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

[Iron Man]

You're starting to make the J-36 sound appealing as a strike platform, perhaps especially against high value and well defended maritime targets.

It absolutely could and probably will be used as a strike platform in addition to its long range anti-air, AEW&C, and CCA controller roles. Load a couple hypersonic missiles or wing-folding AKF-98As in there and the J-36 would be the perfect platform to launch those. I've actually been playing around with CGI wing-folded designs for the AKF-98A LOL

 

[dasCKD]

I think it would be utterly stupid for the USAF to NOT use the B-21 in an anti-air capacity. A rotating canister launcher holding 6-8 rounds of the new AIM-174 ultra-long range AAM is easily imaginable for the B-21 as a potential payload.

Rotating canister sounds like a lot of added weight and complexity. They can just have a simple drop-down mechanism or a swing-out mechanism like a lot of current combat aircraft already use (I don't know the proper names for the mechanism).

 

[Iron Man]

Rotating canister sounds like a lot of added weight and complexity. They can just have a simple drop-down mechanism or a swing-out mechanism like a lot of current combat aircraft already use (I don't know the proper names for the mechanism).

Rotary launchers are already commonly used: