China Flanker Thread II

[Blitzo]

I must admit, I'm not entirely sure - esp. since that image is too blurred - but could be that these J-16s featuring the new light-grey coloured radome are indeed already Block 5 aircraft?
It seems a bit as if the construction number on this J-16 is '0502' ... and also, I never noticed this detail on the pylon's front.

View attachment 52525 View attachment 52526 View attachment 52527

That "pylon" kind of looks like the FLIR component of a targeting or navigation pod. We can see the forward facing aperture that would be consistent with a FLIR for navigation purposes, and we can also see that the pylon itself is bulkier than a normal weapons pylon yet it is also intended to clearly carry some kind of object below it.
Many targeting or navigation pods have a FLIR component as part of the "pylon" which carries the pod.

For example, the AN/AAQ-13 navigation pod. The AN/AAQ-13 is separated into two halves; the "top" half is a FLIR, while the bottom pod half is the terrain following radar.

Various other targeting pods have similar arrangements where the "pylon" is a forward looking FLIR, and the actual pod component houses the main sensors.
For example, the damocles, ATFLIR and J/AAQ-2 have a similar arrangement.

For J-16, I would expect that pylon/FLIR to accommodate a targeting pod rather than a navigation pod, given few aircraft these days have dedicated terrain following radar pods like the F-15E (whose solution was elegant and capable but which most recent fighters have the ability to use onboard radar for terrain following)

 

[Gloire_bb]

But j-16 already has FLIR...

 

[Blitzo]

But j-16 already has FLIR...

J-16 has IRST, which may have a secondary FLIR role.

But it's not exceptional for aircraft to have a dedicated FLIR for navigation. For example the Rafale often flies with Damocles which as the FLIR pylon as previously mentioned, despite its nose mounted OSF having an IRST with FLIR function as well.

Think of the difference between a dedicated forward facing pylon FLIR and an IRST where the former is used specifically for navigation whereas the latter is more multirole and more powerful and can be traversed to focus on different targets. I'm sure I don't need to explain why having both functions could be useful.

 

[Deino]

That "pylon" kind of looks like the FLIR component of a targeting or navigation pod. We can see the forward facing aperture that would be consistent with a FLIR for navigation purposes, and we can also see that the pylon itself is bulkier than a normal weapons pylon yet it is also intended to clearly carry some kind of object below it.
Many targeting or navigation pods have a FLIR component as part of the "pylon" which carries the pod.

For example, the AN/AAQ-13 navigation pod. The AN/AAQ-13 is separated into two halves; the "top" half is a FLIR, while the bottom pod half is the terrain following radar.

Various other targeting pods have similar arrangements where the "pylon" is a forward looking FLIR, and the actual pod component houses the main sensors.
For example, the damocles, ATFLIR and J/AAQ-2 have a similar arrangement.

For J-16, I would expect that pylon/FLIR to accommodate a targeting pod rather than a navigation pod, given few aircraft these days have dedicated terrain following radar pods like the F-15E (whose solution was elegant and capable but which most recent fighters have the ability to use onboard radar for terrain following)

Indeed, and even more concerning that strange pylon spotted on the J-16 yesterday: On this J-16 prototype it is the same pylon even with the real pod attached. Looks like the Yings-III 330.

 

[huitong]

Agreed!

 

[Schwerter_]

Indeed, and even more concerning that strange pylon spotted on the J-16 yesterday: On this J-16 prototype it is the same pylon even with the real pod attached. Looks like the Yings-III 330.

View attachment 52566

ummm If I may ask, why is the fact that the J16 is carrying a FILR pylon concerning? Is it because this indicates the possibility of J16's IRST is unable to be used as a navigation device?

 

[Deino]

ummm If I may ask, why is the fact that the J16 is carrying a FILR pylon concerning? Is it because this indicates the possibility of J16's IRST is unable to be used as a navigation device?

Simply since it is a new observation and it fits nicely to the pylon we saw some time ago together with the Yings III pod ... so it might be possible that these J-16s are already using this pod and we only haven't seen it yet.

 

[by78]

A few high-resolution images of J-11...

 

[Blitzo]

Simply since it is a new observation and it fits nicely to the pylon we saw some time ago together with the Yings III pod ... so it might be possible that these J-16s are already using this pod and we only haven't seen it yet.

I think what he meant is the choice of word "concerning". That word makes it seem like there's something wrong or flawed or incorrect.

I think the word "interesting" (I.e. "even more interesting") may have been closer to what you meant.

 

[Schwerter_]

Simply since it is a new observation and it fits nicely to the pylon we saw some time ago together with the Yings III pod ... so it might be possible that these J-16s are already using this pod and we only haven't seen it yet.

Thanks for the explanation a lot.