SinoSoldier
Colonel
Very interesting if true, it would be the first time in history that the Chinese have performed contract bidding post-prototype stage.
J-35 carrier fighter (PLAN) thread
- Thread starter Deino
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Very interesting if true, it would be the first time in history that the Chinese have performed contract bidding post-prototype stage.
I read some of these rumors, they say the naval J-20 is already well in advance of naval FC-31 program. So to delay the decision SAC asks the decision makers to wait till both project produce prototypes then run a physical comparison test. Something like the JSF X-planes in US.
While it is good to see some competitions, it also means the military fans are more and more dependent on rumors to entertain themselves. This one is a 180 degree turn just from a few weeks ago.
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SinoSoldier
Colonel
Should we open another betting competition like we did with the Type 002 carrier a few years ago?
I'm putting my money down on the FC-31 derivative willing the competition.
I'm putting my money down on the FC-31 derivative willing the competition.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
I find it hard to believe that the institute would be able to churn out a navalized prototype in what seems like an impossible time frame. The company has zero experience in developing carrier-based aircraft and modifying the J-20 for carrier operations would take 3 years at the very, very least (it took 2.5-3 years for the F-35C to go from design approval to prototype rollout stage). As that implies that a decision to build a carrier-based J-20 was made in 2014-2015 at the very latest, such a development surely would've generated rumors and buzz, and yet there were none.
There are a few commentators who are interpreting the rumor to be of a navalized Z-20 making a test flight, which honestly is much more likely to be the case. Interestingly Huitong recently added the possible designation "J-25" to his FC-31 entry.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
Anyways, here is the original riddle that sparked the rumors of a carrier-based J-20 making a maiden flight. I do not know how they arrived at such a conclusion from a rather-abstract piece of writing. Take it with a bucketful of salt.
It actually talks about a carrier version two-seat J-20. Seems to hint that work has already started on a landed based two-seat J-20 and adding a carrier version is considered good for the development.
So a choice between a two-seat J-20 and single-seat J-31, does it make sense? Or could it be both?
So a choice between a two-seat J-20 and single-seat J-31, does it make sense? Or could it be both?
I'd rather prefer that the Chinese use both J-21s and J-20s on their carrriers. You want a high-end air superiority fighter on your carrier as well as a strike fighter, which is what the J-21 is going to be. The news about the sensor suite upgrade is very promising; there is no reason the J-21 should omit EODAS except for cost.
Whichever aircraft is ultimately selected, hopefully China's carrier-borne fighter mix over the next 15 years will be weighed heavily towards the fifth generation. As the carrier program is just getting started, there are no previous-generation fighters to replace. Is there anything the J-15 does better than the "J-XY"?