China Flanker Thread II
- Thread starter sumdud
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I don't get it. Why is China continuing to develop Flankers? I don't know what the J-11BS will be used for at any rate. If it doesn't incorporate an AESA or other upgrades from the baseline J-11 then why are they building it?
PS: How come it took this long to see pics of the J-11BS? Isn't it just a two seater of the J-11b? Surely it isn't this hard to make a two seater...
PPS: This reply is full of questions. Any answers or opinions and i will be grateful.
PS: How come it took this long to see pics of the J-11BS? Isn't it just a two seater of the J-11b? Surely it isn't this hard to make a two seater...
PPS: This reply is full of questions. Any answers or opinions and i will be grateful.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
First you question the reason for the continued development of the Flanker and then in the same breathe, you criticize it not being developed well enough to have ASEA radars.
The hardest part is re-designing the airframe and engines. Once you have the airframe and powerplant, incorporating different radars would be a relatively simple task in comparison.
The hardest part is re-designing the airframe and engines. Once you have the airframe and powerplant, incorporating different radars would be a relatively simple task in comparison.
Hendrik_2000
Lieutenant General
Right plus they have to replace the older Flanker with longer lasting airframe and better avionic and therefore compatibility with Chinese developed missile.
I was questioning if the J-11BS will incorporate an AESA..
apart from gaining manufacturing experience I'm not sure how effective a Flanker variant will be against Western fighters if it doesn't have AESA or RCS reductions
Though I suppose if China can manufacture them quickly they could be effective in the PLANAF against ships and such.
apart from gaining manufacturing experience I'm not sure how effective a Flanker variant will be against Western fighters if it doesn't have AESA or RCS reductions
Though I suppose if China can manufacture them quickly they could be effective in the PLANAF against ships and such.
Do a few baby steps before you run.
The baseline J-11 uses a twist cassegrain radar, and the technology is based on the original Su-27. Pretty outdated now. The J-11B uses a slotted array radar. Its not an ESA, but even though its still a MSA, it has significant advantages over the twist cassegrain in field of view, rate of scan, low sidelob emission, and signal gain. The radar is also backed up with much more modern processing power. The J-11B also uses a digital cockpit and a wide angle HUD.
So the avionics improvement is significant over the older model by a generation. Not F-22 or F-35 caliber, but it may match those of late F-15s and F-16s.
There is already pictures of it like two years ago. When a picture of the J-11B was displayed in a defense exhibit, the J-11B was being shown being manufactured inside a factory. In the background there was at least two or three two seaters that were also in the process of being made.
the spectator
New Member
But that could just be the trainer version of the baseline J-11 and not necessarily the attack or multirole version.
Londo Molari
Junior Member
Not every PLAAF fighter will face an F-22 or Eurofighter.
Su-27 can take on all the aircraft Taiwan has. Its much better than the bulk of PLAAF fleet consisting of J-7s and J-8s. It is a high performance 4th generation fighter with long range and payload. Why wouldn't they develop it further? The Russians have been doing this for decades.
Well in a taiwan scenario it may be possible that the US will send in F-22's. At least some are stationed in asia as a deterrent to china. I dunno. I suppose I'm just frustrated at the little info coming out about china's 5th gen projects..
Though the Flanker is as you say an extremely good plane.
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