2024 Zhuhai Airshow main thread, Air Systems

[Stealthflanker]

You gonna make good RCS models from them?

Not necessarily. Like there are more things like say i can try measure the thickness of the wing, finding proper T/C (Thickness to Chord) ratio, that, along with some good google earth image. You can predict the wing's internal volume, that will help estimating fuel capacity.

Also things like HQ-9 radar vehicle's wheel diameter, from there you can estimate the vehicle dimension then the radar it carried. Tradeshow is basically a gold mine for those with interests. Also if there is any rockets or missiles, their diameter and then if they use rocket motor, nozzle diameter can help drag estimate, and nozzle throat diameter can help thrust prediction. All of those can contribute to range prediction.

Those things give good references for thoughts.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

Air force variant of the J-35 (J-35A) has arrived at Zhuhai. Posted by @Captain小潇 and the official account of CCTV7 on Weibo.

 

[LuzinskiJ]

Air force variant of the J-35 (J-35A) has arrived at Zhuhai. Posted by @Captain小潇 and the official account of CCTV7 on Weibo.

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Is that a gun port above the inlet? If yes, shouldn’t it be concealed until needed?

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

The official Weibo account of the PLAAF has officially confirmed the service entry of the J-35A with the PLAAF, together with the HQ-19 (said to be THAAD-ER+ equivalent) and a new model of recon+strike UAV.

 

[SinoAmericanCW]

This might be one of the best-looking, if not the best-looking, 5th gen.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Is that a gun port above the inlet? If yes, shouldn’t it be concealed until needed?

That’s not a gun port. It is a cooling inlet. The entrance is trapezoidal to reduce signature and there is a similar device on the F-35.

 

[Bob Smith]

The official Weibo account of the PLAAF has officially confirmed the service entry of the J-35A with the PLAAF, together with the HQ-19 (said to be THAAD-ER+ equivalent) and a new model of recon+strike UAV.

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Curious if they intended the date to be the same as US election or simply a coincidence.

 

[Blitzo]

Is that a gun port above the inlet? If yes, shouldn’t it be concealed until needed?

Looks more like an auxiliary air inlet to me.

 

[Kejora]

Does it have EODAS?

 

[Blitzo]

Does it have EODAS?

You mean multiple EO passive detection apertures around the aircraft?

You'll need a higher resolution picture for it, but if it's similar to the carrier based J-35 then chances are, yes it will.

We can see the side nose aperture on J-35 in this image for example