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SAC - FC-31 Grey Falcon Stealth aircraft for PAF : Updates & Debate

China Touts Stealth Fighter Jet, But So Far No Takers
Lara Seligman 12:18 p.m. EST November 8, 2015
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(Photo: Aaron Mehta/Staff)

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — China showcased its first stealth fighter jet here on the opening day of the Dubai Air Show, but so far the fifth-generation aircraft has no customers in sight.

The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is "in negotiations" with the Chinese Air Force to buy the multi-role FC-31, AVIC project manager Lin Peng told reporters on Sunday. Peng declined to say when a deal would be finalized.

Top company officials briefed the media on the stealth characteristics and attack capabilities of the FC-31, but did not take questions from the audience.

This is the first time the Chinese company has showcased the FC-3, also known as the J-31 internationally, although a prototype aircraft flew during the Zhuhai Air Show in China last year. Chinese fighters are designated with a "J" for fighter and "FC" for export.


DEFENSE NEWS

With J-31 Flight, China Makes a Statement

FC-31 would be the first aircraft of its kind available to global customers who face US export restrictions or cannot afford Lockheed Martin's F-35 joint strike fighter. The Chinese company is trying to pitch the FC-31 as a competitor to the JSF, but at this point it is unclear how successful this will be. The customer lineup appears to be Iran and Pakistan.

The FC-31, which closely resembles the F-35, is a medium-sized, low-observable aircraft designed for "the demands of future battlefield environments," Peng told reporters during the briefing.

Officials touted the aircraft's "outstanding situational awareness" achieved with advanced radar, high maneuvering capabilities, and multi-spectrum low-observability. The plane is equipped with twin engines made in China, officials said — not the Russian RD-93 engines previously on the aircraft.

The FC-31 will carry the Small Diameter Bomb, as well as a variety of guided and unguided weapons, officials said.

The test aircraft has been flying for more than two years, Peng told reporters after the briefing. AVIC is planning first flight of the production aircraft in 2019, with initial operational capability scheduled for 2022. The FC-31 will be fully operational in 2024.

US officials and analysts widely believe the FC-31 design was stolen from the F-35 after reports of a major cyber breach of Lockheed's programs by Chinese hackers in April 2009.


DEFENSE NEWS

Industry Fears Massive Losses Through Espionage

Email: lseligman@defensenews.com

Twitter: @laraseligman
 
but we can raise money lets say in next 10 years and i m sure we will get some soft loans for those aircraft...& i dont think tey will cost that high if we compare the prices with other aircrafts like f-35 also for TFX we should join this program .....
More feasible is to invest J-31 which is coming in 2025 2027 time frame and forget Turkish TFX, you might think these fighter s are expensive, and these fighter with AESA IRST and other goodies cost 25 to 35 million $:devil::hitwall: and don't forget Indian, Russian FFGA which is coming in India after 2020 to 2025​
 
Can Pakistan Invest in J-31 to? Just like we did in JF-17? Local production of 5th generation aircraft in PAC to... + Few fighters we can have from Turkey... after a decade

Duo of these would be deadly :D
 
I agree with you over this ,but you have to understand what type of value we can offer to this project as earlier in JF program we already had a lot of experience of F16 but 5th Gen is all together different ball game .In my view R&D money is not an issue in case of J31 designers the cooperation has to be inform of experience and perfecting the tech by end user who should have fair knowledge of requirement .

Can Pakistan Invest in J-31 to? Just like we did in JF-17? Local production of 5th generation aircraft in PAC to... + Few fighters we can have from Turkey... after a decade

Duo of these would be deadly :D
 
More feasible is to invest J-31 which is coming in 2025 2027 time frame and forget Turkish TFX, you might think these fighter s are expensive, and these fighter with AESA IRST and other goodies cost 25 to 35 million $:devil::hitwall: and don't forget Indian, Russian FFGA which is coming in India after 2020 to 2025​
PAF wants to buy these fighters off the shelf. Although JFT has been a success t was complicated by the Chinese AF subsequent refusal to induct these fighters inspite of the agreement. This had implications on its development pace and cost.PAF does not want a repeat of the same picture especially with a far more riskier project which could easily absorb 5-10 billion more in its development cycle. We need smaller number and a huge outlay may not be worth the benefit.
 
I agree with you over this ,but you have to understand what type of value we can offer to this project.

Actually I think any partner of this type of projects can do is only to provide requirements, funding and share risk. Think of US, Russia, South Korea, Turkey ... because nobody has the experience flying a stealth fighter. For Pakistan, the issue is if you need a stealth fighter in 10 years. And if this is too early to send your requirements to the program. J-20 was produced out of PLA AF requirements, that is the only reason they are buying it.

On the other hand, J-31 appears to be a general purpose platform that contains a basic set of common denominator type features. Additional changes are possible through customization. Of course it does not mean PLA AF will never buy it. Depends on if different requirements will be formed later that J-20 can not handle.

In fact, I think FC-31 is easier to work with than Russia's new jet. Because it was designed from the ground up to be modular. T-50 on the other hand is based on Russia's specific requirements mostly.
 
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Could be several reasons, PLAAF focused on J-20, it may consider the FC-31 once it's ready to go into production.
 
Can Pakistan Invest in J-31 to? Just like we did in JF-17? Local production of 5th generation aircraft in PAC to... + Few fighters we can have from Turkey... after a decade

Duo of these would be deadly :D
Pakistan doesn't have much experience in the design of a stealthy aircraft and neither the resources to inject in to an ambitious military project.

Investment in JF-17 Thunder program was feasible on both technical and financial aspects. PAF had experience (in the use of) and inventory of F-16 aircraft and could provide meaningful input for the design of JF-17 Thunder aircraft. This military project was also cost-effective.
 
Pakistan doesn't have much experience in the design of a stealthy aircraft and neither the resources to inject in to an ambitious military project.

Investment in JF-17 Thunder program was feasible on both technical and financial aspects. PAF had experience (in the use of) and inventory of F-16 aircraft and could provide meaningful input for the design of JF-17 Thunder aircraft. This military project was also cost-effective.

Well if you put it this way... Did Pakistan had any Experience in making Fighter jets? NO but did we Invest in it Yes... Did Pakistan had Experience or People to Make Nuclear Weapons NO... But still we send them to the Universities so that they can lean and work on it and Alhamdulillah Pakistan succeeded and made Nuclear Bombs...

To get the Experience of Stealthy Aircraft all it's need is to put some money and study and learn the system...
We don't have to give 5 6 7 Billion Dollars right away to China but should invest some $Billions and pay them in years.. Remember J-31 is not coming before 2024... so we have 9 years and we can spare some 3 4 Billion in 9 years easily...

And Chinese J-31 will come Cheap just like JF-17 we can continue to invest money in JF-17 as Economy is going up slowly so does our Military Budget
 

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