Chinese air to ground weapons (missiles, PGMs, etc)
- Thread starter AssassinsMace
- Start date
Well, I think it's not very exotic because it's very conventional -- taking a standard biconical SRBM MARV and making it air launched is not too technically advanced.
The Russian Kinzhal does something similar.
The development of such a weapon is fairly low risk, offers neat capabilities, and could be useful for domestic use, but that's about it.
Not exactly too challenging or ground breaking.
while some suggest that this new missile may not be a technological breakthrough, strategically speaking i think it is still a very big deal. whereas before we are only looking at single ALBMs from H-6N, now any H-6K/J/N can launch ALBMs, essentially enhances this capability by multiple folds. this changes the calculus on a lot of things for China's adversaries, especially if it has anti ship capabilities.
now what would complicate matters even further is if this missile can be launched from either JH-7A or J-16, can't be that far-fetched? if the mig-31 can carry kinzal then certainly ALBMs can be made for bigger fighters.
now what would complicate matters even further is if this missile can be launched from either JH-7A or J-16, can't be that far-fetched? if the mig-31 can carry kinzal then certainly ALBMs can be made for bigger fighters.
No, it is just a new kind of aerodynamic fuel tank carrying both fuel and party snacks to relieve the crew's boredom (jk jk).
Mig-31 carries it on the belly though if I am not mistaken. Is there enough space in the gap between the two engines on a J-16.
It's not really that new. CM-401 is very similar to this and has been on offer for a while. H-6 has been spotted with one or two types of ALBM attached to centre fuselage. This also isn't comparable to that centre fuselage carried ALBM on H-6 from previous years. Sure you may say this missile allows a H-6 to carry at least 2. But this missile would at the very least have a fraction of the range of the other ALBM.
This missile looks like it has considerably larger diameter than Kinzhal and it's also a bit longer too although its proportions may suggest that it has similar length to Kinzhal. I do not think a JH-7A or J-16 can carry this smaller ALBM.
I kinda question the effectiveness of these class of weapons considering their mission could be done probably cheaper by LACM and stealthy stand off weapons. China has stealth aircraft and stealth UCAVs (GJ-11 is just one known in service example of one). A low hypersonic ALBM would be easily detectable. Only purpose would be time sensitive mission.
supercat
Major
A ballistic missile for export and a hypersonic missile (similar to Kinzhal) for domestic use?
Saudi Arabia's Tornado could be a potential carrier.
BTW, I think Tu-22M3M can carry 4 Kinzhal.
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