J-35A fighter (PLAAF) + FC-31 thread

[gullible]

what are the iterations of j35 going forward?

 

[Deino]

So clean it looks like CG. How did they do it?

Maybe an already posted image scaled up and artificially "cleaned" ... looks like based on this one!

 

[iewgnem]

F-35 has three but they are not retractable.

Retractable lens have major tactical advantages over fixed, it means in long range engagements the enemy will have to either guess what distance to engage at, or fire missiles at max range and lose lock after lens retract.

Retact lens is a relatively simple system to engineer, the fact that neither F35 nor F22 have it is an interesting decision that reflect how Americans view steath as an I-win card rather than tactical advantage card, which means they didnt spend much time planning for what to do if steath advantage is degraded or lost.

 

[KampfAlwin]

So the the flare and chaff dispenser appears to not have a hatch covering them, but is exposed unlike the F-35. Does anyone know why?

 

[Schwerter_]

So the the flare and chaff dispenser appears to not have a hatch covering them, but is exposed unlike the F-35. Does anyone know why?

Probably figured that they don’t contribute that much to RCS (hopefully based on testing). Also the dispenser location of Chinese (and Russian) jets seem to differ from the US in general. For example the F-18, F-22 and F-35 all have them positioned in the mid-section and on the bottom, while many Chinese and Russian jets (notably flankers, J-20 and J-35/35A) seem to place the dispensers on the tail boom (or tail booms) in the rear of the aircraft. Maybe positioning has some influence on whether to have covers?

 

[LuzinskiJ]

Not sure why you'd need a grab-bar inside the cockpit on an air force plane , but it could be cockpit canopy is another common piece between the PLAN and PLAAF J35's. I think some F35A also have grab-bars as well, but not certain.

 

[sheogorath]

Probably figured that they don’t contribute that much to RCS (hopefully based on testing). Also the dispenser location of Chinese (and Russian) jets seem to differ from the US in general. For example the F-18, F-22 and F-35 all have them positioned in the mid-section and on the bottom, while many Chinese and Russian jets (notably flankers, J-20 and J-35/35A) seem to place the dispensers on the tail boom (or tail booms) in the rear of the aircraft. Maybe positioning has some influence on whether to have covers?

American dispensers do tend to be at the bottom, which exposes them more to ground based radars probably forcing the need to use doors to cover them.