Shenyang next gen combat aircraft thread

qwerty3173

Junior Member
Registered Member
3000km combat range is not achievable with any current fighter, not even close. Even a fighter as large as J-36 will absolutely require the latest engine tech like VCE to possibly hit that range.
I'm just referring to the current design of the J36. When you add up the benefits to range from very low wing-loads, extreme low drag from tailess design and simply larger size, 3000km is not that hard so it requires an extremely bloated fuel storage.
 

ougoah

Brigadier
Registered Member
You have it backwards ;) All else held equal sustained turns are helped by larger wing area and lower wing loading. The Mirage’s poor sustained turns come from the drag penalties of the pure delta, a lift to drag issue tied to the wing shape, not a problem from the wing area. It’s also why deltas with vortex lift devices have better sustained turns (and also instantaneous turns, the discovery of vortex lift was basically a rare free lunch for the most part), and why deltas were mostly only found in dedicated interceptor designs until the discovery of vortex assisted lift.

Ahh thanks for correcting. I associated the Mirage's delta with the large wing area.

Delta wing's drawbacks are helped by canards to moderate that airflow over the wings and I don't expect 6th gen fighters to suffer compromising aerodynamic drawbacks of such magnitude.
 

qwerty3173

Junior Member
Registered Member
Ahh thanks for correcting. I associated the Mirage's delta with the large wing area.

Delta wing's drawbacks are helped by canards to moderate that airflow over the wings and I don't expect 6th gen fighters to suffer compromising aerodynamic drawbacks of such magnitude.
That is part of the design philosophy of the J36 double delta design, the front small delta also doubles as vortex generators for efficient lift.
 
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