Ideal naval carrier fighter(aircraft) designs.

What PLAN needs is a pocket sized VTOL fighter that folds up like origami so that it can fit inside the aircraft carrier submarine!

CG of a J-10 style carrier concept.

Is that possible to use '新舟60'(Xinzhou-60 or MA60) as the base for future carrier AEW? Although Y-7 is similar in size, but MA60 is much more advanced and been used by many other countries already.

crobato said:

CG of a J-10 style carrier concept.

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That's very good. Put two wheels on the front landing gear. It shows the strengthened undercarrage.

Hmm, is it possible to carry weapons outside on the wings on stealth planes and maintain stealth? Afterall bombbays are very limited.

I think some time ago I read something about the development of a stealthy container for underwing carriage on the F-22. Ment to carry additional ammo while not giving away to much stealth.
But I don't remember were that was ...

There have been lot of discussion of J-10, J-11, Su-33, L-15, Su-33 being candidates for the future PLA carrier but not much mention of the FC-1 being a candidate for the future carrier aircraft. With TVC engines with increase thrust, strengthened airframe, and etc...the FC-1 could also be a candidate for being a carrier aircraft

Chengdu J-10 said:

There have been lot of discussion of J-10, J-11, Su-33, L-15, Su-33 being candidates for the future PLA carrier but not much mention of the FC-1 being a candidate for the future carrier aircraft. With TVC engines with increase thrust, strengthened airframe, and etc...the FC-1 could also be a candidate for being a carrier aircraft

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That's just what I thought couple of weeks ago. And when you think about it, how much modification need to be done on J-10. Why not do it on FC-1? Coz it's a much cheaper aircraft compare to J-10. And people are saying a twin engined J-10 for the future carriers, which I really don't see the point. That's what J-11A for, isn't it? I mean if PLAN wants a easy way to get carrier aircraft, then J-11A is surely much easier to modify than the others (at least they've got a similar one already,Su-33). And if they just want a really cheaper fighter just for now (10-20 years time, before the 4th Gen J-xx), then modifying FC-1 won't be such a bad idea. What's more, Pakistan may also lend a helping hand.

All in all I would consider the FC-1 to be too light an aircraft for a carrier of even Kuznetsov size. It's range is rather limited and I don't think it would be well suited for carrying out strike missions.
Now if you go introduce a heavier model for those tasks, I think you could as well use them for A-A roles.
A FC-1 might perhaps be an option for a light sea controll carrier, if China is ever going to field one.

J-31 would make an ideal carrier based fighter/attack aircraft for PLAN. I personally don't see a light aircraft as the JF-17 fitting the bill for a carrier based aircraft. It may as well serve PLAN well in its sea patrol missions with IFR and upgrades.