So many things to buy for PAF anyway with L-15 coming in on some news. Budget are finite, cannot get and train for all the goddies at the same time anyway even if in an utopic world it would be available in 5 years.
Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator
- Thread starter RedSky
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Well, I've always retreated that 2030, if not later, would be the most likely year of induction.
I think this is part of the foundation they said they have started laying.
Once there is a steady stream of pilots going from L-15 to J-10, once the J-10 fleet is expanded, once there is plenty of alloy and engine capacity whether is be WS-13 or 19, then the PAF will be able to rapidly receive the J-31.
I think they also might need experience of the engine they are going to use, so we could see, say, WS-13 going into JF-17.
Once they receive them, the next pilot cadets can go directly from L-15 to J-31, this can save a lot of money and time.
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There is no hurry imo. India isnt getting AMCA operationalized before 2040.
Would it be possible that the PAF could get their hands on the J-31 even prior to its formal induction?
Why would PAF informally induct an incomplete product?
They might perhaps take JF-17 route and work with the Chinese to have a final output tailored more specifically to their needs.
JF-17 way worked very well for PAF, taking lessons from it and improving upon it could be the best approach. Meanwhile in a decade and half, Chinese aerospace industry hasimproved far more rapidly than anyone else. Might be possible for them to benefit from 6th gen R&D down the lane in B and C blocks in late 2030s-45 period.
I feel at the moment PAF should not talk alot about 5th gens, let India waste time and money on AMCA rather than forcing them to join the Tempest etc.
What I mean is the PAF could take part in the FC-31/J-31E project more than a usual end-user (more like a partner). In that case, their pilots could get familiar with the bird earlier and with their input the final product could be more suitable for them. Anyway, I think it might be possible for them to get hands on the 5-gen technology earlier than many people would think, even earlier than the formal induction of the J-31. Why not?
I don't think China care too much about whether India will import a 5-gen fighter, be it the F-35 or the Su-57. The more foreign fighters they buy, the less budget they could spend on their own AMCA. In the long run, this only hurts the capability of their domestic industry.
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