But You are correct, that's indeed a WS-10 and an aircraft with a 3-digit-serial starting with a 5 is indeed another prototype, but surely not a hint of being the fifth.
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J-15 carrier fighter thread
- Thread starter Jeff Head
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But You are correct, that's indeed a WS-10 and an aircraft with a 3-digit-serial starting with a 5 is indeed another prototype, but surely not a hint of being the fifth.
Too soon to say about radar; it could still be an AESA.
After all, initial prototype J-16s were equipped with pitot tubes, as were J-10Bs, J-20 etc. I expect there to have been quite a bit of structural changes within the J-15 airframe as part of catapult compatibility, so it makes sense to have a few dedicated flight test aircraft without any of the electronics onboard (meaning no need for AESA, and a need for pitot). One way of possibly determining whether AESA is present eventually is to see whether serial production J-15As/J-15Ts have pitot tubes or not.
And no, the "5" does not necessarily indicate there are four more other prototypes -- remember, all J-15 prototypes were designated with a 55X serial number.
So I expect that what we are looking at is the first prototype, and the full serial number might be something like 5YX, with the Y indicating a new variant of J-15.
Also, nice to see WS-10s. Hopefully they stay on the aircraft type permamently now and all prototype and mass production J-15As can field them with the engine to meet standards. It would make sense for a "full standard" catapult compatible J-15A to also use a navalized ready WS-10, if the engine is ready.
MwRYum
Major
The most significant bit would be the catapult-related modifications. Now, looking at Google Map the training facility's catapults seems to be almost ready, how long would it be before there's a picture evidence of catapult launch?
We know they've planned for catapults from the beginning, other things notwithstanding they've keep the "shooter" as part of the launch crew, which is unncessary for a ski-jump carrier.
We know they've planned for catapults from the beginning, other things notwithstanding they've keep the "shooter" as part of the launch crew, which is unncessary for a ski-jump carrier.
Who knows, maybe very soon or maybe never.
Keep in mind, the chances of us getting a perfect satellite image for Google Earth which shows a J-15 launched from the catapults at the test facility being launched is pretty low. After all, GE only updates every few months (if at that), and to prove what you describe, will need to show an aircraft perfectly lined up on the catapult at the facility at just the right time for a satellite to take an image that will just happen to be integrated into GE's services that will let us see it. The chances are just so low.
The highest chance of maximizing our chances of catching it is if someone buys out a LEO satellite to constantly monitor the NATF base at Huangdicun... but obviously only a few countries and companies have that sort of resources.
So we should all accept the likelihood that we may not get satellite photo evidence of J-15As being launched from the catapults, because the way that Google Earth and other similar applications work means we need the luck of the draw for a satellite to just happen to catch a J-15A near the catapult at the perfect right time to fill all the boxes for confirming a catapult launch.
I think it is more likely that we will get an official PRC/PLA approved photo or footage of a catapult launch taken from the ground, before we get a satellite photo to prove it (if that even occurs in the first place).
Nah.
Even on USMC LHDs, they have a "shooter" as part of the deck crew for launching harriers. If you search "harrier launch shooter" the first couple of images you get shows what I describe.
So the presence of "shooters" on the STOBAR carrier doesn't tell us anything about their plans for catapults, and it never should have told us anything about it.
What we know about their catapult intentions instead has all come from years of accumulated rumours, instead. Without those rumours, we'd be so far behind the curve it wouldn't even be funny.
MwRYum
Major
Skidmarks on the catapult stretch of new runway would be enough of a giveaway that it's operational, and I can settle with that.
Unfortunately, we won't expect skid marks on the catapult part of the new runway, because ski marks are only obvious on the landing part of a runway, whereas the part we're talking about is take off.
Even with catapults, they do accelerate the aircraft forwards, but does not do so at a speed that can produce distinctive skid marks like we see on a carrier's landing strip.
If we're lucky we might see dark splotches on the jet blast deflectors behind the catapults which would be indicative of activity, but that's probably not enough for positive confirmation for most people, especially the skeptics.
So like I said, we probably can't expect satellite photos to be a realistic way of confirming the catapults at Huangdicun actively operating or not.
What do you mean? There would be no visual difference between a J-15A that has been launched from a catapult vs a J-15A that has not.
Keep in mind that even the J-20 kept its pitot for I think the first three prototypes. For all we know they might not have installed a radar on this particular plane yet.
Intrepid
Major
Look at this . You con see skid marks for launch. And you can even see, which launch position is mainly used and which two positions are not.