J-15 carrier fighter thread

[Tam]

KH-31 is very much suited to antishipping role. Which is why Kh-31A variant exists in the first place. Given that, I would find it extremely unlikely that PLANAF is not fielding an antishipping variant of the YJ-91 missile as well. Kh-31AD variant has a range of 160 km (fired from 15 km altitude, at supersonic speed) which is okay-ish, but the main attack profile would likely be to fly closer, under the radar horizon.

And we don't know if YJ-91 missiles are in fact the same as Kh-31.

Yes, lengthened versions Kh-31AD, Kh-31PD and Kh-31PK have up to 160km, with a mere change of length from 4.7 meters to 5.3.

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No information on YJ-91 or YJ-93, but it would be interesting if someone can get an accurate length of these missiles.

Seeker electronics will likely be different between the YJ-91/93 vs the Kh-31 family.

Being able to mount four supersonic antiship missiles per plane puts a lot of sting to it.

I agree that the planes would fly near the nape of the sea, below the radar horizon of defending AAW ships, and launch the missiles much closer and much lower.

 

[by78]

A few high-resolution images of ground training.

 

[Deino]

A few high-resolution images of ground training.

And not only this!!! look closely!


Officially labelled only as "Pilot cadets assigned to the PLA Naval Aviation University walk in line to their positions prior to a flight training course in late September, 2020" it is in fact the first official confirmation that the Batch 03 J-15s are in PLAN Naval Aviation service at the Naval Aviation University at Huangdicun.

Clearly confirmed are two aircraft by the construction numbers cn. 0303 & 0306.

(Images by Ni Shuai and Jiang Tao via chinamil.com.cn)

 

[Deino]

I'm a bit surprised and in fact even disappointed since I hoped for something along a single seater J-16 with the J-16's AESA without a pitot and WS-10 engines.

 

[jimmyjames30x30]

I'm a bit surprised and in fact even disappointed since I hoped for something along a single seater J-16 with the J-16's AESA without a pitot and WS-10 engines.

That would be a waste of money, because it will mean 4 batches of 2 different STOBAR J-15. I don't think 24 STOBAR improved J-15 is worth the money put into changing the production line. The next batch of J-15 after the 4th batch will be CATOBAR version, and that is the future of J-15, which will reach (or approach) J-16 fleet's numbers. Building just another 24 of the original J-15, with no change to the production line, making it a total of 48+ units sounds like a much better handling of resources.

 

[Deino]

That would be a waste of money, because it will mean 4 batches of 2 different STOBAR J-15. I don't think 24 STOBAR improved J-15 is worth the money put into changing the production line. The next batch of J-15 after the 4th batch will be CATOBAR version, and that is the future of J-15, which will reach (or approach) J-16 fleet's numbers. Building just another 24 of the original J-15, with no change to the production line, making it a total of 48+ units sounds like a much better handling of resources.

Why four batches?

Anyway, I'm considering several options and my stomach tells me that these Batch 03 J-15s are just additional standard J-15s as Batch 01 & 02 in order to replace those lost and to rise the number to a level so that both carriers have enough figthers for their regular duiy.
After that additional ones of the rumoured variant J-15B (or whatever) will be built and this one has the alleged AESA, WS-10 engines and is CATOBAR capable for the Type 003 carrier.

 

[jimmyjames30x30]

Why four batches?

Anyway, I'm considering several options and my stomach tells me that these Batch 03 J-15s are just additional standard J-15s as Batch 01 & 02 in order to replace those lost and to rise the number to a level so that both carriers have enough figthers for their regular duiy.
After that additional ones of the rumoured variant J-15B (or whatever) will be built and this one has the alleged AESA, WS-10 engines and is CATOBAR capable for the Type 003 carrier.

I assumed each batch has 12 units. You are saying what I was trying to say. I thought what you meant by J-15B is a STOBAR J-15 with AESA and WS-10.
The terminology I understood was:
J-15: the first 2(or 3) batches of STOBAR J-15 with AL-31F and with pitot (not sure what kind of radar is equiped).
J-15B: STOBAR J-15 with WS-10 and AESA.
J-15T: CATOBAR J-15 wth WS-10 and AESA.

In this case, I think the J-15B (STOBAR with WS-10 and AESA) is not worth the money put into changing the production line. But the PLAN now requires enough STOBAR J-15 to operate on two STOBAR carriers.

 

[gelgoog]

I think there are multiple issues here. If they do change the J-15 to be CATOBAR compliant they will likely have to further strengthen the airframe. That will increase weight. Now the catapult impulse will make that a non issue but in a STOBAR configuration you are going to lose payload. What they need to do is make the airplane as light as possible. Perhaps with new materials in the fuselage and lighter avionics and radar. If you look at what the Russians are doing they are upgrading their Su-33s with more modern avionics and radar. But the thing is we don't even know which radar the J-15 uses to begin with. We assume it isn't AESA but is it really? For all we know it already has AESA radar.
J-16 has different nose but it is supposed to be a ground attack aircraft which takes off from a runway. So the radar probably is optimized differently and is likely larger. With regards to the pitot tube I wouldn't be surprised if the J-15 has more sensors in it than a J-16. It is supposed to operate in a carrier where crosswinds and weird atmospheric phenomena are common. Add to that the fact their pilots have limited experience and the fact they have no decent carrier capable trainer aircraft and there is even more reason to put more sensors in it.

So I think the CATOBAR optimized aircraft will be totally different and might even be a two seater directly derived from the J-16.

 

[asif iqbal]

shame

otherwise I would have said China has truly mastered the naval turbofan for naval fighters too

only issue here is 003 will soon be in the water and J15B needs to emerge soon

so maybe batch 3 of J15

then batch goes to J15B

 

[jimmyjames30x30]

I think there are multiple issues here. If they do change the J-15 to be CATOBAR compliant they will likely have to further strengthen the airframe. That will increase weight. Now the catapult impulse will make that a non issue but in a STOBAR configuration you are going to lose payload. What they need to do is make the airplane as light as possible. Perhaps with new materials in the fuselage and lighter avionics and radar. If you look at what the Russians are doing they are upgrading their Su-33s with more modern avionics and radar. But the thing is we don't even know which radar the J-15 uses to begin with. We assume it isn't AESA but is it really? For all we know it already has AESA radar.
J-16 has different nose but it is supposed to be a ground attack aircraft which takes off from a runway. So the radar probably is optimized differently and is likely larger. With regards to the pitot tube I wouldn't be surprised if the J-15 has more sensors in it than a J-16. It is supposed to operate in a carrier where crosswinds and weird atmospheric phenomena are common. Add to that the fact their pilots have limited experience and the fact they have no decent carrier capable trainer aircraft and there is even more reason to put more sensors in it.

So I think the CATOBAR optimized aircraft will be totally different and might even be a two seater directly derived from the J-16.

J-15T prototypes has been flying for a while now. And you can find picture of it ready to be catapulted to take off on google. WS-10 equipped J-15T (the CATOBAR version) has been quite extensively talked about on this forum as well as the Chinese internet, based on those released photos. Why are you talking as if you have never seen those?