Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator
- Thread starter RedSky
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Zool
Junior Member
It's difficult to say where J-31 will fit into PLAAF or PLANAF. I'm sure the CMC Leadership are still evaluating the current and proposed capabilities of the J-20 and J-31 against each other. Also their plans for Hi-Low Fighter mix and weight class considerations.
Obviously J-20 is much further along in development and there would be cost and logistical benefits to fully funding the basic J-20 airframe and then any offshoot airframes for the carriers thereafter. Having a commonality of parts would streamline the production lines and number of component suppliers required, while keeping costs down.
On the other hand, there is something to be said about not putting all of your eggs in one basket, and encouraging future competition between Chengdu & SAC. If J-20 and naval variants were fully funded and J-31 not adopted by PLAAF/PLANAF, I'm not sure where that would leave SAC, after the Flanker airframes begin to be phased out a couple of decades down the line.
thunderchief
Senior Member
It's just a prototype. I'm positive production version will have green wheelZ , all shiny and new
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
Chinese media have made interviews and short documentaries about J-31 and there are reliable interviewed experts that suggest that it indeed has a place in the navy or the air force. If this was untrue than a Beijing spokesperson would flat out deny it. The J-31 could be aimed as both an export model and used by the defence force.
If the J-31 is indeed centred on a naval role, I speculate that the J-20 program is given more priority simply because China's aircraft carrier program is still in early development, and also the on going production of the J-15. The J-15 seems to be used to help absorb first carrier experience as it would be risky to have the J-31 as China's first carrier fighter for its future aircraft carriers. The J-15 frame has experience through it's su-33 ancestory, and it would provide tests and experience for pilots and pave the way for an efficient use and management for the J-31s.
Brumby
Major
Presumably over time the configuration will change from all J-15 to J-15/J-31 combination for the carrier wing. The J-15 will be for strike and the J-31 for air superiority. The J-20 I suspect will be land based and operate as a longer range strike attack against the support air assets of adversaries including AWAC and tankers.
A mixed carrier wing could be the future and the J-15 might slowly be phase out in the very long term. If the J-31 is more for the navy then the program's timetable is heavily dependent the aircraft carrier program. If this is the case then the J-31 has a longer timetable than the J-20 and explains why Chengdu is developing its fighter faster then Shenyang. The J-20 also seems to be given more priority also because China would need a fighter to complement the Su-30MKK and the J-11 for air superiority as regional powers will introduce fifth gen fighters in the near future (2020s), which J-20 seems to specialise in. Which role the J-20 suits in is debatable but I think it's more of a multi-role kind, including air superiority.
The biggest point of the theory that the J-20 is specialised as a long range strike platform is the length of the body. It is long but only by 10-16% when compared to other fifth-gen aircraft. The leading edge extensions and the small diamond wings gives the J-20 an appearance of being a long attack aircraft, but these are characteristics are more shared with multi-role fighters. I can elaborate on this point in the J-20 thread when I have the time.
Equation
Lieutenant General
I believe the J-20 slightly longer body is due to the fuel consumption that it needs for the heavier WS-15 engine that's going to be use to provide a more thrust. As far as it's primary roll...we don't know for sure.
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