So yeah, J-15T will probably phase out when J-XDSH come in to CATOBAR carriers. Short lived but necessary for J-15D development. Don't know how much works J-XDSH will take from J-15D after a while. J-35 have it's space in that configuration.
J-35 carrier fighter (PLAN) thread
- Thread starter Deino
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lcloo
Major
IF the 6th gen catapult capable jets achieve FOC, say around 2032-2035, China would have 4 to 6 aircraft carriers in operations. There is no need to phase out J15T since minimum air frame lives is usually more than 20 years in normal use.
Phasing out an aircraft before their air frame lives become expeire is extremely rare in PLA. We are still seeing aircraft designed in 1950s in active service in China in 2025.
Old aircraft still in service are JJ7, J7, J8, J10A, J11A, SU-27UBK, SU-30MKK/MK2, JH7, Y5, Y7, Y8, K8, Y12, JL6, older variants of H6 and IL-76 (bought second hand and refurbished).
Phasing out an aircraft before their air frame lives become expeire is extremely rare in PLA. We are still seeing aircraft designed in 1950s in active service in China in 2025.
Old aircraft still in service are JJ7, J7, J8, J10A, J11A, SU-27UBK, SU-30MKK/MK2, JH7, Y5, Y7, Y8, K8, Y12, JL6, older variants of H6 and IL-76 (bought second hand and refurbished).
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There will be plenty of carrier operations that don't involve the US, and most of them won't require 6th gens. The J-35 + J-15T combo will remain highly potent
I wouldn't view J-15T lower than F-15EX(only starting production) or F-18E/F(juuust ended, so life cycle still ahead).
PLAN will only get 6 carrier operational by mid 2030s if they decide after the first 004, they will start simultaneously constructing two more.
Agree that there's no reason to phase out j-15 just because 6th gen are being introduced.
Even if carriers do run out of room. Instead of phasing out the J-15, they would still be useful like JH-7 at PLANAF AB
Even if carriers do run out of room. Instead of phasing out the J-15, they would still be useful like JH-7 at PLANAF AB
I'm more talking about the use on Catobar carrier than phase out at PLANAF AB or Stobar carrier. Anyway, it's off course for the thread.
We need more J-35 news and a landing/liftoff footage on a carrier asap. That aircraft is to much elusive for my liking.
J-35 will be like the J-15T:
First, a few photos of prototypes.
Little news follow.
Then suddenly we see two squadrons:
To be absolutely fair, it is a bit early to say if J-35 will outlive J-15T. It is stealth - good stealth. J-XDS is probably way more stealth, and there are big signs they compete for the same role.
J-15T takes a very solid niche for carrier aviation: it carries big things. Naval warfare likes big things, big things are stand off(which helps to mitigate stealth concerns), big things explode more violently (which helps to send ships down).
Flanker will probably take at least 6, probably 7 PL-17s (which is several J-36s worth of VLRAAM), as well as medium ASCMs. If it finally got reinforced points - you can have 1/3 heavy weapons, too. And, of course, tanking and future-proofing.
I don't think J-15T will leave us anytime soon. And tbh, it'll probably keep deck deployment spots quite well.
Eh, sounds pretty much like a missile truck role.
At which point, i see it likely that if it is wished kept, the PLA will get some drone doing it in 2030s.
(can get rid of all the stuff associated with pilot, and likely radar and other unnecessary stuff.
Also likely to be supersonic and quite stealthy, but with missiles on pylons)