J-35 carrier fighter (PLAN) thread

lcloo

Captain
There are rumors suggesting that CV-18 Fujian may not be the first carrier where the J-35 would operate from. Unverifiable as of now, but perhaps it might be a good idea to keep a lookout on the STOBAR CVs.
If there is ever a landing and take off of J35 from Liaoning or Shandong, the very high probability would be a prototype J35 performing part of the flight tests pogram rather than in-service operational unit of J35.
 

Blitzo

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If there is ever a landing and take off of J35 from Liaoning or Shandong, the very high probability would be a prototype J35 performing part of the flight tests pogram rather than in-service operational unit of J35.

Well, if J-35/XY is STOBAR compatible as well as CATOBAR compatible as designed from the outset, it would actually make sense if they were part of the future airwing for CV-16/17.

In fact, I would say that J-35/XY being part of CV-16/16's airwing would significantly enhance the capability and prolong the relevance the STOBAR carriers, while still allowing crossdecking with the CATOBAR carriers.
 

lcloo

Captain
Well, if J-35/XY is STOBAR compatible as well as CATOBAR compatible as designed from the outset, it would actually make sense if they were part of the future airwing for CV-16/17.

In fact, I would say that J-35/XY being part of CV-16/16's airwing would significantly enhance the capability and prolong the relevance the STOBAR carriers, while still allowing crossdecking with the CATOBAR carriers.
I agreed with you.

My reply to AcuriousPLAfan was on "There are rumors suggesting that CV-18 Fujian may not be the first carrier where the J-35 would operate from."

I expect CV16 and CV17 will have J15 only for next few years even after CV18 is operational. While CV18 will have J15T (or whatever designation) and later with J35 after serial production started. Only later when there are sufficient number of J35 onboard CV18 then would J35 start to operate on CV16 and CV17.

Any way, just my opinion against the rumour.
 
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Blitzo

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I agreed with you.

My reply to AcuriousPLAfan was on "There are rumors suggesting that CV-18 Fujian may not be the first carrier where the J-35 would operate from."

I expect CV16 and CV17 will have J15 only for next few years even after CV18 is operational. While CV18 will have J15T (or whatever designation) and later with J35 after serial production started. Only later when there are sufficient number of J35 onboard CV18 then would J35 start to operate on CV16 and CV17.

Any way, just my opinion against the rumour.

Hmm, you wrote "If there is ever a landing and take off of J35 from Liaoning or Shandong, the very high probability would be a prototype J35 performing part of the flight tests pogram rather than in-service operational unit of J35."

The way you wrote it implied that if there were "ever" J-35s landing and taking off from CV-16/17 it would be only in context of prototype testing rather than being operational on CV-16/17 at any point into the future.

If that's not what you meant, no worries.

To be honest, I think we don't have any clue as to what the airwing status of CV-16/17 or CV-18 will be in coming years.

We would need to know if J-XY/35 is STOBAR compatible as designed, and we'd need to know if J-XY/35 will be significantly different from J-15B in terms of readiness for service.

Then if we are talking about being operationally in service, well CV-16/17 are in service already years after IOC, whereas CV-18 will still take some years to enter service and achieve IOC.

If J-XY/35 were actually STOBAR compatible in addition to CATOBAR, it would seem fairly reasonable to me that it may end up "in service" and "operating" from one of the STOBAR carriers before CV-18 because the STOBAR carriers are in service earlier, and because they would see a massive capability gain in operating J-35/XY versus their J-15s they currently have.
If both J-15B and J-35/XY are STOBAR+CATOBAR compatible, it would actually make sense if both types succeed the J-15s currently on the STOBAR carriers before they enter service on CV-18.


.... that said, I have a feeling the word "operate" here is being misunderstood, which is why I'm not a huge fan of conveying rumours without linking to the original text as well.

There are rumors suggesting that CV-18 Fujian may not be the first carrier where the J-35 would operate from. Information unverifiable as of now, but perhaps it might be a good idea to keep a lookout on the STOBAR CVs.

It's better if you would just post the original Chinese text rather than paraphrasing, because your chosen words (specifically "operate") may lead to misinterpretation.

If it's from weibo, I think I know what you're referring to, but you would probably be better off copying the original text over.
 

ACuriousPLAFan

Brigadier
Registered Member
It's better if you would just post the original Chinese text rather than paraphrasing, because your chosen words (specifically "operate") may lead to misinterpretation.

If it's from weibo, I think I know what you're referring to, but you would probably be better off copying the original text over.

Yes, I should have used the phrase "landing on and/or taking off from" instead of "operating from". My bad.

Regarding the rumor - The rumor was basically from a comment which has been quote-posted on Weibo:

j35onliaoningquestion.png

This guy claimed that Shandong will be the 1st one to have J-35 landing on and/or taking off from her flight deck, which I will translate-paraphrase here:
To be exact, there is a bigger chance for Shandong (to be the first to have J-35 land on and/or launch from). When Shandong went north to Huludao (last time), a military fan saw a certain plane go out (to the sea) on the same day. Shandong was sailing close to and along the coast that day.

However, until there are clear evidences that the Shandong was commissioned in late-2019 with the capability to operate J-35s from the get-go, and/or (semi-)official indications that the J-35 will be operating from Shandong in the future - I'd like to keep the observation open for the time being.

This similarly applies to one suggested possibility that one of the upgrades done to Liaoning is the installation of facilities and infrastructure required for the future operation of the J-35s from Liaoning during her the recent-&-ongoing MLU at Dalian.

Hence, my original statement of "it might be a good idea to keep a lookout on the STOBAR CVs".

Of course, given the reputation of this guy in particular, again, caution is advised.

(Side note: Regarding the KJ-600 - While an E-2C is said to have performed unassisted ski-jump takeoff tests some years ago at a land-based facility, no such thing has been done with the KJ-600 as far as we know. Hence, my intention to keep the KJ-600 out of the discussion.)
 

Blitzo

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Yes, I should have used the phrase "landing on and/or taking off from" instead of "operating from". My bad.

Regarding the rumor - The rumor was basically from a comment which has been quote-posted on Weibo:

View attachment 124396

This guy claimed that Shandong will be the 1st one to have J-35 landing on and/or taking off from her flight deck, which I will translate-paraphrase here:


However, until there are clear evidences that the Shandong was commissioned in late-2019 with the capability to operate J-35s from the get-go, and/or (semi-)official indications that the J-35 will be operating from Shandong in the future - I'd like to keep the observation open for the time being.

This similarly applies to one suggested possibility that one of the upgrades done to Liaoning is the installation of facilities and infrastructure required for the future operation of the J-35s from Liaoning during her the recent-&-ongoing MLU at Dalian.

Hence, my original statement of "it might be a good idea to keep a lookout on the STOBAR CVs".

Of course, given the reputation of this guy in particular, again, caution is advised.

(Side note: Regarding the KJ-600 - While an E-2C is said to have performed unassisted ski-jump takeoff tests some years ago at a land-based facility, no such thing has been done with the KJ-600 as far as we know. Hence, my intention to keep the KJ-600 out of the discussion.)

TBH it was Angadow's post and repost which I found a bit more compelling to begin with.

I'm not sure if 伏尔戈星图's repost on it adds anything necessarily.


But yes, in future being able to at least post the original text would be useful (this goes for everyone) if it's easily accessible. The link/source itself would be even better.
 

ACuriousPLAFan

Brigadier
Registered Member
TBH it was Angadow's post and repost which I found a bit more compelling to begin with.

I'm not sure if 伏尔戈星图's repost on it adds anything necessarily.
Yes, indeed.

Though, AFAIK, considering how @angadow isn't as well-known and reputable WRT PLA-watching affairs as the likes of Cute Orca, Shilao, Ayi, @伏尔戈星图, @Oneninety etc, so I was quite hesitant to mention about this first - Until I saw 伏尔戈星图's quote-posting his comment and Big Bun and others' further back-&-forth with him.

And given the recent disagreements WRT @伏尔戈星图's claim on the 076 LHD under construction at Hudong-Zhonghua, so I have chosen to avoid mentioning him for the time being - Until recently.

But yes, in future being able to at least post the original text would be useful (this goes for everyone) if it's easily accessible. The link/source itself would be even better.
I don't have a Weibo account myself so it's a bit hard, but I'll seek other possible methods to do so.
 
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