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

[siegecrossbow]

Certainly, but I'm wondering if we have any idea whatsoever about how it compares to western systems. No shade to anyone here but people of a particular nation are absolutely convinced that the Rafale has a far superior radar and EW suite to the J-35, that's why I asked.

There are also people who believe the earth is flat or they should’ve been raptured away by Jesus last week and sold their homes and cars at discount. What’s the point of convincing these people?

 

[MeiouHades]

There are also people who believe the earth is flat or they should’ve been raptured away by Jesus last week and sold their homes and cars at discount. What’s the point of convincing these people?

Well now you know how I bought my new 4Runner at half the cost

 

[vincent]

Which is precisely what has surprised me. This could mean two things. Either the Rafale, to put it bluntly, truly is just as overhyped as it is overpriced; or China has made some insane advancements in radar and electronic warfare tech to the point that even the the supposed 'best' 4.5 gen that the West had to offer (not that I agree, I think the Super Hornet or Block 70 F-16 are superior to the Rafale) couldn't really measure up to it. And the fact that both can be true is even more surprising, though I'm leaning toward the latter.

Which is actually scary when you think about it. If China's (arguably) 4th or 5th best fighter jet can do this; imagine the capabilities of its more capable fighters like the modernized 4.5 gen Flankers, or the J-20/A/S, or the J-35 or even the upcoming sixth gen airframes especially armed with more potent missiles like the PL-17. This was a massive, massive wake up call for every single defense analyst.

You guys just started to equip GaN radars. China is already working on the next gen

 

[lgnxz]

interesting that I've now seen more photo and the 30t may be referring to J-35. It's possible J-35A is a little lower for MTOW at 27-28t. I guess we will find out more once the export campaign kicks off.

Is it possible that the MTOW number is for the current J-35 with the WS-21? If so, I don't think you can just extrapolate the MTOW for the J-35A, because the J-35A is currently using the more powerful WS-19.

Some not-so-open-source info. Besides, the WS-19 is alleged to be aiming at the level of the likes of F414-EPE (116 kN) and EJ270 (120 kN). That figure range I got is very plausible.

Even if the WS-19 can achieve just 105kN max thrust, aircraft with 210kN max thrust, a 10% increase from the F-35 which has almost 30t MTOW, should has MTOW well above 30t.

As others have also pointed out, idk if it's a case of PLA understating the specs of their equipment to the public (e.g. 145km max range of the PL-15E) compared to your 'not-so-open' source. To me there's no way both the <30t MTOW and >210kN thrust can exist from the same aircraft, hence also my theory regarding the 30t number isn't even for J-35 equipped with WS-19s

 

[MeiouHades]

You guys just started to equip GaN radars. China is already working on the next gen

Well damn. I knew we were behind but..... this much?

 

[latenlazy]

Well damn. I knew we were behind but..... this much?

I think next up is GaN on Diamond, then either GaO3 on SiC or Diamond.

 

[MeiouHades]

I think next up is GaN on Diamond, then either GaO3 on SiC or Diamond.

We'd be lucky to get a GaN APG-85 on the F-35 in the next 5-6 years.

 

[gelgoog]

Diamond wafers of large diameter are hard to manufacture right now. I think GaO3 on SiC will happen before anything on Diamond.

 

[vincent]

Diamond wafers of large diameter are hard to manufacture right now. I think GaO3 on SiC will happen before anything on Diamond.

A Chinese firm successfully manufactured 4inch diameter, <100um thick diamond film with less than 10um warping throughout.

Huawei has a patent on diamond and copper substrates for chips.

 

[tphuang]

Is it possible that the MTOW number is for the current J-35 with the WS-21? If so, I don't think you can just extrapolate the MTOW for the J-35A, because the J-35A is currently using the more powerful WS-19.

Even if the WS-19 can achieve just 105kN max thrust, aircraft with 210kN max thrust, a 10% increase from the F-35 which has almost 30t MTOW, should has MTOW well above 30t.

As others have also pointed out, idk if it's a case of PLA understating the specs of their equipment to the public (e.g. 145km max range of the PL-15E) compared to your 'not-so-open' source. To me there's no way both the <30t MTOW and >210kN thrust can exist from the same aircraft, hence also my theory regarding the 30t number isn't even for J-35 equipped with WS-19s

it's really hard to know. I certainly think it's likely that MTOW will go up with WS-19.

Diamond wafers of large diameter are hard to manufacture right now. I think GaO3 on SiC will happen before anything on Diamond.

GaO3 on SiC may happen before GaN on Diamond, but we've already heard news of CETC with GaN-on-Diamond ICs. Not sure where GaO3 on SiC is at.

Yeah even I can anecdotally affirm the RF engineering part. I work for a very well-known, big tech corporation; I was in Shenzhen last year and met up with a Chinese RF engineering team there for some consultation and damn..... those guys were at least, AT LEAST, a whole generation ahead of us. And I went to a top school in the US and did very well there, and yet still. Chinese RF industry is very easily ahead of us at this point. The US might be close but Europe doesn't even register on the radar, pun intended

I finally have the excuse I needed to call the Rafale the "TEMU J-10"

the other thing with radar and avionics is just electronics industry as a whole and electrical platform. Both of which, China is way ahead here from my personal experience. It's not even just that China is ahead, but that nobody in the West works on these things anymore.