Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator

Deino · Mar 14, 2017

SinoSoldier said:
I think we need to review some exhibitions from Zhuhai 2016:

View attachment 37001

The FC-31 could carry 4 500-kg bombs or 4 supersonic ASMs in its internal bays. I never insinuated that it could carry YJ-83-class missiles in its bay, although the 4 ASMs could easily be substituted by a lightweight anti-ship weapon.

Are You sure that these images are reliable ?? A weapons load of 8 CM-400AKG standoff supersonic ASMs - alone four of them in the bay - looks IMO much over; IMO even plain impossible.

The CM-400AKG is said to weight 900 kg, which would be a load of 3600kg in the bay. Size-wise the CM-400AKG is advertised as having a 5.1 m. length, a 400 mm diameter...

IMO this cannot be.

SinoSoldier · Mar 14, 2017

Deino said:
Are You sure that these images are reliable ?? A weapons load of 8 CM-400AKG standoff supersonic ASMs - alone four of them in the bay - looks IMO much over; IMO even plain impossible.

The CM-400AKG is said to weight 900 kg, which would be a load of 3600kg in the bay. Size-wise the CM-400AKG is advertised as having a 5.1 m. length, a 400 mm diameter...

IMO this cannot be.

Those were taken directly from an FC-31 promotional video at the airshow. Janes also has a nice article on it.

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Deino · Mar 14, 2017

SinoSoldier said:
Those were taken directly from an FC-31 promotional video at the airshow. Janes also has a nice article on it.

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Come on ... but that does not mean they have to be true !! How could they fit a load of 3.6t into a bay of stores more than 5m long ??? ... and given the reliability of Jane's in regard to Chinese issues I do not want to continue ....

SinoSoldier · Mar 14, 2017

Deino said:
Come on ... but that does not mean they have to be true !! How could they fit a load of 3.6t into a bay of stores more than 5m long ??? ... and given the reliability of Jane's in regard to Chinese issues I do not want to continue ....

Perhaps it's just me, but I would lend credence to a company like AVIC doing a presentation at an airshow like Zhuhai. How do you know the missiles weigh 900 kg each (those are not CM-400AKGs)?

Deino · Mar 14, 2017

SinoSoldier said:
Perhaps it's just me, but I would lend credence to a company like AVIC doing a presentation at an airshow like Zhuhai. How do you know the missiles weigh 900 kg each (those are not CM-400AKGs)?

So what missiles are they then ?
At least shape- and size-wise they fit nicely and I don't know any other similar AShM.

SinoSoldier · Mar 14, 2017

Deino said:
So what missiles are they then ?
At least shape- and size-wise they fit nicely and I don't know any other similar AShM.

View attachment 37002

The images might be placeholders for a generic 500 kg-class missile, but they are certainly not the CM-400AKG dimension-wise. If you wish to see the original video for yourself, the link is below.

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Deino · Mar 14, 2017

SinoSoldier said:
The images might be placeholders for a generic 500 kg-class missile, but they are certainly not the CM-400AKG dimension-wise. If you wish to see the original video for yourself, the link is below.

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@SinoSoldier;

Don't get me wrong, but if it is a placeholder it's fine. But then a placeholder for a generic AShM should have been used. At least IMO this is clearly a CM-400AKM and that type is impossible if the dimensions are correct, which are circling the net.

By the way if You remember the latest Model of FC-31V1 '31001' at IDEX, which was way off I'm not sure if AVIC/SAC takes so much care about being completely correct in their advertisements ?!

Deino

SinoSoldier · Mar 14, 2017

Deino said:
@SinoSoldier;

Don't get me wrong, but if it is a placeholder it's fine. But then a placeholder for a generic AShM should have been used. At least IMO this is clearly a CM-400AKM and that type is impossible if the dimensions are correct, which are circling the net.

By the way if You remember the latest Model of FC-31V1 '31001' at IDEX, which was way off I'm not sure if AVIC/SAC takes so much care about being completely correct in their advertisements ?!

Deino

To be honest, I think they used a schematic of the CM-400AKG to represent a general air-to-surface missile. Granted, SAC hasn't been all that accurate with models at previous defense exhibitions, but I highly doubt that they would misreport the combat loads of the FC-31 on an officially-released promotional video.

In other words, SAC's inattention to these minor details is exactly why the CM-400AKG-shaped icon should be overlooked or ignored.

Iron Man · Mar 14, 2017

SinoSoldier said:
The FC-31 could carry 4 500-kg bombs or 4 supersonic ASMs in its internal bays. I never insinuated that it could carry YJ-83-class missiles in its bay, although the 4 ASMs could easily be substituted by a lightweight anti-ship weapon.

Well you did use the word "heavy" antiship missiles. The YJ-83 isn't even really a "heavy" antishp missile, and even this class could not fit into a FC-31 weapons bay. Like I said, small missiles intended to attack FACs and corvettes may fit, but then again such missions are probably beneath the dignity of a stealth fighter.

SinoSoldier · Mar 14, 2017

Iron Man said:
Well you did use the word "heavy" antiship missiles. The YJ-83 isn't even really a "heavy" antishp missile, and even this class could not fit into a FC-31 weapons bay. Like I said, small missiles intended to attack FACs and corvettes may fit, but then again such missions are probably beneath the dignity of a stealth fighter.

"Heavy" as in anything other than Maverick-type or C-701-class missiles. The NSM (or PLAN equivalent) and similar missiles should fit quite nicely in the weapons bay of the FC-31.

I'd also imagine that it wouldn't be too difficult to develop an anti-ship variant of the GB-6A powered glide munition, up to four of which could theoretically be loaded into the FC-31.

Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator

Deino

Lieutenant General

SinoSoldier

Colonel

Deino

Lieutenant General

SinoSoldier

Colonel

Deino

Lieutenant General

SinoSoldier

Colonel

Deino

Lieutenant General

SinoSoldier

Colonel

Iron Man

Major

SinoSoldier

Colonel