AoA
This is news for me for I think CATIC is still offering this to us. Yes PAF evaluated the aircraft and rejected it because it was not a good fighter. To acquire this PAF needs to be convinced that it needs a fighter bomber. PDF could be a opinion maker. As long as we remain F-16 centric we will be defensive. PAF needs an deep strike offensive element in order to raise the nuclear threshold and ensure deterrence through conventional means.
Regards
@MastanKhan could you comment on JH7B no longer being in production?
AoA
Because a fighter cannot do what a bomber does with the same efficiency.
The JH-7B carries 9000 Kg of ordinance while the Su -35 carries 6900 with 50% internal fuel
Having a strike element with 9000 Kg of bombs greatly reduces the package size.
I remember Sir Qaiser's lecture - PAF concentrates more on the mean rather than the end.
Regards
Hi,
Information Dissemination: 2013 Chinese Air Force Review
A 2013 article ---" Bomber/fighter-bomber - We continue to see the H-6K bomber entering service with PLAAF this year. I don't expect a large production run of this bomber, but it can serve as a bomb truck until a more advanced bomber (which is currently under development) comes into service. That is something I don't expect until later this decade. After much speculation, we've finally seen the maiden flight of JH-7B recently. Contrary to earlier speculations, JH-7B has very few external modifications from JH-7A. The changes are the inclusion of a retractable IFR, strengthening of wing/fuselage to carry larger/heavier missiles and a new generation of avionics. JH-7B is likely to be developed for naval aviation since PLAAF is likely to purchase J-16 in the role of fighter-bomber.
As a whole, this has been a very busy year for Chinese military aviation. The appearances of Z-20, the second Y-20 and first JH-7B have been very exciting to PLAAF followers. At the same time, it's great to see J-10B production finally starting. J-10B and J-16 should be the main fighter jet for PLAAF until the end of this decade. The biggest things to look for next year will be the changes in the third prototype of J-20, the appearance of a next generation bomber and the development of new UAVs ".
The JH7B is going to be in service either at the end of the year or in the beginning of 2016---.
Here is a link that you will enjoy---plz also read the comments---you will love them
China’s JH-7 Electronic Fighter, Stealth Aircraft Medium-Range Killer | Tiananmen's Tremendous Achievements
Full article above link " In its report yesterday, mil.news.sina.com.cn says that the new electronic variant of JH-7 fighter/bomber is able to shoot down stealth aircrafts at medium range.
The new JH-7 uses the technology similar to US EA-18G which has been able to shoot down US F-22 stealth fighter jet. China has developed electronic equipment similar to that used on US EA-18G. As JH-7 can carry a heavy load, it is precisely the right warplane to carry such equipment.
JH-7 has similar combat radius and speed to J-10 and J-11. Some JH-7s and J-10s or J-11s can form a comprehensive combat group with JH-7 electronic fighters providing electronic interference. That will enable J-10s or J-11s to avoid being attacked by stealth fighters. In addition, due to JH-7’s large loading capacity, an electronic JH-7 can carry, in addition to the heavy electronic equipment, some anti-radiation and medium-range air-to-air missiles to shoot down some of the stealth fighters it has detected.
Moreover, a JH-7 electronic fighter/bomber shall to some extent be stealthy. Through various modifications, a new variant JH-7B has been developed to be stealthy. The new JH-7B is expected to be put into series production this year ".
I very much doubt that it is stealthy----.
