Re: stannislas: I'm talking 2027 timeframe, by which laser technology could have come a long way. If the PLAAF goes with the laser pod approach, we might be looking at a baseline of 4 km range (linear scaling).
Well, you probably haven't realized the impact of technology involved, let me put this way, next-gen energy storage is regarded as the technology that might trigger the next industrial revolution. If us human could reach such a high energy density, we could easily put on a cyber brain and turn us into cyborg/android or whatever, in comparison, laser air defense is child play.
So, no I don't see any hard-kill energy directional weapon be practical on any aircraft, not J-20, not F-35 by 2027, or even not a 6th-gen fighter by 2050 if there is no groundbreaking innovation happened.
As for the F-22, the F-22 can carry the same missile payload as an F-35, despite costing a lot more. The J-20 can likewise carry the same missile payload as an F-35, but it's still a heavier platform at the very least and likely a more expensive platform, especially if the RMB continues to appreciate (around 5% so far this year).
yes, but this has nothing to do with or without the "micromissle", J-20 and F-22/F-35 are in the "price exchange" regardless of the "micromissle". The solution should be something like increasing production so J-20 got cheap, not put on more fancy toys to make everything more expensive.
