Ask anything Thread (Air Force)

[Deino]

They must have went to Xi'an, because AFAIK:

-16th AB used to field J-11As, but upgraded to J-11Bs in spring 2021 (these aircraft, in turn, came from the 111th AB and thereafter received the "BG" AESA upgrade).
-18th AB then received the 16th AB's old J-11As to replace its J-7s. The brigade still uses J-11As today.

That may be indeed correct. As I said, I don't know for sure off the top of my head right now... but AFAIK we don't have any photo evidence (serial number) for either the 16th or 18th that they are actually flying J-11. Especially for Yinchuan/West (16th AB) there are also indications that they are flying J-10C or even J-11BG too.

 

[tamsen_ikard]

That may be indeed correct. As I said, I don't know for sure off the top of my head right now... but AFAIK we don't have any photo evidence (serial number) for either the 16th or 18th that they are actually flying J-11. Especially for Yinchuan/West (16th AB) there are also indications that they are flying J-10C or even J-11BG too.

How many J-11B have been produced and fielded by the PLA? I have seen conflicting numbers in IISS 2023 and Wikipedia.

IISS 2023 only lists 245 J-11B, BS, BH, BSH in total. However, in the wikipedia page of J-11 it mentions 340 total J-11B variants. This is referenced to "

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" By Justin Bronk, who is usually a good expert air force and air power in general.

 

[Deino]

How many J-11B have been produced and fielded by the PLA? I have seen conflicting numbers in IISS 2023 and Wikipedia.

IISS 2023 only lists 245 J-11B, BS, BH, BSH in total. However, in the wikipedia page of J-11 it mentions 440 total J-11B variants. This is referenced to "

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" By Justin Bronk, who is usually a good expert air force and air power in general.

The funny part of this is, Justin's numbers were misread. In fact they are based on a lecture I was supposed to give at RUSI, which unfortunately was cancelled due to Covid.

His numbers are all J-11 variants: In total there are 7 production blocks J-11B and an 8th as J-11BG with 24 machines each, so 192 J-11B/BG

 

[Maikeru]

That may be indeed correct. As I said, I don't know for sure off the top of my head right now... but AFAIK we don't have any photo evidence (serial number) for either the 16th or 18th that they are actually flying J-11. Especially for Yinchuan/West (16th AB) there are also indications that they are flying J-10C or even J-11BG too.

These look like J10s at Lintao next to the J7s.

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Flankers and J10 at Yinchuan:

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[simonov]

how many J-7 series all variants still operated in PLAAF?

 

[DominantBrownie]

Hello, newer user here, Im just trying to confirm, in a comparison to the US sm-6, a youtube video claimed that the pl-17 air-to-air missile can also be used on surface targets, but I have not found any articles on this myself? I would just like to know whether this is true or not, thanks.

 

[vincent]

Hello, newer user here, Im just trying to confirm, in a comparison to the US sm-6, a youtube video claimed that the pl-17 air-to-air missile can also be used on surface targets, but I have not found any articles on this myself? I would just like to know whether this is true or not, thanks.

There is no info.

 

[SeriousPLANLover]

Shenyang AC is building a new massive production facility in the north of the city, the question is for what plane is this new facility being built? It is unlikely that J-35 will be procured at very high yearly rates due to being bottlenecked by number of carriers and J-16 is probably going to be stopped being produced at around 2027-2028 most likely. So the question is is there a fighter project that we are not aware of or is it just me that is unaware and SAC will indeed be producing a fighter in high numbers moving into future? What is the case?

 

[SinoAmericanCW]

Shenyang AC is building a new massive production facility in the north of the city, the question is for what plane is this new facility being built? It is unlikely that J-35 will be procured at very high yearly rates due to being bottlenecked by number of carriers and J-16 is probably going to be stopped being produced at around 2027-2028 most likely. So the question is is there a fighter project that we are not aware of or is it just me that is unaware and SAC will indeed be producing a fighter in high numbers moving into future? What is the case?

Maybe the PLAAF will procure a substantial number of J-31s?

 

[kylekittenhouse]

any idea whats up with the blueish J16? a filter or just the lighting conditions?