SinoSoldier
Colonel
Once more, supercruise does not mean the Su-35 can fly "faster" than the J-11X; all this talk of fuel efficiency and reheats are irrelevant in your topic of maximum speed.
Chinese purchase of Su-35
- Thread starter flyzies
- Start date
Once more, supercruise does not mean the Su-35 can fly "faster" than the J-11X; all this talk of fuel efficiency and reheats are irrelevant in your topic of maximum speed.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
Nothing suggests that a 2 kN difference in thrust will generate a difference in radar power. It is irrelevant whether your theory is correct or not.
b787
Captain
sorry i give up, you wrong, i simply suggest you understand what means supercruise
b787
Captain
not my theory, it is Maxwell`s and joule`s heating law (ohmic heating)
It is important to differentiate between what supercruise is and what top speed is.
Supercruise is generally described as the ability of an aircraft to reach and sustain supersonic speeds without afterburner. An aircraft can have the ability to supercruise, but may have a slower top speed compared to an aircraft which cannot supercruise.
For instance, the F-22 can supercruise, but F-22 has a lower top speed compared to the SR-71, which also cannot reach supersonic speeds without use of afterburner (AKA cannot supercruise).
So Sinosoldier is actually quite correct, because the ability of an aircraft to supercruise is not a guarantee that it has a higher maximum attainable speed compared to an aircraft which cannot supercruise.
Still this discussion is quite academic because I doubt Su-35 would be able to supercruise in any meaningful way if equipped with a moderate weapons load.
Edit: that said, I wouldn't be surprised if Su-35 had a slightly higher top speed compared to J-11D, but it really depends on how good J-11D's powerplants are and how much weight reduction it can achieve... So it should probably be said that if one of two aircraft with a common airframe is able to supercruise, then the aircraft capable of supercruising is also likely to have a higher top speed... but we don't know enough about J-11D to guess at how it could compare with Su-35 in that regard.
Last edited:
SinoSoldier
Colonel
If true, then it suggests that PLAAF is doing this for the engines.
Why do you think that?
They may well be using Su-35s with 117S engines but indigenous weapons and sensors...
SinoSoldier
Colonel
If sensors/weapons have been replaced, then the sole selling point of the Flanker-E becomes its 117S engines.
Okay I think you should clarify what you mean by "sole selling point" -- are you suggesting the Chinese Air Force would want to remove the 117S engines for some other use? Because that is how I interpreted your previous post.
Or, do you mean that the Su-35's engines will provide it with certain kinematic capabilities which the Air Force would find useful? Because that statement is quite different to saying the Air Force is buying Su-35 "for the engines" as you said in your last post.
I also think we should try to view the Su-35 purchase in greater scope beyond only "what qualitative capability can Su-35 offer". We also need to remember that a purchase of Su-35s will provide the Air Force an additional quantity of advanced flankers to supplement the SAC flanker production rate, thus helping to modernize the Air Force's overall order of battle faster as well.
There is also the possibility that the Su-35 purchase may have been part of a larger agreement behind back doors to help further prop up the strategic partnership between China and Russia, or that possibly the Su-35 deal was necessary to pursue greater co development of other projects or subsystems, or certain transfers of technology in the future.