China Flanker Thread II

[SinoSoldier]

The latest rumor is that new J-11B airframes are now retrofitted with an AESA radar.

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Another major rumor/speculation is that the PLAAF may purchase up to 96 (three squadrons' worth) Su-35SK aircraft, mainly due to the uncertainty as to when the J-11D will enter service. Analysts estimate that J-11D induction might not occur until 2018 at the very earliest and that the PLAAF needs to have the numbers gap filled quickly.

It's also mentioned that the J-11D would be delegated more to the air-to-air role, since the J-16 serves as an interdiction fighter, whereas the Su-35 would be more multi-role in its usage. It's also interesting to note that it's generally expected for the Su-35 to have an advantage in kinematics and for the J-11D to hold the edge in avionics.

 

[Deino]

View attachment 36853

The latest rumor is that new J-11B airframes are now retrofitted with an AESA radar.

========

Another major rumor/speculation is that the PLAAF may purchase up to 96 (three squadrons' worth) Su-35SK aircraft, mainly due to the uncertainty as to when the J-11D will enter service. Analysts estimate that J-11D induction might not occur until 2018 at the very earliest and that the PLAAF needs to have the numbers gap filled quickly.

It's also mentioned that the J-11D would be delegated more to the air-to-air role, since the J-16 serves as an interdiction fighter, whereas the Su-35 would be more multi-role in its usage. It's also interesting to note that it's generally expected for the Su-35 to have an advantage in kinematics and for the J-11D to hold the edge in avionics.

Interesting info. What's the source of this ??

 

[SinoSoldier]

Interesting info. What's the source of this ??

weibo.com/1894445180/EyPHIxhd5

 

[Blitzo]

View attachment 36853

The latest rumor is that new J-11B airframes are now retrofitted with an AESA radar.

========

Another major rumor/speculation is that the PLAAF may purchase up to 96 (three squadrons' worth) Su-35SK aircraft, mainly due to the uncertainty as to when the J-11D will enter service. Analysts estimate that J-11D induction might not occur until 2018 at the very earliest and that the PLAAF needs to have the numbers gap filled quickly.

It's also mentioned that the J-11D would be delegated more to the air-to-air role, since the J-16 serves as an interdiction fighter, whereas the Su-35 would be more multi-role in its usage. It's also interesting to note that it's generally expected for the Su-35 to have an advantage in kinematics and for the J-11D to hold the edge in avionics.

... how can "new" J-11B airframes be retrofitted with AESA? The idea of retrofitting something is that you're fitting it to things which already exist, in which case J-11Bs should already be in service (aka not new). Are they saying the "new J-11B airframes" are fresh off the production line which are being fitted with AESA or "new" in the sense that they are airframes which exist that are undergoing a "new" retrofit?

As for Su-35 -- I wonder what kind of timetable they have in mind. Considering the 24 Su-35s they have on order are only going to finish delivery by 2018 anyway, I'm not sure what sort of timescale they had in mind for J-11D.

And yes, as Deino says, source plz.

 

[SinoSoldier]

... how can "new" J-11B airframes be retrofitted with AESA? The idea of retrofitting something is that you're fitting it to things which already exist, in which case J-11Bs should already be in service (aka not new). Are they saying the "new J-11B airframes" are fresh off the production line which are being fitted with AESA or "new" in the sense that they are airframes which exist that are undergoing a "new" retrofit?

As for Su-35 -- I wonder what kind of timetable they have in mind. Considering the 24 Su-35s they have on order are only going to finish delivery by 2018 anyway, I'm not sure what sort of timescale they had in mind for J-11D.

And yes, as Deino says, source plz.

Ah, yes, it was my hasty wording. They are factory-fresh, newly-built J-11Bs that have an AESA radar (or so claim the rumors) instead of the old PD one. I used the term "retrofit" in the sense that the J-11B program is undergoing a hardware change. But anyhow...

Please keep in mind that even though the J-11D might enter service in 2018 (which is an optimistic prediction), it will take several years after that for it to do so en masse.

 

[Deino]

weibo.com/1894445180/EyPHIxhd5

Thanks !

IMO this would bit nicely together: The J-11D would result in a de facto sort of MLU-project for the J-11B. By replacing their avionics build around an AESA and adding maybe uprated engines, would give then enough lease of life for the next decade(s) to come.
Also additional Su-35 - even if surely some Chinese fan-boys won't like that - would immediately add a value addition in the short term modernisation.

Would only be interesting to see if these modified J-11B will also have that canted radome?

Deino

 

[Blitzo]

Ah, yes, it was my hasty wording. They are factory-fresh, newly-built J-11Bs that have an AESA radar (or so claim the rumors) instead of the old PD one. I used the term "retrofit" in the sense that the J-11B program is undergoing a hardware change. But anyhow...

Please keep in mind that even though the J-11D might enter service in 2018 (which is an optimistic prediction), it will take several years after that for it to do so en masse.

I suppose the more consequential issue about the J-11B AESA claim is that J-11Bs are still in production, which is something which has been under substantial scrutiny for a while. I suppose we can believe it once we see it.

as for J-11D -- of course, however orders for Su-35s probably won't exactly be arriving at that fast a pace either even after 2018. If the military believes they'll need J-11D production paired with Su-35 deliveries to meet their requirements that suggests quite a lot about just how many flankers they need in the near future.
Though considering not so long ago we had rumours about J-11D being cancelled, well it may be wise to hold fire about just what the state of PLA flanker procurement is actually like.

 

[SinoSoldier]

Thanks !

IMO this would bit nicely together: The J-11D would result in a de facto sort of MLU-project for the J-11B. By replacing their avionics build around an AESA and adding maybe uprated engines, would give then enough lease of life for the next decade(s) to come.
Also additional Su-35 - even if surely some Chinese fan-boys won't like that - would immediately add a value addition in the short term modernisation.

Would only be interesting to see if these modified J-11B will also have that canted radome?

Deino

That would seem reasonable, although I'm perplexed as to why they are building J-11B upgrades at the same time they are purchasing the Su-35, which was supposed to be the actual "stop-gap" until J-11D enters service. Couldn't they simply have stuck with one instead?

 

[Deino]

Ah, yes, it was my hasty wording. They are factory-fresh, newly-built J-11Bs that have an AESA radar (or so claim the rumors) instead of the old PD one. I used the term "retrofit" in the sense that the J-11B program is undergoing a hardware change. But anyhow...

Please keep in mind that even though the J-11D might enter service in 2018 (which is an optimistic prediction), it will take several years after that for it to do so en masse.

PS: but as far as I know, the J-11B is no longer in production since some time ???

 

[SinoSoldier]

I suppose the more consequential issue about the J-11B AESA claim is that J-11Bs are still in production, which is something which has been under substantial scrutiny for a while. I suppose we can believe it once we see it.

as for J-11D -- of course, however orders for Su-35s probably won't exactly be arriving at that fast a pace either even after 2018. If the military believes they'll need J-11D production paired with Su-35 deliveries to meet their requirements that suggests quite a lot about just how many flankers they need in the near future.
Though considering not so long ago we had rumours about J-11D being cancelled, well it may be wise to hold fire about just what the state of PLA flanker procurement is actually like.

The consensus is that the J-11D will continue, as it offers several key advantages over the Su-35 (& vice versa, of course). In fact, PUPU himself refuted the rumors that the PLAAF has rejected the J-11D.