SAC FC-31 Stealth Fighter: News & Discussions

[帅的一匹]

are malaysia and north korea a potential FC-31 customer in future ? @cirr @Deino @grey boy 2

no

Any idea how much time it takes to paint? Coz some source rumoured it to be naked until Nov 3...didnt know anything further

can pakistan send few engineere to SAC to.help.them paint the.V2? the paint job there is a disaster.

 

[Deino]

no


can pakistan send few engineere to SAC to.help.them paint the.V2? the paint job there is a disaster.

Come on ??? Why do You think some Pakistani could do a paint-job better ??? ... and what's wrong with the paint on any of the Flankers?? I admit, I don't like the scheme - I would love to see some sort of two-tone low-viz-grey on them - but the paint job itself looks fine.

 

[AlyxMS]

Come on ??? Why do You think some Pakistani could do a paint-job better ??? ... and what's wrong with the paint on any of the Flankers?? I admit, I don't like the scheme - I would love to see some sort of two-tone low-viz-grey on them - but the paint job itself looks fine.

I think he meant exactly that- the scheme.

 

[grey boy 2]

FC-31 V2 will take the 1st test flight within this few days

 

[WarFariX]

FC-31 V2 will take the 1st test flight within this few days

you think we will get video as soon as it makes its first flight...i mean day

 

[cirr]

Maiden flight any minute now?

13.00 Beijing Time.

 

[grey boy 2]

 

[Deino]

Maiden flight any minute now?

13.00 Beijing Time.

View attachment 361214

Hmmm; O.k. ... 13:00 Beijing time is over ... and what happened ???

 

[星海军事]

Hmmm; O.k. ... 13:00 Beijing time is over ... and what happened ???

high-speed taxing test

 

[Deino]

high-speed taxing test

Thanks ... just found this and so it seems indeed no flight was done, but "only" a high-speed taxi-test.

https://twitter.com/x/status/810415504078884864

 

[cirr]

Hmmm; O.k. ... 13:00 Beijing time is over ... and what happened ???

Well, there is always another time.

 

[Deino]

Well, there is always another time.

Yes indeed, there's always another time !

I hope however that they don't follow the same pattern as with V1: it appeared for the first time during a taxi-test in 16. September and made its maiden flight on 31. October !

Anyway, it seems at least as if that bird is still in yellow-primer. Will surely be an interesting sight !

 

[Saifullah Sani]

Reported images of the second J-31 prototype. Photo credit: China Military Aviation and Chinese internet sources.

SECOND J-31 PROTOTYPE POSSIBLY CLOSE TO MAIDEN TEST FLIGHT

Images attributed to the second Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-31 prototype suggest that the unit is imminently ready to conduct its maiden test flight.

Reports from Chinese analysts surrounding the nearing completion of the second prototype have been mounting since Air Show China 2016, which took place in Zhuhai in November. British aviation journalist Alan Warnes reported that the second J-31 prototype would fly in December.

Specific details of the aircraft, such as its turbofan engines and onboard systems, are not yet known.

Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) began its concerted marketing push for the J-31 (i.e. FC-31) during the 2015 Dubai Air Show. At that time, AVIC promised to refine the J-31 technology demonstrator with numerous design improvements to the airframe.

The production-ready FC-31 will also utilize an active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar, helmet-mounted display and sight (HMD/S) system, infrared search and track (IRST), integrated electro-optical targeting system (EOTS), and single display-panel cockpit (with a side-mounted flight-control stick).

The FC-31 is to have capable load-out options as well, such as the capacity to internally carry six medium-range air-to-air missiles (with another six externally) or four 500 kg guided-bombs internally, among other possible configurations using the fighter’s internal and external hardpoints (IHS Jane’s).

At the 2015 Dubai Air Show, AVIC stated that the FC-31 will have a maximum take-off weight of 24,947 kg, payload capacity of almost 8,000 kg, service ceiling of 16,000 metres, and top speed of Mach 1.8. It will have a combat radius of 1,200 km.

Notes & Comments:

AVIC is marketing the FC-31 principally for export, though it hopes to secure domestic orders from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) or People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

Pakistan has been pegged as a strong candidate for the FC-31, but the fighter could see traction in other countries as well, especially since the fifth-generation fighter market has no other serviceable or near-serviceable options beyond the Lockheed Martin F-35 and Sukhoi T-50.

The production-ready FC-31 is expected to fly in 2019. If ordered in time, it could reach initial operational capability by 2022 and full operational capability by 2024.

 

[The SC]

SAC wouldn't have continued to invest in a second prototype if it didn't have some serious inquiries and some threshold to attain based on those inquiries..either from the Chinese air force or navy as well as from potential foreign customers..
But FOC in 2024 is a bit too long for exports, since many (at least) GCC nations might be able to get the US F-35 by that time or not far from it, still Egypt and other Arab countries like Morocco and Jordan might wait for it to be fully operational before purchasing it.. Pakistan on the other hand can join in the production and make a JV like the one with the JF-17, that is if it wants good numbers, a hundred or so.. the possibility is there since Pakistan's economy shows very good signs of progress and pronostics are most positive for a GDP growth of 7% by 2018..

 

[cirr]

Maiden test flight could be as early as this week.