China Flanker Thread II

[Deino]

Amazing image of a J-16 ... but why on earth they are still equipping such a modern multi-role type with unguided rockets?? ️

(Image via @兵器知识杂志 from Weixin)

 

[kriss]

Amazing image of a J-16 ... but why on earth they are still equipping such a modern multi-role type with unguided rockets?? ️

(Image via @兵器知识杂志 from Weixin)

View attachment 71883

At this point I believe rocket fire is more of a flight training than live fire training. To land a rocket salvo on target pilot needs to perfectly control his plane with full knowledge how its aerodynamic works. OTOH drop precision munition only involves level flying to a nav point. And there are tons of rocket inventory anyway.

 

[Schwerter_]

Amazing image of a J-16 ... but why on earth they are still equipping such a modern multi-role type with unguided rockets?? ️

(Image via @兵器知识杂志 from Weixin)

View attachment 71883

Best guess: it's cheap to train with and to successfully perform a strafing run with unguided rockets requires good understanding of aircraft handling as well as fundementals in air-to-ground attack (attack course, ingress & egress altitude, etc)... I really can't think of much else

p.s. this may be well know here (in that case I apologize) but PLAAF and unguided rockets have become kind of a running joke in China xd

 

[siegecrossbow]

Best guess: it's cheap to train with and to successfully perform a strafing run with unguided rockets requires good understanding of aircraft handling as well as fundementals in air-to-ground attack (attack course, ingress & egress altitude, etc)... I really can't think of much else

p.s. this may be well know here (in that case I apologize) but PLAAF and unguided rockets have become kind of a running joke in China xd

You forgot that it looks good on a magazine cover.

 

[plawolf]

They also got loads of rockets they need to use up!

 

[Deino]

Best guess: it's cheap to train with and to successfully perform a strafing run with unguided rockets requires good understanding of aircraft handling as well as fundementals in air-to-ground attack (attack course, ingress & egress altitude, etc)... I really can't think of much else

p.s. this may be well know here (in that case I apologize) but PLAAF and unguided rockets have become kind of a running joke in China xd

I know, isn't there even a joke saying that any type in PLAAF service is only declared fully operational after being cleared to fire unguided rockets?!

 

[xyqq]

Amazing image of a J-16 ... but why on earth they are still equipping such a modern multi-role type with unguided rockets?? ️

(Image via @兵器知识杂志 from Weixin)

View attachment 71883

A new batch of J-16? The radome is whiter than others':



The contrast is more obvious in the following image comparing one-third of the nearest radome to the next:



Not sure whether it indicates an improved AESA radar, like J-11BG:



Or is merely for a visual effect (from a distance, the J-16 looks just like a Su-30MK2 except for its vertical stabilizers):

 

[Deino]

A new batch of J-16? The radome is whiter than others':

View attachment 72022

No, IMO they are from the 40th Air Brigade, which uses a mix of old (batch 04) with grey radome and new (batch 05) with white radome:

Here is the cn. 0412 or 0417 (?) visible.

 

[xyqq]

No, IMO they are from the 40th Air Brigade, which uses a mix of old (batch 03) with grey radome and new (batch 04) with white radome:

Here is the cn. 0412 or 0417 (?) visible.

View attachment 72027

If the construction number 04XX indicates the 4th batch with grey radomes, then the new batch of white-radome J-16 should be the 5th?

 

[Deino]

If the construction number 04XX indicates the 4th batch with grey radomes, then the new batch of white-radome J-16 should be the 5th?

View attachment 72032

Arrrgg ... stupid me! Yes, from Batch 05 on they were light grey. Sorry.