hmmmmm yeah that has been mentioned by yankeesama in a later post I believe, my mistake (anyway this still means that the J-11B has a new radar)
China Flanker Thread II
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I don't really think that much of SU-30MKIs (no FADEC, TVC nozzles with around 200hr lifespans, duh), but IAF's Rafale is a serious threat. Plus there are still SU-30MKM and F-15SG, both of which have been fitted with newer (and most likely better) avionics and radars than J-11Bs...
The radome isn't canted like that of the J-11D. I wonder if they used a similar setup as the J-16 instead.
Agreed!
Ahh yes forgot the F-15SG. Like the Korean slam eagle, that fighter's quite a beast but is also showing its age. However none of these are as antiquated as the F-15J. Of course the MKM is also a capable fighter like the MKI, in fact I'm sure the MKM was heavily based on the MKI sans India specific electronics. Something the Russians eventually used to upgrade their Su-30s to SM3 level IIRC.
J-11bs are antiques by modern standards... even without crossing into 5th gen territory. At the moment the only useful thing about the J-11b is its payload and range. They are desperately in need of radar and avionics upgrades which is something that is supposed being done now, a fitting MLU. So while SAC is busy pumping out J-16s and developing/building Dianzi variants of J-15 and J-16, the tired J-11b will finally shed its cassegrain radar.
With the J-16's AESA and if it gets access to the complete set of new ordinance, J-11b will be quite a lot more useful for PLAAF and can do some real damage. At the moment they can only support frontline fighters but with the PL-15 and an ability to better network itself, it won't be that far off a J-16 for air to air. I know it's not a simple game of detection and range but with the upgrades, the old B should hold itself against the best non-fifth gen fighters in the region.
Why do you think it is that J-10's AESA is canted upwards to presumably deflect energy away from source while the J-10 is flying/pointing towards the emitting source but that isn't the case on the J-16's AESA? Not sure if this has been discussed.
J-20 has a similar upwards pointing AESA. Is this just an issue of radome geometry where an upwards canted radar will require a redesign of the flanker's radome?
The J-11B fields a slotted planar array radar. You're talking about the SU-27SK/J-11A with the N001(V/E).
Great analysis! Japan is actually pushing a upgrade project for its F-15J, which will basically upgrade it to be on par with other advanced models like the F-15QA (It's called the JSI or Japan Super Interceptor I believe), SU30MKM is rumored to be suffering from mission capability issues, but is nevertheless capable.
There have been some interesting talks about the J-11Bs' performance in PLAAF competitions. It is said that with its much larger internal fuel capacity and more hard-points for AAMs, the J-11B can actually hold its own when facing a J-10B (some say J-10C but I'm highly doubtful) also rumor has it that J-11B's ECM module is more powerful than J-10's.... not sure how credible these rumors are tho. What I'm really curious about is if the modified J-11Bs can use guided bombs and air-to-surface missiles. Yankeesama compared J-11B's lack of multipurpose capability as "PLAAF buying a PC with 1080ti and using it to play solitaire" If most or indeed all J-11Bs are going to have multipurpose capability then China's neighboring countries are going to have something to worry about
That is most likely because they are using pre-existing J-11B airframes, and the radome's firewall is already set this way. The radar on the J-16 would be a better if not a direct fit. If you are going to use the J-11D's radar, you might have to remove the entire nose section, which won't save time, labor and cost.
I have no idea why they didn't cant the J-16's radome, other than the reason why they went the expedient and quick route in copying the Su-30MKK/MK2's airframe, straight walled radome and all. The J-11D may have been a later design or a later decision.
The J-11D might be on hold for now in order to prioritize construction of the J-16, and the budget priority to upgrade existing J-11B over building brand new J-11D. It maybe postponed but not cancelled.
I'm not sure what is the economic logic of developing two AESA radars for what is basically, the same airframe. You would increase the development cost, and on the field, increase your logistical complexity in dealing and maintaining two radars. Your two radar designs will inevitably be compared to each other, one is going to perform better than the other, or the other may face developmental issues.
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