Chengdu next gen combat aircraft (?J-36) thread

[RedShark]

Anyone got a more detail picture of this from Zhuhai?

 

[Biscuits]

Increase defense budget.

Forget that for a second, I'm wondering if it is even possible to increase budgets meaningfully vs China?

PLA releasing 2 new, most likely 3 new B-21/JSF sized projects out of left field. It shows they have seemingly unlimited money. At the same time Beijing is expanding forces at the same high rates, J-20 program is still thriving, J-35 is ramping up etc. It seems increasingly clear that China actually isn't limited by any possible monetary cost, only by the time it takes to train soldiers/pilots/sailors and the time it takes to for engineers and researchers to do their thing.

And just today, they also okayed a random dam with pricetag $ 200 billion.

Beijing has some sort of near unlimited wealth generator that evidently exceeds whatever ability US has to print their own money. That phenomenon should be further studied (in the economics threads tho, not here)

 

[siegecrossbow]

this is just a humongous aircraft. Those are some large wings that can hold a whole lot of fuel + just all that space in the fuselage.

Looks to be seriously optimized for top cruising speed. I think Shilao people said something about mach 3.0 cruising with next generation engine. I would not be surprised.

Might not be able to hit that with even WS-15 though. Maybe it will be like J-20 with different variants.

 

[iewgnem]

I expect that in confidential briefings to Congress, Chinese 6th gen aircraft programmes would be mentioned.

But let's suppose the US intel agencies had reported on the J-36 a few weeks ago, in order to appear "less clueless"

I expect there a lot of international debates and negotiations ongoing

The result would be a shift towards China and against the US.

I mean, USAF's Kendall did go on record to say NGAD had to go back to the drawing board because, in addition to being unaffordable, its current form couldn't meet future challenges, you can't make that decision without justifying it with more concrete intel to Congress.

We know US can spend millions and over a year to write some reports, I think this is just a case where people writing reports don't have access to up to date intel, and the people with intel didn't feel like there's any point in telling the report writers.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Forget that for a second, I'm wondering if it is even possible to increase budgets meaningfully vs China?

PLA releasing 2 new, most likely 3 new B-21/JSF sized projects out of left field. It shows they have seemingly unlimited money. At the same time Beijing is expanding forces at the same high rates, J-20 program is still thriving, J-35 is ramping up etc. It seems increasingly clear that China actually isn't limited by any possible monetary cost, only by the time it takes to train soldiers/pilots/sailors and the time it takes to for engineers and researchers to do their thing.

And just today, they also okayed a random dam with pricetag $ 200 billion.

Beijing has some sort of near unlimited wealth generator that evidently exceeds whatever ability US has to print their own money. That phenomenon should be further studied (in the economics threads tho, not here)

It’s called an industry base. Turns out you can’t get away outsourcing all of your manufacturing to save a buck and get away with it.

 

[iewgnem]

One detail I find very interesting is they used a J-20S as the chase aircraft.
Of course its practical, and symbolic in term of generational progression.

But another symbolic interpretation is J-20S is the world's first and only 2-seat 5th gen / CCA command platform.
Using it as the chase plane in a way tells Americans that all their cope about using CCA as 6th gen is cute.

 

[Biscuits]

One detail I find very interesting is they used a J-20S as the chase aircraft.
Of course its practical, and symbolic in term of generational progression.

But another symbolic interpretation is J-20S is the world's first and only 2-seat 5th gen / CCA command platform.
Using it as the chase plane in a way tells Americans that all their cope about using CCA as 6th gen is cute.

Someone has said that the J-XS might be the CCA. A pilot or even cockpit isn't visible on the images we have at least.

I still think there is no real high end CCA, China doesn't trust the tech as a good idea in hotly contested environments, and a manned fighter will be the air superiority element of the 6th gen system.

 

[sunnymaxi]

One detail I find very interesting is they used a J-20S as the chase aircraft.
Of course its practical, and symbolic in term of generational progression.

But another symbolic interpretation is J-20S is the world's first and only 2-seat 5th gen / CCA command platform.
Using it as the chase plane in a way tells Americans that all their cope about using CCA as 6th gen is cute.

another minor but an interesting point.

that J-20S powered by WS-15 engines.. they could have used WS-10C powered J-20 but instead they opted for WS-15 powered fighter jet.

 

[Xiongmao]

One detail I find very interesting is they used a J-20S as the chase aircraft.
Of course its practical, and symbolic in term of generational progression.

But another symbolic interpretation is J-20S is the world's first and only 2-seat 5th gen / CCA command platform.
Using it as the chase plane in a way tells Americans that all their cope about using CCA as 6th gen is cute.

Wouldn't it be funny if we find out that nobody was actually piloting the J-XS but that the J-20S was controlling it all along

 

[iewgnem]

Someone has said that the J-XS might be the CCA. A pilot or even cockpit isn't visible on the images we have at least.

I still think there is no real high end CCA, China doesn't trust the tech as a good idea in hotly contested environments, and a manned fighter will be the air superiority element of the 6th gen system.

Manned vs unmanned is just an American false dichotomy used to rationalize them being poor.
Rich countries don't need to gamble, rich countries just build all of them.