AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
New image posted by Xinhui at CDF.
J-10 Thread III (Closed to posting)
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plawolf
Lieutenant General
Reads more the MKKs or JH7s because the article mentioned a rear-seat pilot/weapons operator.
Could be that they are talking about J10Bs, but it seems far more likely the article was written about MKKs or JH7s and someone just changed the title as no-where does the article give any names of fighters.
Ambivalent
Junior Member
Israeli Python 3's on the wing.
No. Before you post, you better update yourself on all things Chinese military and don't try to lecture people, since statements like this is embarrassing.
If you don't understand what a basic PL-8 is... (licensed Python 3 copy, although systems inside has changed ever since).
Ambivalent
Junior Member
The Israeli's built the PL-8 factory for China at what was known as the 607 Institute. I am fully aware of the Chinese version, I work in the armaments business. They were built originally from Israeli supplied kits, and are identical to their Israeli made versions. In time China replaced the Israeli sourced parts with Chinese made copies, but you better have some hard documentation to prove that the Chinese version is materially different or has significant design differences than the Israeli model. Unless you walk a factory floor in China I can guess you don't. If you were in the armaments business as I am you would know if the Chinese version was really different from the Israeli original. It isn't. It's a darn good missile by the way.
For one thing, I never knew the Python 3 model to have liquid nitrogen cooled heads. Many of the PL-8s have been photographed with a "cloudy eye". Another thing, and there is plenty of pictures to show this, planes that equip the PL-8 also have pilots helmets that carry HMS. In other words, the missile has been modified to support helmet sighting. The Python 3 never supported HMS.
So unless you are the one who walks in a Chinese factory floor, and believe me I have---and things tend to be a lot different underneath from what they appear on the surface---you are the one who needs to prove that the PL-8 still uses identical electronics from the Python 3.
So unless you are the one who walks in a Chinese factory floor, and believe me I have---and things tend to be a lot different underneath from what they appear on the surface---you are the one who needs to prove that the PL-8 still uses identical electronics from the Python 3.
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
Isn't that a dummy missile?
Ambivalent
Junior Member
Python 3 has a cooled seeker, either argon or nitrogen. It's seeker is derived from the AIM-9L. Btw, Sidewinders use both cooling mediums, depending on the service. The USAF prefers an argon bottle in the missile while the USN/USMC prefers a nitrogen bottle in the LAU-7 launch rail, probably to be replaced in time with HIPAG as the Brits are doing.
What you call "cloudy eye" is a magnesium fluoride or magnesium sulphide lense, made from powder forged material and ground to a prescription. It is a fantastically expensive process. Though these materials appear cloudy and dark, they are more transparent that clear glass to the wavelengths of the seeker. There is nothing special about this either, it's normal IR technology.
Integrating a helmet mounted sight does not require any change to the missile itself. Python's as well as later Sidewinders could have their seekers slaved to the aircraft's search radar. That is a Vietnam era technology used to improve air to air engagements in planes like the old Phantom. The pilot did not have to turn the airplane as much to lock the seeker. Phantoms did not turn very well by the standards of the day. The Python's great advantage over Sidewinders of the ear was it's greater range, vastly better turn rate and the wider angle of it's seeker. China's version retains these fine qualities, but there is not any great difference between it and the original.
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Ambivalent
Junior Member
Do you know what a CATM is? A captive carry missile with no warhead or rocket motor, just a seeker for training. The pilot can fly the airplane as necessary in a turning engagement to line the missile up on the target and obtain a tone in his or her headset. IR missiles make a moaning sound in the pilot's headset when it detects heat. For training pilots need to be able to hear that tone to know they are in a position to lock their missile.
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
At this stage I don't think they're training pilots on a J-10B.
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