Blackstone
Brigadier
Re: J-15 Carrier Multirole Fighter thread
Is 555 using WS-10 engines?
Is 555 using WS-10 engines?
PLAN Carrier Strike Group and Airwing
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
Re: What will the 1st PLAN Carrier Air Wing look like?
I think that sounds pretty reasonable. I don't think we are going to see fixed wing AEW, but we could see some JL-9H.
I think that sounds pretty reasonable. I don't think we are going to see fixed wing AEW, but we could see some JL-9H.
Re: What will the 1st PLAN Carrier Air Wing look like?
I assumed PLA-N & PLA-AF have many Soviet-like fighter aircraft. However, I wonder how many "Top Guns" do they have? US we know have many experienced pilots who have gone on operations during the past few years in the ME, Bosnia etc. - Also good air-battle records during the Pacific War (W II), Korean and Vietnam Conflicts. Wonder how many "Top Guns" the Japanese & South Koreans have? - they have purchased excellent US fighter aircraft in their arsenal.
I assumed PLA-N & PLA-AF have many Soviet-like fighter aircraft. However, I wonder how many "Top Guns" do they have? US we know have many experienced pilots who have gone on operations during the past few years in the ME, Bosnia etc. - Also good air-battle records during the Pacific War (W II), Korean and Vietnam Conflicts. Wonder how many "Top Guns" the Japanese & South Koreans have? - they have purchased excellent US fighter aircraft in their arsenal.
kwaigonegin
Colonel
Re: What will the 1st PLAN Carrier Air Wing look like?
This is why events such as Red Flag i so critical in gauging the skills of your pilots against those of other countries. The lessons learned by the crew can also be used as a train the trainer type initiative to their fellow pilots and crew members back home. If a nation can afford it, aggressor squadrons are worth their weight gold. Ultimately just like anything else the best way to hone the skills is practice practice practice i.e actual flight time.
Any AF or Navy that skimps on airtime is doing their fighter pilots a huge disservice not to mention national security risk! You can have the best & shiniest birds in the world but if those boys are no doing at minimum of 150 hours or more actual flight time they will likely fail in actual battle. Real world experience is obviously important as well which is why the USAF/USN and IDF pilots are among the best fighter pilots in the world.
No one really knows PLAAF/PLANAF pilot skills but I would imagine they are ok because they do have aggressor squadrons, 'Top gun' school, tons of space to practice and $$ to back those things up. They are however not battle hardened so in a real life battle I would say they would lack against the likes of most NATO countries or even countries like Japan, Pakistan, Singapore etc but most likely better than many 2nd world nations even with capable AFs like the Saudis, Brazil, India, Greece etc.
BTW as a side note Top Gun hasn't been Top Gun in 20 years. It's been called 'n-soc' or naval strike and warfare center located in NAS Fallon. Not too long after the famous movie of the same name was made, they moved the entire program from Miramar to Nevada.
150 hours are meant for fighter pilots only. Heavy guys typically have a lot more.. maybe even close to 1000 hours is not unheard of.
This is why events such as Red Flag i so critical in gauging the skills of your pilots against those of other countries. The lessons learned by the crew can also be used as a train the trainer type initiative to their fellow pilots and crew members back home. If a nation can afford it, aggressor squadrons are worth their weight gold. Ultimately just like anything else the best way to hone the skills is practice practice practice i.e actual flight time.
Any AF or Navy that skimps on airtime is doing their fighter pilots a huge disservice not to mention national security risk! You can have the best & shiniest birds in the world but if those boys are no doing at minimum of 150 hours or more actual flight time they will likely fail in actual battle. Real world experience is obviously important as well which is why the USAF/USN and IDF pilots are among the best fighter pilots in the world.
No one really knows PLAAF/PLANAF pilot skills but I would imagine they are ok because they do have aggressor squadrons, 'Top gun' school, tons of space to practice and $$ to back those things up. They are however not battle hardened so in a real life battle I would say they would lack against the likes of most NATO countries or even countries like Japan, Pakistan, Singapore etc but most likely better than many 2nd world nations even with capable AFs like the Saudis, Brazil, India, Greece etc.
BTW as a side note Top Gun hasn't been Top Gun in 20 years. It's been called 'n-soc' or naval strike and warfare center located in NAS Fallon. Not too long after the famous movie of the same name was made, they moved the entire program from Miramar to Nevada.
150 hours are meant for fighter pilots only. Heavy guys typically have a lot more.. maybe even close to 1000 hours is not unheard of.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
Re: What will the 1st PLAN Carrier Air Wing look like?
It's true that the PLAAF aircraft sometimes use Soviet derived airframes, but to call them "Soviet" aircraft would be very erroneous since the Chinese aircraft uses modern Chinese systems and weaponry. That would give them combat capabilities close to that of modern aircraft. The Air Force usually holds periodic hundred-aircraft war games, complete with a 24 hour AWACS watch and live ammunition training sessions, so they are definitely doing realistic simulations.
It's true that the PLAAF aircraft sometimes use Soviet derived airframes, but to call them "Soviet" aircraft would be very erroneous since the Chinese aircraft uses modern Chinese systems and weaponry. That would give them combat capabilities close to that of modern aircraft. The Air Force usually holds periodic hundred-aircraft war games, complete with a 24 hour AWACS watch and live ammunition training sessions, so they are definitely doing realistic simulations.
Re: What will the 1st PLAN Carrier Air Wing look like?
not even in some sort of surge configuration will liaoning field 36 j15 plus helicopters on top of that. there's simply no room for that. 24 j15 plus 8-9 helos, on the other hand, sounds plausible. even 30 j15 (three 10 plane regiments?) plus 8 or so helos would be theoretically possible. but i doubt such numbers will be pursued.
so far we've seen 24 shelters for liaoning air wing, and thats' before all planes were built. i don't think we'll see an expansion. plus, such numbers are quite enough for starters, for the first carrier.
not even in some sort of surge configuration will liaoning field 36 j15 plus helicopters on top of that. there's simply no room for that. 24 j15 plus 8-9 helos, on the other hand, sounds plausible. even 30 j15 (three 10 plane regiments?) plus 8 or so helos would be theoretically possible. but i doubt such numbers will be pursued.
so far we've seen 24 shelters for liaoning air wing, and thats' before all planes were built. i don't think we'll see an expansion. plus, such numbers are quite enough for starters, for the first carrier.
Re: What will the 1st PLAN Carrier Air Wing look like?
Shipmate kwaigonegin is correct of course...
Years ago we had an argument in this forum about how many flight hours PLA pilots did receive. I still wonder how much training they do participate in. I know they do a lot of photo ops...
Shipmate kwaigonegin is correct of course...
Years ago we had an argument in this forum about how many flight hours PLA pilots did receive. I still wonder how much training they do participate in. I know they do a lot of photo ops...