Chinese UCAV/CCA/flying wing drones (ISR, A2A, A2G) thread

Tomboy

Senior Member
Registered Member
Not much difference between 3rd gen and 4th gen fighters when it comes to BVR combat. Its all about the radar when it comes to BVR. 3rd Gen fighters had superior kinetic performance which is actually better for BVR.

So, if a J-8 is fitted with a modern AESA radar and associated PL-15, it will easily beat 4th gen fighters like J-10c just cause J-8 is much bigger and can carry a bigger and more powerful radar. It also outrun BVR missile much easier with its superior kinematic performance,

So, a J-8 with AESA can beat F-22 just like how J-10c group recently beat a J-20 with networking.
J-8 ain't better kinematically than 4th gen fighters, just having a faster top speed doesn't mean anything if it has a lower TWR, less refined aerodynamics thus higher drag and also older turbojets with worse throttle response instead of turbofans. That's like saying F-106 is kinematically better than a F-16 just because it has higher top speed.
 

tamsen_ikard

Senior Member
Registered Member
J-8 ain't better kinematically than 4th gen fighters, just having a faster top speed doesn't mean anything if it has a lower TWR, less refined aerodynamics thus higher drag and also older turbojets with worse throttle response instead of turbofans. That's like saying F-106 is kinematically better than a F-16 just because it has higher top speed.
But bigger jet means more power for the radars and sensors, ability to carry bigger and more missiles, bigger fuel tank with more range.

Again, I am only talking about BVR. For BVR you don't need aerodynamic performance and turning. All you need is good radar and good missile. Another important factor is top speed. You can lob your BVR missile with more energy by flying faster. That will give the missile even more range. This what makes Mig-31 such a threat in modern BVR combat. Its just a pure fast plane with big radar and a long range missile.

I would argue modern BVR is such that even TU-160 bomber will be a very good BVR platform if it has the right radar and missile integration. Again, all you need is a good radar and a good missile and a plane that can fly fast to impart energy to the missile.
 
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Not much difference between 3rd gen and 4th gen fighters when it comes to BVR combat. Its all about the radar when it comes to BVR. 3rd Gen fighters had superior kinetic performance which is actually better for BVR.

So, if a J-8 is fitted with a modern AESA radar and associated PL-15, it will easily beat 4th gen fighters like J-10c just cause J-8 is much bigger and can carry a bigger and more powerful radar. It also outrun BVR missile much easier with its superior kinematic performance,

So, a J-8 with AESA can beat F-22 just like how J-10c group recently beat a J-20 with networking.
That's besides the point. In the 90s, China didn't even have PD radar, let alone AESA radar. The J-8s of that time didn't possess any form BVR capability at all. Datalinks and networking were also unknown to the PLAAF until over a decade later.
 

Tomboy

Senior Member
Registered Member
Screenshot_20250823_221623_Samsung Internet.jpg
Another drone, this one is extremely large. Larger than the previous camo tarped one posted here. Probably the largest drone displayed.
Screenshot_20250823_221633_Samsung Internet.jpg
Another CCA? Canted tails but no horizontal stabilizer, much smaller than the other ones. Seems to have similar length to GJ-21.
 
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mack8

Junior Member
The first CCA could be the CAC Little Leaf? As to the tailed one i wasn't expecting such a configuration, but it might be the smaller diamond wing one in the sat pics? And yeah, pictures are taken with a potato.
 

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
View attachment 159063
Another drone, this one is extremely large. Larger than the previous camo tarped one posted here. Probably the largest drone displayed.
View attachment 159064
Another CCA? Canted tails but no horizontal stabilizer, much smaller than the other ones. Seems to have similar length to GJ-21.

The first one looks like this …

IMG_3662.jpeg
 
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