PLA Air Force news, pics and videos

ACuriousPLAFan · 2025-01-08T10:46:04-0500

ACuriousPLAFan said:
Link:
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

View attachment 142898

Shenhua also said this as a reply in the comment section underneath that quote-post:

本当面白: Here's a question - Why couldn't the south (Chengdu AC) keep increasing the production rate (of the J-20)?

Shenhua: IF the combined (Chengdu + Shenyang) annual production rate of 5th-gen fighters can reach 180-200 airframes (in the coming years/future), (the efforts required for) switching over from existing fighter models to new fighter models, plus retraining fighter pilots (to fly these new fighter models) also puts huge pressure on the fighter squadrons (and the PLAAF as a whole).

(Yes, I bolded that "if" word because I know some people are just gonna jump the gun when they see the "180-200" figure claim.)

For one, I certainly don't think that Shenyang AC's capability to build close to, if not similar number of 5th-gens as Chengdu AC is currently doing once their new production site is up and running is out of the question, should the need arises.

Despite this, it should also be noted that depending on the progress of the J-36 and J-XDS (alongside the realistic needs of the PLAAF and PLANAF as a whole), there are chances where we may not see China's 5th-gen production rate reaching as high as stipulated by Shenhua above.

sunnymaxi · 2025-01-08T10:57:59-0500

ACuriousPLAFan said:
Shenhua also said this as a reply in the comment section underneath that quote-post:

View attachment 142905

(Yes, I bolded that "if" word because I know some people are just gonna jump the gun when they see the "180-200" figure claim.)

For one, I certainly don't think that Shenyang AC's capability to build close to, if not similar number of 5th-gens as Chengdu AC is currently doing once their new production site is up and running is out of the question, should the need arises.

Despite this, it should also be noted that depending on the progress of the J-36 and J-XDS (alongside the realistic needs of the PLAAF and PLANAF as a whole), there are chances where we may not see China's 5th-gen production rate reaching as high as stipulated by Shenhua above.

bro i don't understand this logic. i mean J-36 still minimum 8 years away and J-XDS maybe be further away. so J-20+J-35 production could hit the peak in coming years. by the time J-36 will enter in service CAC will make some arrangement for new airframe. it is what it is.. but yeah at the end its all depend on PLAAF/PLAN need.

please elaborate little more about J-20/J-35 peak production in coming years.

ismellcopium · 2025-01-08T11:14:55-0500

ACuriousPLAFan said:
Previously discussed in the J-35 thread of the Navy forum, with the discussion moved here, judging on recent developments.

Latest satellite photo update (January 2025) on the new Shenyang AC production site located north of Shenyang, posted by @HMS_Astute in the comment section underneath Shenhua's post about the expected annual production rate of China's 5th-gen fighters in the coming years on Weibo.

The site looks less likely to be ready by the middle of this year, although the main assembly hall has already topped-out and the runway has started construction.

View attachment 142895

Approximate location of the new Shenyang AC production site on Google Maps:
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Location of the current Shenyang AC production site (for reference):
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

The runway looks to be in an earlier state than the hall (though perhaps it'll be finished rather quickly), but couldn't they begin utilizing the hall before waiting for the runway to be done? Assuming it's still more or less on track for this summer I'd expect production to begin more like H1 '26 the latest not '27.

Also how much annual J-35 production can we expect from the older facility in Shenyang (including any expansion there)?

Wrought · 2025-01-09T00:57:27-0500

lcloo said:
China definitely need more than 1,000 5th gen fighter jets if a war with US is inevitable. China has to prepared for battles with almost all F-35 available to US and its allies.

History of US ganged up with its allies against an opponent has been modus operandi for more than 100 years, examples Boxer rebellion, Korean war, Vietnam war, Gulf war, Balkan war, Afghan war to current Ukraine war (NATO proxy war against Russians). In Ukraine war, US and the West keep on supplying war materials from NATO and non-NATO countries. The same could happen if F-35 stocks in USAF and USN Air Wing get depleted in air battles against China, they will need to "loan" whatever number of F-35 available from its allies and friendly nations.

Also adding 200 F-22 to 1,000 F-35 manufactured so far, China may face a posibility of of 1,200 5 gen fighter from opponent camps.

Therefore 1,200 J20 and J35/A should be the minimum. And to keep PLAAF and PLAN Aviation functioning after heavy attrition losses, a few hundred more 5th gen are needed, and also 6th gen when they started serial production in the next decades.

Comparing numbers on paper is completely the wrong way to go about it. 1000 fighters are useless if 900 are stuck in CONUS and the last 100 are scattered across a bunch of islands with terrible infrastructure that only lets them fly one sortie per week. Power projection is about projection as much (or more) than it is about power.

Stop focusing on individual platforms and start thinking in terms of systems.

ACuriousPLAFan · 2025-01-09T02:07:53-0500

Now that when you think about it - China is the only country in the entire world to fly domestically-produced fighter jets across FOUR generations simultaneously:

3rd-generation: J-7, J-8II
4th-generation: J-10, J-11, J-15, J-16
5th-generation: J-20, J-35, J-35A
6th-generation: J-36, J-XDS

PLA Air Force news, pics and videos

ACuriousPLAFan

Brigadier

sunnymaxi

Major

ismellcopium

Junior Member

Wrought

Junior Member

ACuriousPLAFan

Brigadier