Pointless chest thumping over something that isn't even in university studies yet...
Chengdu next gen combat aircraft (?J-36) thread
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
Once a J-36 has reached its patrol area, it presumably would reduce fuel consumption to a minimum. So it would be at subsonic speeds which also means maximum cooling capacity for the electronics and radars.
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On the second point, if space-based satellites can provide a weapons grade targeting solution and also mid-course guidance for missiles.
Presumably China can launch its own satellite constellations.
In that scenario, what matters is the speed of aircraft and the range of missiles. Along with how many aircraft and missiles are available.
On these measures, China has a large advantage in the Western Pacific, mainly due to geography.
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It also means that the B-21 is toast because:
1. Its stealth doesn't work
2. it doesn't have the speed to outrun a missile, nor the agility to dodge a missile
3. It can't go supersonic and give its own air-to-air missiles a boost in terms of range
Note that China hasn't committed to the H-20 yet, so China will have saved itself tens of billions.
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So in summary, the US loses even more if space based targeting becomes a reality in the future
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Starlink orbit is 500km high. Radar or IR sensor won't work.
There were some research paper on using low orbit sat. signals as a passive detection method but that is in theory only.
Meanwhile it is rumoured that Chinese optical remote sensing satellites in orbit have already caught B-2 in flight. A Chinese poster claimed that Changguang, the operator of the Jilin optical remote sensing constellation, recently released the following image. Take the rumour with your usual dose of salt.
我方长光卫星公司突然在国外开源网站上发布一张卫星照片，显示成功捕捉到一架B-2隐身轰炸机在美国境内飞行的画面，美媒和西方社交平台顿时一片哗然。
我方长光卫星公司突然在国外开源网站上发布一张卫星照片，显示成功捕捉到一架B-2隐身轰炸机在美国境内飞行的画面，美媒和西方社交平台顿时一片哗然。
Well, All i can say is that they really love to cross red circles on the map.
This is from 2014 and the satellite imagery is from Landsat/Copernicus
Today, both sides have that capability. For example, you can go online and find a service that locates all the CSGs that are out on the sea. In a war, that means all the CSG that gets within the range of the DF missiles will be sunk. Yet, both sides are still spending billions building these "vulnerable" assets and not more satellites. That is because satellites are very vulnerable if a war breaks out. Thousands of satellites will all be taken down if it confers any military advantage. I am sure the military planners are all aware of the advantage of the satellites and yet still made a conscious decision not to build that for military use.
Alright, this satellite detecting stealth aircraft thing maybe theoretically possible down the line, but is unlikely to be the case today. At least obtaining weapon quality tracking. As such, it's not worth discussing on this thread. Please get back on to J-36.
Something I'm rather curious about is that while F-22s and F-35s with strange, silvery coatings have been spotted, something many linked to the NGAD program, the J-36s skin looks rather conventional.
At least from what we can see on the grainy footage we got so far. More akin to how the J-20 looks.
Makes me wonder if the US jets may have not been connected to the American next generation efforts, or if it's something the Chinese will test on a later airframe. After all not every feature is present on every prototype airframe. Or if the two move in different directions in that regard/material science constraints the engineers at Chengdu.
Edit: I'm also curious how much the J-36s development will influence the GCAP and FCAS moving forward. While I'm almost 100% sure the US knew about the developments at CAC for several years, I'm not entirely sure these findings would have been shared with the likes of Japan, the UK, Germany and France. While on the surface the general directions these programs are heading towards probably don't need major adjustments (given the systems of systems) approach, I can't help but think about the reactions at Mitsubishi, BAE, Dassault and Airbus D&S. Also at least in the case of GCAP the program is at a stage where major readjustments probably are hard to execute, even if they would be necessary.
And while the two are at first glance less relevant in discussions about the J-36s usecases, at least the GCAP would most likely be a potential adversary through Japan and the UK. I doubt Germany, France and Spain would participate in a Pacific War.
At least from what we can see on the grainy footage we got so far. More akin to how the J-20 looks.
Makes me wonder if the US jets may have not been connected to the American next generation efforts, or if it's something the Chinese will test on a later airframe. After all not every feature is present on every prototype airframe. Or if the two move in different directions in that regard/material science constraints the engineers at Chengdu.
Edit: I'm also curious how much the J-36s development will influence the GCAP and FCAS moving forward. While I'm almost 100% sure the US knew about the developments at CAC for several years, I'm not entirely sure these findings would have been shared with the likes of Japan, the UK, Germany and France. While on the surface the general directions these programs are heading towards probably don't need major adjustments (given the systems of systems) approach, I can't help but think about the reactions at Mitsubishi, BAE, Dassault and Airbus D&S. Also at least in the case of GCAP the program is at a stage where major readjustments probably are hard to execute, even if they would be necessary.
And while the two are at first glance less relevant in discussions about the J-36s usecases, at least the GCAP would most likely be a potential adversary through Japan and the UK. I doubt Germany, France and Spain would participate in a Pacific War.
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