J-20 5th Gen Fighter Thread V

[latenlazy]

But can you supercruise with EFT? That's important to know.

You have EFTs. You can use wet thrust to accelerate.

 

[kwaigonegin]

But can you supercruise with EFT? That's important to know.

don't know with the J20 .. however in an emergency or when crap hits the fan and you need to be in a fight ASAP you try to go full burn.. no supercruising!

 

[Air Force Brat]

But can you supercruise with EFT? That's important to know.

Not likely, it really is dependent on how much dry thrust you are able to generate, and it takes a lot even "clean".

 

[Inst]

Wet thrust involves a substantial reduction in range, so you don't want to hit afterburners with EFT.

One point others do have, however, is that speed, fuel, and range are tradeoffs. Aircraft always need to have enough fuel to return home, and the fuel fraction they fight at is often a function of their remaining range. A squadron could opt to use fuel tanks to enable rapid response to a near distance, then return home subsonically.

 

[davidau]

...J 20 can carry four auxiliary tanks and a large cruise missile, and other weapons to suit..

 

[latenlazy]

Wet thrust involves a substantial reduction in range, so you don't want to hit afterburners with EFT.

One point others do have, however, is that speed, fuel, and range are tradeoffs. Aircraft always need to have enough fuel to return home, and the fuel fraction they fight at is often a function of their remaining range. A squadron could opt to use fuel tanks to enable rapid response to a near distance, then return home subsonically.

The idea is if you use the fuel from EFTs to punch through the supersonic barrier, even with wet thrust, that's not going to impact your internal fuel load though.

 

[Blitzo]

EFTs are useful when going to the fight at supersonic. They then get jettisoned so stealth is not compromised.

How would they be useful? Useful in the sense that they are jettisoned before going supersonic (whether it's wet or dry/supercruise) and thus enhancing the overall endurance of the aircraft overall, or are you suggesting EFTs would be maintained on the aircraft during supersonic air combat maneuvres?

I find the latter to be highly unlikely, and I consider the prospect of any stealth aircraft carrying EFTs in non-friendly airspace/contested airspace to be unlikely.

 

[latenlazy]

How would they be useful? Useful in the sense that they are jettisoned before going supersonic (whether it's wet or dry/supercruise) and thus enhancing the overall endurance of the aircraft overall, or are you suggesting EFTs would be maintained on the aircraft during supersonic air combat maneuvres?

I find the latter to be highly unlikely, and I consider the prospect of any stealth aircraft carrying EFTs in non-friendly airspace/contested airspace to be unlikely.

You use the EFTs to accelerate to supersonic within your airspace so you have greater kinetic punch once you're outside of it, without sacrificing endurance*.

 

[Blitzo]

You use the EFTs to accelerate to supersonic within your airspace so you have greater kinetic punch once you're outside of it, without sacrificing endurance*.

I suppose that is viable, though that would only be in a (what I imagine to be fairly rare) situation where there is a need to reach supersonic speeds immediately after exiting one's friendly airspace.

Overall I'd say there are two fundamentals to the EFTs for a stealth fighter, for China. One is that they would most likely not be aboard the aircraft once the aircraft enters semi-contested airspace/beyond friendly defended airspace. Two is that whatever the exact purpose of the EFTs, their role would be to increase the overall endurance of the aircraft for the entirety of the mission by providing fuel during the flight period before exiting friendly airspace.

 

[latenlazy]

I suppose that is viable, though that would only be in a (what I imagine to be fairly rare) situation where there is a need to reach supersonic speeds immediately after exiting one's friendly airspace.

Overall I'd say there are two fundamentals to the EFTs for a stealth fighter, for China. One is that they would most likely not be aboard the aircraft once the aircraft enters semi-contested airspace/beyond friendly defended airspace. Two is that whatever the exact purpose of the EFTs, their role would be to increase the overall endurance of the aircraft for the entirety of the mission by providing fuel during the flight period before exiting friendly airspace.

Well, I think there are lots of reasons for EFTs . They're added versatility for all sorts of situations. I just thought the supersonic/supercruise bit was one interesting use of them since someone asked about EFTs and supercruise.