Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator

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Blitzo

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You know something, I'm just going to delete the last few page of posts.
It was grossly off topic, and comparing the Indian aerospace industry with the Chinese aerospace industry is not the purpose of this thread and is not a very productive topic in general if you want to get to the nitty gritty of it.

@Tay, consider this a formal warning to chill out a little bit with your strong language and confrontational posting style.
You're a new member, and you say you've been interested in the PLA for a long time and are motivated. That's fine.
But coming in and calling things "garbage" and "bull crap" and making sweeping statements is coming in way too hot.
There's no penalty for this warning, just consider it a reminder for now.
 
Deino

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iantsai said:
One reason I have doubts about the J-XY program is its apparently low numbers of test prototypes and test flight frequency. This is not the way a new aircraft approved and under full development should behave.

The new FC-31-based J-XY was exposed around the end of October 2021. Since then, for more than one year, the only airframe exposed on the internet was 35001, without any other one. There were also very few photos of this prototype flying in the sky, no more than once every month or two. Many of the pictures revealed were actually computer graphics rather than real photos. The last time J-XY picture revealed in this thread was on November 4, 2022 (#7043), about two months ago.

For comparison, when the J-20 first flew, we saw vessel 2001-2004, 2011-2017, 2101, 2102, 2021, 2022, 2031, 2032, 2051... more than 10 prototypes were revealed sequentially in different stages.

During the J-15 test flight period, we have seen at least 7 prototypes such as 551-556, 561.

We have also seen more than ten Y-20 prototypes of 781-788, 7810, 7811, 7813, etc.

Since the first flight of the KJ-600 in 2021, although we haven't seen any close up photos of the prototype airframes, we could confirm on Google Earth that at least three vessels were built and under test flight at China Test Flight Establishment, Yanliang. Fans have posted photos of the KJ-600 flying in the sky frequently with more and more details.

The J-XY project is amazingly low-key on the contrast. If PLA Navy really wanted it, then at least a second prototype should be built and flown intensively by now, if not more than one. So, what does this mean for the J-XY project? Is it really under full-speed development?
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But if, we should continue the discussion in the correct thread!

J-35 carrier fighter (PLAN) thread

From what we saw in prior carrier testing campaigns they started out with seamanship. Launching aircraft was only done near the end of the testing campaign. Depending on how incomplete the land based testing of the catapult was, we might see a prolonged period of tests with weights and...
www.sinodefenceforum.com
 
by78

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Contrary to earlier reported information (see second image below) that there are four variants of the F-31/FC-31 program, the captions in the first image below state the program has three variants. Specifically, it's oriented toward both domestic and foreign customers, and three variants are planned, including carrier and land based.

Does anyone have the video clip for the first image? I want to know which of the two videos came first.

52655445301_5286beb57a_h.jpg


Screen captures from an earlier interview from a deputy designer:
52655886735_e060bf40ca_c.jpg
 
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Temstar

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by78 said:
Contrary to earlier reported information (see second image below) that there are four variants of the F-31/FC-31 program, the captions in the first image below state the program has three variants. Specifically, it's oriented toward both domestic and foreign customers, and three variants are planned, including carrier and land based.

Does anyone have the video clip for the first image? I want to know which of the two videos came first.

52655445301_5286beb57a_h.jpg


Screen captures from an earlier interview from a deputy designer:
52655886735_e060bf40ca_c.jpg
Click to expand...
We always thought 3 variant (PLAN, PLAAF, export) made a lot of sense. Even back when 4 variant was the only word we had to go on people had all sorts of guesses on what the 4th could be (I was guessing PLAN land based variant) and there was no consensus.
 
plawolf

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Temstar said:
We always thought 3 variant (PLAN, PLAAF, export) made a lot of sense. Even back when 4 variant was the only word we had to go on people had all sorts of guesses on what the 4th could be (I was guessing PLAN land based variant) and there was no consensus.
Click to expand...

4th variant might be unmanned loyal wingman if going with general trends.
 
Deino

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plawolf said:
4th variant might be unmanned loyal wingman if going with general trends.
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Well ... in fact I would rather prefer to wait with such conclusions especially an unmanned variant is IMO a bit far-fetched.

let's wait, until the J-35 is in service and THEN we can expect anything rather different ... and I must admit I don't see big chances for an export model anytime soon anyway.
 
Helius

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Or they could originally be envisioning 2 separate naval variants i.e. STOBAR and CATOBAR a la J-15 as distinct from one another, distinguished by whether it has the launch bar on the nose gear and perhaps other modifications especially to make it STOBAR-capable.

Either that or an EW variant a la J-15/-16D or the Growler.
 
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