Indeed, it takes a genius to call a decision made because of lack of technology and no prospects of acquiring it a 'genius design'.
Type 076 LHD/LHA discussion
- Thread starter banjex
- Start date
If not genius maybe ingenious?
British wouldn't mind much but sour grapes from two of China's neighbors are not hard to imagine.
Don't Tell me China doesn't have the resources to design her own VTOL aircraft, it's by choice and China has taken her own path. Time will tell which one end up superior.
British wouldn't mind much but sour grapes from two of China's neighbors are not hard to imagine.
Don't Tell me China doesn't have the resources to design her own VTOL aircraft, it's by choice and China has taken her own path. Time will tell which one end up superior.
lcloo
Captain
Unless there is a need for large number of S/VTOL fighter jets (some figure like 200 or more), the lack of economy of scales means this jet will be very expensive to be researched/developed and manufactured (98 Japanese Mitsubishi F-2 were built based on F-16, and each cost US$127 million at 2009 value; compare F-16C/D cost US$18.8 million at 1998 value).
Using EMALS for many different types of manned and unmanned aircraft would be more cost effective. Moreover EMALS launched fighter jets would have longer range and better payload than S/VTOL one. (check up difference in range and payload of F-35A, F-35C and that of F-35B S/VTOL.)
Using EMALS for many different types of manned and unmanned aircraft would be more cost effective. Moreover EMALS launched fighter jets would have longer range and better payload than S/VTOL one. (check up difference in range and payload of F-35A, F-35C and that of F-35B S/VTOL.)
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VTOL engines are probably more complicated and more expensive to maintain. The buyers will be feeling stupid if not right now.
asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
not really all are very happy
Maybe China is behind in engine, but not 50 years behind! For crying out loud, VTOL tech is 50 years old!
Not all VTOLs are created equal.
Harriers were one way to do it, with the nozzles, then you had projects like the Yak-38 or Mirage IIIV which used smaller lift jets which were "simpler" but took more fuel and you ended up hauling dead weight on horizontal flight, then the F-35B which uses a shaft connected to the main engine to power said "lift fan", which still is dead weight when not in use, and so on.