J-10 Thread IV

[Blitzo]

So we could assume that pl-10 is on the verge of being in active service with plaaf, or possibly even it started active service?

And that pl-15 is inching closer and closer to being certified and may enter active service within a year or two?

Given PL-10 was definitely the standard SRAAM for J-16 that we've seen, and considering the first batch of J-16s have entered service properly over the last half year or so after the rumoured radar debacle, yes I think PL-10 is likely in service.
It is likely that PL-10 will also be distributed among J-10B/C units as well, and they along with J-16 units will receive priority.

PL-15... who knows. By the sounds of it it has already been tested (or is being tested) among a variety of platforms in the last few years. The pattern of it all within a single nation's military makes me think it is also on the cusp of entering service or at least in the late stages of platform integration, rather than an earlier stage of developlment.

 

[davidau]

Another new J10C just left the factory...

 

[siegecrossbow]

I've read on CJDBY that there are around 120 J-10Bs/Cs total. Pretty amazing if you think about it.

 

[Deino]

I've read on CJDBY that there are around 120 J-10Bs/Cs total. Pretty amazing if you think about it.

IMO can be even if we only know for sure that there are 55 Batch 01 J-10Bs and the so far highest number spotted on a J-10C was 2-49, so making the 49. Batch 02 aircraft: in sum these are 104 J-10B/Cs at all, even if I have to admit, 2-49 was spotted already in late September, so You could be indeed correct.

Anyway, the first Batch 01 aircraft was spotted for the first time on 11. December 2013 ... so after nearly exactly three years we have confirmed about 120 B/C making a production rate of close to 40 per year or 3,33 per month.... not really top-level !

What I'm interested in is to know, if already Batch 03 production has started ?!!

Deino

 

[Franklin]

IMO can be even if we only know for sure that there are 55 Batch 01 J-10Bs and the so far highest number spotted on a J-10C was 2-49, so making the 49. Batch 02 aircraft: in sum these are 104 J-10B/Cs at all, even if I have to admit, 2-49 was spotted already in late September, so You could be indeed correct.

Anyway, the first Batch 01 aircraft was spotted for the first time on 11. December 2013 ... so after nearly exactly three years we have confirmed about 120 B/C making a production rate of close to 40 per year or 3,33 per month.... not really top-level !

What I'm interested in is to know, if already Batch 03 production has started ?!!

Deino

Lets not forget that 1 J-10B crashed during testing. 3,33 new fighter per month is not a stellar number but most air forces around the world don't get new fighters for years! And China is also getting quite a few Flankers each year aside from the J-10B/C.

 

[Deino]

Lets not forget that 1 J-10B crashed during testing. 3,33 new fighter per month is not a stellar number but most air forces around the world don't get new fighters for years!

But is this related to the production rate ? ... You are surely correct, that 1x J-10B was lost, but with an overall estimated overall number of 120 +/- 1 aircraft does not change a lot.

 

[vincent]

But is this related to the production rate ? ... You are surely correct, that 1x J-10B was lost, but with an overall estimated overall number of 120 +/- 1 aircraft does not change a lot.

What's the hurry?

 

[Deino]

What's the hurry?

Why hurry ... I only mentioned it as a fact ... and IMO compared to other production rates 3.33 ac/month is not that high, IMO maybe too low to be economic.

 

[vincent]

Why hurry ... I only mentioned it as a fact ... and IMO compared to other production rates 3.33 ac/month is not that high, IMO maybe too low to be economic.

It is better to keep a production line at a slow rate than to have burst of intensive rate and layoff people in between

Another reason could be the production rate of the engines. The Russians aren't known for producing things on time

 

[manqiangrexue]

It is better to keep a production line at a slow rate than to have burst of intensive rate and layoff people in between

Another reason could be the production rate of the engines. The Russians aren't known for producing things on time

Another possible cause of producing the jets slowly in China's case is that since Chinese tech is improving so rapidly, there are often upgrades available even before a batch has finished production, so the next batch must be switched to a higher standard and the last batch upgraded if possible. This constant changing of assembly lines will slow things down. But also, it's a little better to go slowly this way because then, you have less old standard jets to upgrade and if a new upgrade cannot be undertaken on old standard jets, then you have fewer "obsolete" models and more resources for new models. I think we're all happy that J-10A production has been replaced by J-10C production without 2,000 J-10A that need to be serviced and MLU'd (with no possibility of intake upgrade to J-10B/C standard). Of course, this results in fewer aircraft being produced but since there is no imminent war, that's not a big problem.