Deino
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J-XY - maybe J-35 - next generation carrier-borne fighter
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beijingwalker
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August 28, 2019 Topic: Security
See This Picture? China May Soon Have Stealth Fighters for Its Aircraft Carriers
And it could be the J-20.
by Michael Peck
The race to build China’s carrier-based stealth fighter may be over.
The competition had been between the Chengdu Aerospace Corporation’s J-20 and the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation’s FC-31 over which aircraft would fly from China’s next generation of aircraft carriers.
And the winner is...the J-20, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
A Chinese military source told the Post that the Central Military Commission favored the J-20. “The Chengdu Aerospace Corporation will announce some new products, which will include a new version of their J-20,” the source said. “You can guess what type it will be.”
If true, this would end a long debate over whether the J-20 or FC-31 – both of which are under development -- is the more worthy candidate. The J-20 is a bigger, heavier aircraft, while the FC-31 is smaller and lighter. “Those who favored the J-20 said it was more advanced and reliable than the FC-31,” while the FC-31 is considered more maneuverable, the Post said.
Details of the J-20 “Powerful Dragon” are sparse, but it is a twin-engined, 35-ton fighter that is 67 feet long and a wingspan of 42 feet, as well as Mach 2 speed and an estimated range of 1,200 to 2,000 miles. The 28-ton FC-31 is 55 feet long and a wingspan of 38 feet, as well as Mach 1.8 speed and a combat range of 745 miles, according to its manufacturer. The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation already makes China’s current carrier-based jet, the J-15, an unlicensed copy of an old Soviet design and an aircraft that has been plagued by numerous crashes.
The J-20 is a distinctive-looking aircraft with its canards – little winglets – just behind the cockpit, and is often compared to an F-22. The FC-31 resembles an F-35.
The F-22/F-35 comparison actually applies in several ways. While the manufacturers of the J-20 and FC-31 are competitors, they both are part of state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China, and vie for contracts like U.S. defense firms do. The J-20 and FC-31 contest is similar to the U.S. military’s heavy/light fighter debates, such as the F-15 versus F-16 or F-22 versus F-35. The U.S. eventually ended up with 187 F-22s – considered the world’s premier air superiority fighter, but very expensive at more than $400 million apiece. Instead the bulk of the U.S. fighter force will be more than 2,000 F-35s, whose price has recently dropped to $80 million each.
The F-35 is still very much a work in progress, with numerous defects reported by government auditors. The J-20, conceived as a land-based stealth fighter, will also need some work before it can be based on China’s next generation of aircraft carriers, which will use new electromagnetic catapults capable of launching heavier aircraft than conventional catapults can. “The key problem of the J-20 is not weight, but length,” the military source told the Post. “If it wants to be a carrier-based fighter jet, it needs to be made shorter.”
There is also the perpetual Chinese problem with jet engines. “At present both the J-20 and F-31 still rely on Russian engines,” the Post noted. “The WS-15 engine that has been purpose built for the J-20 has undergone hundreds of hours of testing but has yet to meet reliability targets, while the F-31 prototype does not have a purpose-built engine,” said the Post.
If the Chinese navy did pick the J-20, it is noteworthy that it opted for the heavier and presumably more expensive aircraft, but with longer range and payload than its competitor.
One Chinese commentator did suggest to the Post that the Chinese navy could develop both the J-20 and FC-31 as a complementary duo. “But another military source close to the PLA Navy said it would be almost impossible to develop both aircraft over the next few years given the risk of an economic downturn as the trade war with the US continues to escalate,” the Post said.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/b...-stealth-fighters-its-aircraft-carriers-76581
See This Picture? China May Soon Have Stealth Fighters for Its Aircraft Carriers
And it could be the J-20.
by Michael Peck
The race to build China’s carrier-based stealth fighter may be over.
The competition had been between the Chengdu Aerospace Corporation’s J-20 and the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation’s FC-31 over which aircraft would fly from China’s next generation of aircraft carriers.
And the winner is...the J-20, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
A Chinese military source told the Post that the Central Military Commission favored the J-20. “The Chengdu Aerospace Corporation will announce some new products, which will include a new version of their J-20,” the source said. “You can guess what type it will be.”
If true, this would end a long debate over whether the J-20 or FC-31 – both of which are under development -- is the more worthy candidate. The J-20 is a bigger, heavier aircraft, while the FC-31 is smaller and lighter. “Those who favored the J-20 said it was more advanced and reliable than the FC-31,” while the FC-31 is considered more maneuverable, the Post said.
Details of the J-20 “Powerful Dragon” are sparse, but it is a twin-engined, 35-ton fighter that is 67 feet long and a wingspan of 42 feet, as well as Mach 2 speed and an estimated range of 1,200 to 2,000 miles. The 28-ton FC-31 is 55 feet long and a wingspan of 38 feet, as well as Mach 1.8 speed and a combat range of 745 miles, according to its manufacturer. The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation already makes China’s current carrier-based jet, the J-15, an unlicensed copy of an old Soviet design and an aircraft that has been plagued by numerous crashes.
The J-20 is a distinctive-looking aircraft with its canards – little winglets – just behind the cockpit, and is often compared to an F-22. The FC-31 resembles an F-35.
The F-22/F-35 comparison actually applies in several ways. While the manufacturers of the J-20 and FC-31 are competitors, they both are part of state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China, and vie for contracts like U.S. defense firms do. The J-20 and FC-31 contest is similar to the U.S. military’s heavy/light fighter debates, such as the F-15 versus F-16 or F-22 versus F-35. The U.S. eventually ended up with 187 F-22s – considered the world’s premier air superiority fighter, but very expensive at more than $400 million apiece. Instead the bulk of the U.S. fighter force will be more than 2,000 F-35s, whose price has recently dropped to $80 million each.
The F-35 is still very much a work in progress, with numerous defects reported by government auditors. The J-20, conceived as a land-based stealth fighter, will also need some work before it can be based on China’s next generation of aircraft carriers, which will use new electromagnetic catapults capable of launching heavier aircraft than conventional catapults can. “The key problem of the J-20 is not weight, but length,” the military source told the Post. “If it wants to be a carrier-based fighter jet, it needs to be made shorter.”
There is also the perpetual Chinese problem with jet engines. “At present both the J-20 and F-31 still rely on Russian engines,” the Post noted. “The WS-15 engine that has been purpose built for the J-20 has undergone hundreds of hours of testing but has yet to meet reliability targets, while the F-31 prototype does not have a purpose-built engine,” said the Post.
If the Chinese navy did pick the J-20, it is noteworthy that it opted for the heavier and presumably more expensive aircraft, but with longer range and payload than its competitor.
One Chinese commentator did suggest to the Post that the Chinese navy could develop both the J-20 and FC-31 as a complementary duo. “But another military source close to the PLA Navy said it would be almost impossible to develop both aircraft over the next few years given the risk of an economic downturn as the trade war with the US continues to escalate,” the Post said.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/b...-stealth-fighters-its-aircraft-carriers-76581
Deino
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Oh my god !!
Nationalinterest is quoting a report from Minnie Chan - and we all know how reliable and credible she is
- .... so what does this tell us??Also, please not again a new thread for a single report.
obj 705A
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I highly doubt that the PLA would just drop the J-31 after all the money & time spent on it , not only the PLAN needs it but also the PLAAF needs a light 5th gen fighter , the J-31 will most likely be cheaper than the J-20 so it will be perfect to complement the number of 5th gen fighters in the PLAAF , also the price of America's F-35 was said to have dropped to 80$ million! If true then that is quite impressive , this would allow the US to reach their goal of having 2000 5th gen fighters very easly , if there are any flaws with the J-31 then the PLA could always just spend few billions of dollarsto further develop it & correct any flaws.
In the future if the PLA where to have a 5th gen air force equal to at the very least 60% that of the US then they will need a light 5th gen fighter, though personally I believe that China aims to have absolute parity ( both quality wise & quantity wise) with the USAF after may be 30-35 years from now , by that time (ie: 2050-2055) the Chinese economy will most likely be much bigger than that of the US making quite easy for the PLAAF to afford an airforce like that.
In the future if the PLA where to have a 5th gen air force equal to at the very least 60% that of the US then they will need a light 5th gen fighter, though personally I believe that China aims to have absolute parity ( both quality wise & quantity wise) with the USAF after may be 30-35 years from now , by that time (ie: 2050-2055) the Chinese economy will most likely be much bigger than that of the US making quite easy for the PLAAF to afford an airforce like that.
PLA never spend a single cent on J-31. The one who fork out all the money on the project itself is Shenyang aviation corporation.
Ali_Baba
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Its a good thing that PAF didnot select or join the F-35 project. It is essentially a dead project with no future in China at all. It would be best to see if TF-X can meet the needs of the PAF. If TFX can overcome its technical issues, then it has both potential and also a future as Turkey will purchase the aircraft.
Silicon0000
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J31 instead of F35
Deino
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But is this confirmed? I thought there were at least a few reports even from very respected "big shrimps" who noted, that the PLA entered the program with founds.
waja2000
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simple, no PLA marking in J-31 body means project still not fund by PLAF or PLAN.
and J-31 fans waiting so long J31 have PLA marking.
Ultima Thule
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TFX long way to go it will reach production status after 2030 if not delayed and there are rumors that Turkey is showing interests in Su-57 and skip the TF-X project all along @Ali_Baba
waja2000
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Su-57 seem not conflict with TFX project which Su-57 is heavy fighter, TFX only light/Medium fighter. unless Turkey just need 1 type 5 Gen fighter.
dBSPL
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I'm sorry, but you're trying to spread false information. I don't want to dissipate topic because moderator Deino says he won't let us. If you come to the relevant topics, you can learn more about TFX' doctrine. Thanks.
Deino
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It seems as if AVIC itself lifted the veil of secrecy about the future carrier-borne fighter giving a strong hint that a much redesigned variant has been selected by PLAN (already rumored as J-35) to be powered by the new WS-19.
(Image via AVIC Weibo account)
https://www.weibo.com/3061210763/Ilw13bjX4?type=comment#_rnd1576759928989
(Image via AVIC Weibo account)
https://www.weibo.com/3061210763/Ilw13bjX4?type=comment#_rnd1576759928989
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