praying that it has some sort of horizontal thrust vectoring for yaw, but looking at those nozzles...
Shenyang next gen combat aircraft thread
- Thread starter Blitzo
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If so, then they are likely a replacement for the J-15T and a complement to the J-35s. The J-35 has a limited internal payload and thus would - I hypothesize - be limited to air-to-air interdiction only. The J-50 would likely be the main A2G component of a future CVN strike group.
Did he reveal anything else about the elusive J-50 program, including the recent appearance of a possible second prototype?
Where did the "J-50" designation for the J-XDS/ShenGAD come from? The "J-36" designation is understandable (since there is the "36011" marking on the demonstrator/prototype's nose section, but what about the "J-50"?
But we don‘t know the source, if from a credible poster or just someone who wants to make a post?
Probably not the answer you're looking for, but since the designation has been parroted by numerous "semi-credible" sources including Huitong, I'd probably assign more merit to it.
Huitong still uses the J-XX designation. He makes one brief mention of the J-50 rumor in the text - "(J-XX/J-50?)" - which differs from his treatment of the J-36, in which he uses it as the official designation for the type.
Frankly I think it's too early to use the J-50 designation.
If this is true then there's possibility that instead of F-22/J-20/J-35 style weapon bay it has F-35 style weapon bay to maximize the diameter of bomb and missile it could carry.
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That seems to be the only option if the black/dark prototype retains the bulges and the trough between the engine intakes.
It was necessary to split the bay on the F-35 because there was a single large engine in the rear, and the fuselage was very short.
The J-XS has a long fuselage, and it has two engines. I cannot see the benefit of splitting the weapons bay on the J-XS.