My very dear YoungPak,
You know I am
non-technical and only look at our assets as
Policy Instruements... so the following is going to be through that angle...
Our esteemed sister
@messiach has thrown a curve ball and has
actually said more in her question than we might realise... her characteristic
modus operandi
Block3 entails:
- Total new plumbing... a generational jump harnessing experience from the Chinese advancements and our technical inputs/collaborations... under the skin a new aircraft!!!
- Composites already given but far more intensive.. thus reducing RCS further for already small RCS giving it 'stealthiness'
- More load carrying capacity than Blk2
- Better sensor fusion and lesser load on pilots... better integeration with ground/air/space assets for better situational awareness, inbuilt ECM/EW
- PL15 given
- RAM coating given
- Mach 2 speed... more efficent engine as well...
- Better meantime for overhaul
- Blk3 is Larger than Blk2
On the flight of fantasy side:
- Redesigned front end with angular front
- Canted vertical stablisers
- More feul carrying capacity hence longer rage/ station time
- Able to carry Ra'ad II
- A best in its class fighter
- Able to control Drones and act as Electronic Intelligence Gathering platform
As respected madam
@messiach has hinted about larger intakes, and the pic of Block 3 we saw above (in the promotional poster), the resemblance to frontal angle of J-31/F-22 is quite much in terms of intake. This as a result might suggest that the bottom fuselage is wider which in turn solves some issues and adds functionality.
- New Placements/room for landing gear which might totally result in a new gear
- OBOGS easy placement behind canopy thanks to landing gear issue solved
- Since landing gear could have been modified, RAAD 2 is automatically ON.
- 2 more Hps possibly under fuselage totalling it to a figure of 3, just like under J-20 fuselage where apart from the internal bay, there is a right and a left bay, in our case, HP.
And if my hypothesis comes out completely/partially true, we are looking at a whole new fighter, a true BEAST, with the inherited name of Thunder but nothing like Block 1 and 2.
@Signalian @aliyusuf @HRK
Why? What's wrong with them? Are they inferior to F-7s and Mirages in Pakistan's current inventory?
Nope, we can in their place, produce more Block 3s and keep the assembly line running as well as increase our standards.
Upgrading previous blocks and introducing all together an upgraded plane has quite a difference.