JF-17 Thunder Multirole Fighter [Thread 6]

[Stephen Cohen]

Making changes to the airframe basically means redesigning the aircraft
which itself is highly time consuming followed by reconstructing and retesting the aircraft

TWR ; ITR and STR will also change with more hard points

Avionics upgrade ; IFR probes ; new weapons are the best options
which can be carried out with the same air frame

 

[SQ8]

NOW THIS, MY DEAR, IS IMPORTANT BIT

and like other "experts" here on the forum, I will pretend that I understand

and maybe the justification for the current dimension more like (apologies for the lack of correct analogy) the length of the barrel of a gun is only feasible to a point until it no longer provides any further range or velocity bonus to the projectile.

@Oscar @MastanKhan @gambit do you concur?

A quick example for reference is the Japanese F-2. Which is essentially a F-16 with enlarged wings. The performance increase was quite welcome and the aircraft was initially known as the Agile falcon designed to counter the Su-27. However the issues that come with a larger wing on a platform that is not designed for it.. while this is an old story.. it shows the potential problems that can occur.
New wing cracks in F-2 prototype found | The Japan Times

 

[khanasifm]

9 hard points on JF-17 are/was an option

 

[khanasifm]

9 hard points on JF-17 are an option , @3:39

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Hi,

Extending the wings just for a couple of hard points is next to impossible on an aircraft of this size----. We should let a grey hound stay a grey hound---it is what it is----that is what it was designed for---7 hard points and not 9----there was a reason for it.

If they want a 9 pointer or an 11 pointer---then they need to go get an 11 pointer----you cannot make a grey hound in a bull mastiff----the function and purpose are not the same.

dear sir, my goal was never more hardpoints but an extra lift for the air craft, if thats what a bigger wing span can provide. adding another hard point kills the reason why I was wishing for a bigger span, its only to compensate for allegedly underpowered engine and modest time in the air

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Making changes to the airframe basically means redesigning the aircraft
which itself is highly time consuming followed by reconstructing and retesting the aircraft

TWR ; ITR and STR will also change with more hard points

Avionics upgrade ; IFR probes ; new weapons are the best options
which can be carried out with the same air frame

not suggesting any changes to an already exiting and finalized design.. just thinking if it was done right at the start. but as mentioned by other members, the bigger wings might not always work out well as in the case of F2 (super falcon)

 

[VCheng]

A quick example for reference is the Japanese F-2. Which is essentially a F-16 with enlarged wings. The performance increase was quite welcome and the aircraft was initially known as the Agile falcon designed to counter the Su-27. However the issues that come with a larger wing on a platform that is not designed for it.. while this is an old story.. it shows the potential problems that can occur.
New wing cracks in F-2 prototype found | The Japan Times

What about the F-16XL? That was a pretty good upgrade from a technical point of view.

 

[MastanKhan]

not suggesting any changes to an already exiting and finalized design.. just thinking if it was done right at the start. but as mentioned by other members, the bigger wings might not always work out well as in the case of F2 (super falcon)

Hi,

The easiest thing to do is ---- streamlined conformal fuel tanks in the future. For now---air refueling would do.

 

[IrbiS]

What about the F-16XL? That was a pretty good upgrade from a technical point of view.

And if adapted, it could be implemented on the basic f-16 fuselage without altering.

 

[fatman17]

JFT at Gobi Desert - China.

 

[Bilal.]

No, performance for existing radar and Electronic warfare system.

Talking of Electronic Warfare, some very respectable members are quite confident that it does carry an internal jammer but as far as I have understood from various interviews is that it needs to carry an external pod and does not have an internal jammer( at least in block 1). What's your say on this. Does it (or will) it have an internal jammer?

 

[ACE OF THE AIR]

dear sir, my goal was never more hardpoints but an extra lift for the air craft, if thats what a bigger wing span can provide. adding another hard point kills the reason why I was wishing for a bigger span, its only to compensate for allegedly underpowered engine and modest time in the air

Extra lift can be achieved by other means as well not just by increasing airframe and wing design. e.g . Flaps / slats.
Bigger wing is typically required for more fuel storage and payload.

 

[SQ8]

What about the F-16XL? That was a pretty good upgrade from a technical point of view.

The XL was also a whole new aircraft, that sort of changes will drive up the costs for an aircraft like the JF-17 where "affordable and cost-effective" starts to be a less believable term.

 

[SQ8]

Talking of Electronic Warfare, some very respectable members are quite confident that it does carry an internal jammer but as far as I have understood from various interviews is that it needs to carry an external pod and does not have an internal jammer( at least in block 1). What's your say on this. Does it (or will) it have an internal jammer?

The Aircraft carrying a set of basic electronic warfare systems that includes a set of jammers aimed specifically for the frequencies that air to air missiles operate in. For surface to air threats the aircraft has to carry an external pod.

 

[IrbiS]

The Aircraft carrying a set of basic electronic warfare systems that includes a set of jammers aimed specifically for the frequencies that air to air missiles operate in. For surface to air threats the aircraft has to carry an external pod.

new systems are reprogrammable depending on threat environment