Not really a new jet.
J-35A fighter (PLAAF) + FC-31 thread
- Thread starter ACuriousPLAFan
- Start date
Not exactly breaking news per se - The PLAAF confirms that the J-35A is the latest member of what would become the PLAAF's "Four Musketeers" (J-20/A, J-35A, J-16, J-10C), which is an upgrade over the original "Three Musketeers".
I was right.
I was right.
We need to confirm that the J-35A has only 4 hardpoints before this conversation even can start. Also comparing hardpoint numbers without considering the intended role and historical context of each model is basically a pissing contest and serves very little purpose. As to why only some aircrafts have DAS there isn’t a definitive answer, but I think it’s reasonable to assume that the one missing it is either a prototype that’s not required to have all subsystems mounted, or it’s left blank for the time being for future installment.
At present, only a SVTOL engine, and even that comes with a big question mark.
If (or more like when) China successfully developed a SVTOL engine - There is no definite saying on whether said engine model would actually be adopted for actual use on new fighters and/or UCAVs, or as a technological exploration and reserve effort only.
Moreover, even if China decides to develop a SVTOL fighter in the future - We should make it clear that the fighter will never be based on the J-35/A.
Pardon, just a slight disagreement.
01 is most likely NOT WS-13E, but rather the one on 02.
It would make complete sense that 03 is an upgraded version of 02's nozzles - they're extremely similar, with the 03 having some sort of ceramic coating externally.
Hence, it's likely that 02 is WS-13E instead, and 03 is WS-21s.
01's nozzles are a bit special - we've never seen this type of nozzles on any versions of J-35/A before. 12 petals, with the outer layer's petals having tiny, finer serrations each side making a crown-pattern (marked in yellow) and the inner layer having the same amount of teeth/serrations without the extra finer ones (marked in blue). There's also the odd vent doors looking mechanisms (marked in red).
This is unlike anything we've seen on a J-35/A before. At first glance, they might look similar to the ones that's, say, on the 3503:
...but the serrations, inner and outer, are completely different. Outer doesn't make a crown-pattern, and the inner serrations are way too much/fine. There's also a lack of vent doors on the underside.
So, it might sound crazy, but, hear me out. 02 and 03 are respectively WS-13E and WS-21. Don't they look like serrated versions of a traditional RD-93?
Case in point:
Both are double layered, with an extremely pronounced inner layer. Another one:
See? Both are strikingly similar with the RD-93 without 01's odd vent doors.
To reiterate my point: 02 most likely uses WS-13Es, while 03 uses WS-21s. 01's nozzles are completely separate from the two, indicating that they're from a different design lineage.
I still think 01's nozzles could genuinely be WS-19s.
Wasn't it rumored that WS-21 uses different hot section designs based on the WS-19? That could explain it.
Also, "visually similar shock diamonds" is an extremely bad way of judging an engine, especially with the amount of variables.
Anyways, to summarise my points:
01: oldest of the three prototypes. Uses pivot style tails and engines standalone from the WS-13E/21 family.
02: second oldest of the three. Uses hinge-type tails and WS-13Es.
03: newest of the three. Uses hinge-type tails and WS-21s.
02 and 03 are most likely airframes testing just the tails, not avionics, hence the lack of a complete avionics suite.
One reason which I think is worth keeping in mind wrt the WS-19 idea, is that ultimately WS-19 would be considered a relatively new engine in the same way that WS-15 is. The idea that they would show WS-19 at an airshow would be somewhat unprecedented. It would be like them showing J-20A with two WS-15s at the airshow.
Other explanations for different nozzles could be that they are different nozzle designs for the same engine.
OTOH, if any of the usual credible individuals from the grapevine suggest that any of the J-35As we've seen is powered by WS-19, then that would lend substantial weight to the idea, but at this stage I am cautious around the idea that we've seen any of them powered by WS-19.
Interestingly, Oneninety actually said there's something really special about that particular airframe, hence why I'm genuinely entertaining the idea.
Also, it would be weird that they just randomly add a vent door structure to the WS-13E/21 tree when they never needed it.
Edit: also, that airframe only appeared briefly, during 9/11 before the the airshow officially started. Never seen after... Yet.