PLA Air Force news, pics and videos
- Thread starter Jeff Head
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Can you tell WS-18 from RD-30 just by apparence？Or do they look the same？
The same way you tell WS-13 apart from RD-93 -- you can't.
They are similar in appearance, the biggest difference is in weight, WS-18 is lighter than D-30
As far as generations go, he is referring primarily to the original E-3s and E-2Cs, without getting into the grimey details of upgraded variants.
And of course he certainly is not referring to the E-2D either.
Citing an open source foreign assessment (Jamestown) is also somewhat amusing, if not unexpected.
Of more relevance is talking about future AEW&C systems -- being unmanned of course has been obvious to all of us for a while now, and stating so just reinforces to us that they are thinking about it in that fashion.
PLA introduces JH-7A2 fighter bomber at Airshow China; updated version carries extra surface attack weapons
By GT staff reporters in Zhuhai Published: Oct 02, 2021 04:59 PM
Fighter bombers attached to a naval aviation brigade under the PLA Northern Theater Command fly in line formation during a recent combat readiness patrol recently.Photo:China Military
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force for the first time revealed details on the latest variant of the JH-7 fighter bomber, designated the JH-7A2, at the ongoing Airshow China 2021 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province.
Displayed at the outdoor exhibition area of the air show, the aircraft that looks nearly identical to the JH-7 is labeled as the JH-7A2, the Global Times found.
According to the description board next to the aircraft, the JH-7A2 fighter bomber is developed based on the JH-7A, and it further improved its surface attack capability by becoming capable of carrying extra surface attack weapons including stand-off air-to-surface missiles, laser-guided bombs and munitions dispensers.
The main missions of the JH-7A2 are maritime and land attack, according to the description.
In August 2019, the JH-7A2 participated in the Aviadarts competition in Russia as a part of the International Army Games 2019, the Xinhua News Agency reported at the time, without giving more details on the aircraft, including the difference between the JH-7A2 and the original JH-7A.
The JH-7A2 did not make further public appearance until Airshow China 2021.
With the latest variant of the JH-7 being introduced at the air show, analysts said that the JH-7 series will continue to serve in the PLA for a long time despite the commissioning of the more advanced J-16 multirole fighter jet.
Around 2012 AVIC spokeman report they plan to upgrade jh 7 with AESA radar,more likely he is refering jh7a2
PLA introduces JH-7A2 fighter bomber at Airshow China; updated version carries extra surface attack weapons
By GT staff reporters in Zhuhai Published: Oct 02, 2021 04:59 PM
Fighter bombers attached to a naval aviation brigade under the PLA Northern Theater Command fly in line formation during a recent combat readiness patrol recently.Photo:China Military
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force for the first time revealed details on the latest variant of the JH-7 fighter bomber, designated the JH-7A2, at the ongoing Airshow China 2021 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province.
Displayed at the outdoor exhibition area of the air show, the aircraft that looks nearly identical to the JH-7 is labeled as the JH-7A2, the Global Times found.
According to the description board next to the aircraft, the JH-7A2 fighter bomber is developed based on the JH-7A, and it further improved its surface attack capability by becoming capable of carrying extra surface attack weapons including stand-off air-to-surface missiles, laser-guided bombs and munitions dispensers.
The main missions of the JH-7A2 are maritime and land attack, according to the description.
In August 2019, the JH-7A2 participated in the Aviadarts competition in Russia as a part of the International Army Games 2019, the Xinhua News Agency reported at the time, without giving more details on the aircraft, including the difference between the JH-7A2 and the original JH-7A.
The JH-7A2 did not make further public appearance until Airshow China 2021.
With the latest variant of the JH-7 being introduced at the air show, analysts said that the JH-7 series will continue to serve in the PLA for a long time despite the commissioning of the more advanced J-16 multirole fighter jet.
The most important thing for jh7a2 is that expanded weaponry selection. Unless we get images of various stand off guided weapons like:
cheap short range satellite guided bombs (large/medium)
cheap short range satellite guided bombs (small form)
slightly more expensive winged satellite guided bombs (large/medium)
slightly more expensive winged satellite guided bombs (small form)
medium price / medium range optical/radar guided winged bombs / missiles (large/medium)
medium price / medium range optical/radar guided winged bombs / missiles (small form)
satellite guided medium range cluster bombs
medium range stealthy bombs/missiles (unitary and cluster variants)
long range stealthy missiles (unitary and cluster variants)
compact anti-radar missiles of long reach (so a JH-7 can carry at least 6 of those)
then the upgrade is not going to amount to much. So it's not really about the plane so much. J-16 or J-10 could carry all these. It's about the next generation of weapons coming online.
cheap short range satellite guided bombs (large/medium)
cheap short range satellite guided bombs (small form)
slightly more expensive winged satellite guided bombs (large/medium)
slightly more expensive winged satellite guided bombs (small form)
medium price / medium range optical/radar guided winged bombs / missiles (large/medium)
medium price / medium range optical/radar guided winged bombs / missiles (small form)
satellite guided medium range cluster bombs
medium range stealthy bombs/missiles (unitary and cluster variants)
long range stealthy missiles (unitary and cluster variants)
compact anti-radar missiles of long reach (so a JH-7 can carry at least 6 of those)
then the upgrade is not going to amount to much. So it's not really about the plane so much. J-16 or J-10 could carry all these. It's about the next generation of weapons coming online.
that plan probably isnt gonna happen anymore now there are more than enough J-16s