Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator

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luhai

Banned Idiot
SteelBird said:
I don't see any weapon bay door. Does this prototype have a weapon bay yet?
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Actually you can vaguely see the lines of it if you zoom in enough, anyway that imagine low res compared to the J-20 images.

Actually the lack of picture / info is normal in Chinese development programs, remember how hard pic J-10 is to come be even after its deployment. J-20 is special in someway, it almost seems that China wants everyone is see how it is progressing.
 
Air Force Brat

Air Force Brat

Brigadier
Super Moderator
luhai said:
Actually you can vaguely see the lines of it if you zoom in enough, anyway that imagine low res compared to the J-20 images.

Actually the lack of picture / info is normal in Chinese development programs, remember how hard pic J-10 is to come be even after its deployment. J-20 is special in someway, it almost seems that China wants everyone is see how it is progressing.
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Actually when flying prototypes it is usually just the design concept of the bare airframe, then if there are changes dictated by aerodynamics, its no sweat to change the minimalist structure, so while all the features are in the design drawings and proposals, the hardware for weapons, doors, electronics are added after the flight test has proven the design sound. Now since this aircraft is not state sponsored-(according to some here on Sino D)- Shenyang may have gone with a more advanced technology demonstrator in order to show maturity and generate sales??? China is just now solidifying this process, and so it is difficult to "CALL". AFB

luhai-you are quite right about the J-20, and also the Liaoning, both projects have been "out there" in the public and have public support, and have been the source of great National Pride, as well they should be.....Makes it all the more odd to those of us here in the West, that the Liaoning is tied up pierside, the J-20 hasn't really advanced, and after the first flight the J-31 has become camera shy???? Brat
 
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PanAsian

Major
Air Force Brat said:
Actually when flying prototypes it is usually just the design concept of the bare airframe, then if there are changes dictated by aerodynamics, its no sweat to change the minimalist structure, so while all the features are in the design drawings and proposals, the hardware for weapons, doors, electronics are added after the flight test has proven the design sound. Now since this aircraft is not state sponsored-(according to some here on Sino D)- Shenyang may have gone with a more advanced technology demonstrator in order to show maturity and generate sales??? China is just now solidifying this process, and so it is difficult to "CALL". AFB

luhai-you are quite right about the J-20, and also the Liaoning, both projects have been "out there" in the public and have public support, and have been the source of great National Pride, as well they should be.....Makes it all the more odd to those of us here in the West, that the Liaoning is tied up pierside, the J-20 hasn't really advanced, and after the first flight the J-31 has become camera shy???? Brat
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I am definitely attributing all this to 1) leadership transition - 'premature' PR stints for these projects to highlight the outgoing leadership's accomplishments, then 2) return to reality due to developmental and possibly budgetary limitations which will keep these projects in the R&D phase for a while.

However I would not be surprised if projects which are less ambitious/more reliable or more immediately useful get a push, such as the J-10B, incremental improvements to the Flankers, and various UAVs.

Another thought is that all of the PLA's projects might be hit by the confluence of power plant development bottlenecks across all these platforms. It is such a core component for all these platforms that none of these projects are worth or can be 'completed' until power plant developments catch up.
 
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A.Man

Major
Not bad CG, hope to see the real thing.

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Air Force Brat

Air Force Brat

Brigadier
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Geo29 said:
Deino, what happened with "J-31"/"J-21"???

Geo
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Actually Geo, in my above posts I am lamenting the fact that the information stream seems to have dried up. I'm not sure actually what is going on, but it appears that one or at most two flights of the J-31 have been launched... It seems since the handover of leadership has occured that things are on LOCK-Down???? Brat
 
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Geo29

Just Hatched
Registered Member
Air Force Brat said:
Actually Geo, in my above posts I am lamenting the fact that the information stream seems to have dried up. I'm not sure actually what is going on, but it appears that one or at most two flights of the J-31 have been launched... It seems since the handover of leadership has occured that things are on LOCK-Down???? Brat
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Ok, Brat, things are "locked", but there are no more flights? No more spotters? Is the project still living?
 
Air Force Brat

Air Force Brat

Brigadier
Super Moderator
Geo29 said:
Ok, Brat, things are "locked", but there are no more flights? No more spotters? Is the project still living?
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No more flights that I know of Geo, there really hasn't been a thing by the spotters on J-31, J-20, and the Liaoning has been at her berth at her new base without moving for several months, needless to say we are all a little perplexed, and hoping this is not the new way of doing business. Welcome to the forum and feel free to pm me anytime if I may be of assistance. I was very excited about the J-31 and have that bad ps as my new screen saver of the moment, I was hoping she is a follow on A2A bird for the PLAN, to serve concurrently with the J-15, but she seems to be more of a manufactorers independent effort with-out much official state backing???? Brat
 
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