PAF IL-78 in Chengdu

[fatman17]

So why is this re-fueler in China anyway?

remember its a 'multi-role' a/c. maybe PAF is using it to transport stuff from china to pakistan.

 

[khurasaan1]

What is this?????

a mini missile ..LOL..

 

[TaimiKhan]

Apart of joke fellows, a simple explanation is that at such a height and speed, surrounding in tremendous air (atmospheric) pressure, leaked fuel simply cannot remain stagnant and within a millisecond, it evaporates so no harm for the aircraft or pilot. Fuel leak happens all the time during air refueling.

On topic though, JFT has a Swedish re-tractable refuel probe.

Hi Mr. Nabil_05, can you kindly shed any details on how you know the JF-17 will have a Swedish retractable fuel probe? I read on the Asian Defence Blog that the JF-17 was testing two configurations, one static and the other one retractable. Thanks!

Gripen has a COBHAM supplied retractable probe, and we did hear rumors of IL-78s being equipped with COBHAM refueling drogue system.

So if JF-17 is getting what the Gripen has, then it would mean its supplied by COBHAM also, as they are the best in the business, and many of the aerial refueling platforms have systems from this company, F-35s probe, Gripen, Osprey, A-310 MRTT, A-330 MRTT, KC-130J, Su-30 Budding refueling system, MC-130H, Swedish Air Force C-130Es etc etc etc all have COBHAM supplied refueling equipment.

Cobham plc :: Mission Systems, Mission Equipment, Wimborne, Probes

http://www.cobham.com/media/33561/cob_m04_probes_datasheet_2010.pdf

Gripen News Thread

Page 45: http://cobhamsite.hemscottir.com/pdf/investor_day_2005_presentation.pdf

Plus IL-78 is a MRTT platform, it may even have gone for some transport purpose also.

 

[sancho]

looks identical to the one underwings.......implying a refueler can refuel 4 ACs at once....

Yes, that is another refuelling station as you can see on the following picture:

Although the same station could be fitted on the other side too, I guess 3 is the max, because the retracted hoses would be too close to each other to refuel 2 fighters at the same time there.

hmm, all i can say is wait till the end of the year and most of us will have a definitive answer to this mystery

As so often, you claiming many things about JF, but base them only on unnamed sources. I think it would be more useful for people who wants to get more infos about it, if the infos are reliable and can be proven somehow.

 

[Arsalan]

this plane is a real beast, i think PAF/PA must seriously consider a couple more for tactical transport wing...

regards!

 

[ANG]

Hi, this plane is nice, but it costs $$$. With the PAFs limited budget getting more might be an issue. Take care.

 

[Comet]

Beautiful Pictures. Thanks for them. Also, what is it exactly that this beast is doing there?

 

[TaimiKhan]

Beautiful Pictures. Thanks for them. Also, what is it exactly that this beast is doing there?

Either bringing in or bringing out some material for most probably the JF-17s as Chengdu has the manufacturing plant for JF-17.

Or as some said, for testing purposes for the refueling probes on the JF-17s, as Chinese tankers can't be tested, as their probes and refueling drogue may be different compared to what we would be using on ours.

 

[roach]

I have a question. I'm a little puzzled here, so help me out.

So the purpose of a mid-air refueler would be to strike targets beyond the range of strike aircraft's normal (with drop tanks) range.

That implies that these aircraft would be refueled once their reserves are really low, like at the midpoint of the strike mission or at the end, once the strike has been completed-on the way back.

Your airbases are close to the border. For Pakistani strike aircraft to strike a base in Assam, these IL-78 aircraft would have to be over Indian airspace.

The only use I can see would be over the Arabian Sea, to strike bases/assets in the South of India, that would mean IL-78s operating in areas where the Indian Navy, arguably, would hold an an advantage due to it's Aircraft Carrier (s).

On the other hand,if Bangladesh were providing Pak the use of airbases....

Or maybe it's to use strike aircraft taking off from bases close to the Afghan border....

Someone help me out here. Why do you need these aircraft again?

 

[hataf]

So what happens if the fuel leaks and goes into engine

nothing and there is a video on you tube and jet fuel did not ignite until it has an ignition source

 

[TaimiKhan]

I have a question. I'm a little puzzled here, so help me out.

So the purpose of a mid-air refueler would be to strike targets beyond the range of strike aircraft's normal (with drop tanks) range.

That implies that these aircraft would be refueled once their reserves are really low, like at the midpoint of the strike mission or at the end, once the strike has been completed-on the way back.

Your airbases are close to the border. For Pakistani strike aircraft to strike a base in Assam, these IL-78 aircraft would have to be over Indian airspace.

The only use I can see would be over the Arabian Sea, to strike bases/assets in the South of India, that would mean IL-78s operating in areas where the Indian Navy, arguably, would hold an an advantage due to it's Aircraft Carrier (s).

On the other hand,if Bangladesh were providing Pak the use of airbases....

Or maybe it's to use strike aircraft taking off from bases close to the Afghan border....

Someone help me out here. Why do you need these aircraft again?

No, striking deep is not the only purpose of a refueller.

It can help in many other ways also.

It can keep aircraft flying in the air for much longer, thus it will reduce the need for aircraft to land, resulting in less time wastage, aircraft would be in the air for longer duration of time for CAP patrols.

Aircraft can take off with less fuel and more weapon load, once in the air it can get refueled and head for its missions, as weight for weapons load would be increased.

Lot of fuel is spent during take off, which limits the time aircraft can be in the air, with aerial tankers aircraft will have no worry for fuel.

So these are some of the much important tasks which PAF will use the tankers for.

And yeah it does helps in a way for striking deep inside India, as aircraft once in the air would be able to refuel and replace the fuel spent while taking off and going to a certain altitude, also it will help the aircraft in taking more heavier payload to its targets.

 

[hataf]

History of air to air refueling

 

[Arsalan]

I have a question. I'm a little puzzled here, so help me out.

So the purpose of a mid-air refueler would be to strike targets beyond the range of strike aircraft's normal (with drop tanks) range.

That implies that these aircraft would be refueled once their reserves are really low, like at the midpoint of the strike mission or at the end, once the strike has been completed-on the way back.

Your airbases are close to the border. For Pakistani strike aircraft to strike a base in Assam, these IL-78 aircraft would have to be over Indian airspace.

The only use I can see would be over the Arabian Sea, to strike bases/assets in the South of India, that would mean IL-78s operating in areas where the Indian Navy, arguably, would hold an an advantage due to it's Aircraft Carrier (s).

On the other hand,if Bangladesh were providing Pak the use of airbases....

Or maybe it's to use strike aircraft taking off from bases close to the Afghan border....

Someone help me out here. Why do you need these aircraft again?

i hope we never have to use them and we never go on war, but,

the mid air refueler enables the plane to travel longer distances, more importantly, the bird can carry more payload (weapons) while take off as fuel level can be kept low and then later refueled while air borne.

more over it will help increase flying time in suport of army and Navy..

regards!

 

[Dazzler]

@Sancho,

what i claimed above is soon to become a reality and most people to see an internet source for everything which CAN NOT be the case especially in Pakistan military issues. Time and again what i shared with all friends, most of it has proved to be reality. Just few examples of what i have CLAIMED so far here......

1. I said, we are manufacturing JFT avionics indigenously which includes more powerful weapon and mission management computer, software, HUD, Store management system and news emerged after few days confirming ONE being developed and hiding other three.

2. When people began to worry about klj-7 unable to fire sd-10, i claimed that it was addressed and nothing more than an interface glitch and problem sorted out and soon we will see bvr on JFT, guess what, it happened.

3 I claimed MER on JFT and it was confirmed as recent as FIA 2010.

4. I also claimed that JFT has a remarkable maneuverability especially its Instantaneous turn rate is much faster than our f-16, it had the better of falcons in mock dog fights and this was also confirmed by Taimi khan. So, my point is that my knowledge is not internet limited and as many of us have made a belief that internet is the ultimate source of knowledge, which is not the case, and i share what i deem enough for forum friends to know. One thing i must say here, what we all know so far about JFT, is much less than what is actually hidden under the wraps and time will prove this. Everyone has the choice to believe or reject, its a free forum after all.

 

[sancho]

...and again what i shared with all friends, most of it has proved to be reality. Just few examples of what i have CLAIMED so far here...

Just as you said, not all of your claims turned out to be true! As TaimiKhan showed you in his reply, the Swedes don't have an own retractable probe, like most parts in the Gripen it is procured from a foreign country/company and in this case from the UK. So how could they offer a probe for JF then?

Also I remember the French avionics thread, where you claimed the upgrade for JF 17 block 2 was close to be done and would include even parts of Rafales SPECTRA EWS (which is highly unlikely for several reasons). The first never happend and you never was able to provide a reliable source for the latter!

I don't deny that you might have inside sources, I rather find it interesting to get better infos like this, then only by those sources that are available in public. The problem with your posts (for me at least) is, I never know how much of it is, or will be true and if I can take those infos as reliable. That's why I'm saying, it would be better if you could provide sources more often.

However, just my thoughts about it, we don't need to go further off topic here.