J-15 carrier fighter thread
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
Definitely true.
Terra Server is a business, they use commercial satellite imagery companies and sell HQ images.
... No one is saying that photo is proof that the J-15A was successfully tested from the EM cat; it was taken on 17 October after all. But it does mean that when this photo was taken, the Navy had rolled a J-15 (likely a J-15A) near the catapults for some reason.
This photo just adds to the plausibility and expectancy that the rumours of J-15A having been tested on the EM cat is true.
Better now ...??
On what side is the steam and on what the EMALS ... as far as I remember, the one where the J-15T stands is the steam catapult !???
The photo is from TerraServer, taken by Digital Globe.
Based on that alone it should not only cast doubt on the very idea that it is a PS, but more importantly it should fully verify the authenticity of the photos themselves.
Remember they are companies, selling products, and accurate satellite imagery is the product.
Hendrik_2000
Lieutenant General
Yup ready to go. Here is Henri K take on the catapult testing facility. Another ting I don't see any depression on the Huangdichun facility. Doesn't the aircraft dip a bit once it leave the track?. At sea no problem since the bow stand higher than water surface. On the Shanghai test facility, what is that look like white roof in front of the J15 Mock up?
Satellite images dating from October 17 show that the installation of two test tracks catapult, which are at the naval air pilot training center Xincheng, ended recently.
You can see an embedded fighter J-15 was at the end of one of the two tracks, and seemed to be ready to perform the first tests on the catapults. This is a specific version of J-15 is designed to take off with a catapult, not a springboard (see our article "The J-15 to catapultable catobar is flying").
Two tracks catapult the Xincheng training center
Two tracks catapult the Xincheng training center
According to local sources, one of catapults is kind EMALS (Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System), catapulting the plane is performed using a linear induction motor, while the other is a classic catapult steamed.
A first catapult testing J-15 with EMALS have successfully held early November. This Chinese project electromagnetic catapult is launched in 2011, and development is conducted by a research institute co-founded by the Engineering University of Marine and Daqo Group, a Chinese company specializing in electricity and transport rail.
The steam catapult project, meanwhile, is launched much earlier. The first test of catapulting the ground, with a model airplane, is successfully in 2010 in a development center of the Institute 704, a subsidiary of Chinese naval group CSIC, which is responsible for its development.
The steam catapult development site, 704 Institute, Shanghai
The basis of steam catapult test, 704 Institute, Shanghai
The construction of the 3rd Chinese aircraft carrier is being prepared Jiangnan Changxing shipyard in Shanghai. Unlike the first two aircraft carriers in the country, the second is under construction in Dalian, this new carrier will have a priori three tracks catapult, so a catobar with a conventional propulsion remains. The date of delivery to the Chinese navy should be around 2022, according to our estimate.
The procedure on the deck of a catobar being very different from that of a stobar springboard, the Chinese navy seems to anticipate earlier associated preparations, ranging from validation of hardware for pilot training, through writing various manuals and procedures.
The beginning of these tests the hands of the Chinese navy also shows that the development of both types of catapult starts to leave the "laboratories" and enters a very advanced state.
Note that China becomes the third country in the world to be able to design and manufacture its own aircraft carrier catapults. If the steam catapult difficulty lies primarily in the manufacture of components, the design of the mass driver demonstrates the progress made by the Chinese in many areas, such as the electric field (electric motor, storage and conversion) and materials.
The case forward.
Henry K.
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The original rumour was that the J-15A was successfully tested from the EM catapult.
The original rumour did not exclude the possibility of both catapults both being ready, nor did not exclude the possibility of the J-15A possibly also having been tested from the steam catapult as well, or anything else.
Much of PLA watching based on rumours can be based on venn diagrams. We can draw a venn diagram about what we see with these photos, and see where the rumour fits in. If the rumour fits in with the venn diagram (as it does in this case) then it demonstrates the rumour is plausible.
Now, I do not mean to come across as too aggressive, but I think you mentioning that both catapults being ready for use does not add anything to the analysis of the plausibility of the rumour of J-15 being tested from the ME catapult, because it does not invalidate the original rumour, so I'm not sure why you are pointing out that both catapults are completed.
If you want to use this photo to say "the rumour about J-15 test from EM cat is made plausible by these latest photos showing the EM cat complete, and these latest photos also seem to indicate the steam cat is complete as well" then that is no problem.
But the way I'm reading your posts almost makes it sound like you don't believe the photos support the plausibility of the rumour, so I'd like you to clarify that.