-16XL). Another much-cited reason was that "One could only learn so much from a single airframe", though in retrospect, ongoing experiments with the F-16 seem to prove this wrong. It is interesting to note that the chosen design, the X-29A, consists for about 16% of F-16 components, including the Fly-By-Wire Flight Control System.

After the F-5 airframe was chosen for this project, all development into this version halted.

F-16 Versions - F-16 SFW :: F-16.net
 
I think only a GG pictures, only J-20 is country program, Chengdu won the bill, J-31 is only a corporate self-financing program,if Shenyang doesn't reach J-31, it may fail in future and behind Chengdu a generation tech, if J-31 work well, PLAAF will accept it, just as JH-7, L-15
Said J31 had won over J20 variant at the bidding of future carrier aircrafrt. PLA navy think J31 is more affordable compared to heavy J20 navy variant.
 
Unless anyone has definitive proof of the J-31 being cancelled, I will continue to believe that the J-31, and not the J-20, will be on Chinese carriers.
 
Back
Top Bottom