Thread: Does China have the capability to build a stealth fighter that can match F22 in 2020?

All things are possible if one has time and money. However, there are diminishing gains we can get from today's technology. In my opinion, I think we are somewhat plateauing in how much more advances we can make in aerospace engineering unless a new avenue of technology comes up such as plasma technology, quick start ion engines, or engines that use other sources of fuel other than fossil fuel or even artificial gravity compensators or inertial dampeners.

IMHO, the next plane would be a combat UCAV. That will push the field of the technology way further because without the limiting factor, the pilot, the plane can reach its full potential.

Pilots arent quite the limiting factor people think they are. Most weapon/airframe combinations have a much lower G-limit than a pilot. You're not going to pull 15G with a UCAV and still be able to drop a 2k lb JDAM.

Sure they can design around it, but getting rid of the pilot isnt a magical fix.

Originally Posted by Skywatcher

I wonder what the 601 proposal looks like, word on the street is that it was chosen over 611.

Ah, I heard the exact opposite, Chengdu have won over Shenyang, which is reasonable considering the success of J-10 and FC-1.

Originally Posted by Jimmy

Pilots arent quite the limiting factor people think they are. Most weapon/airframe combinations have a much lower G-limit than a pilot. You're not going to pull 15G with a UCAV and still be able to drop a 2k lb JDAM.

Sure they can design around it, but getting rid of the pilot isnt a magical fix.

True but getting rid of the pilot translates to freeing up weight that was used to support the pilot such as ejection seat, life support, etc. You can make the plane much more nimble and have greater freedom of designing the plane without human constraints. Also you have a greater payload.

Originally Posted by edmx

Well, I think by 2020 China could come out with a stealth fighter on par with TODAY's F-22A, but by then Raptor would have evolved a lot more advanced. So the gap will always be there, just how much China could reduce it.

Can China build a plane today, from ground up, to match the F-15E?

Originally Posted by gunnut

Can China build a plane today, from ground up, to match the F-15E?

Regarding "from ground up", can USA build a rocket today, from ground up, without any Nazi Germany input, to match the "Long March"?

Seriously, why reinvent the wheel?

So my answer is yes, J-11BS is rolling out soon.

That's great. It rolled out a couple of decades ago in Russia.

Originally Posted by Jimmy

That's great. It rolled out a couple of decades ago in Russia.

Ouch.

Given how much timeframe to build a F-15E equivalent?

There was a Shenyang J-13 project back in the 80s (looked a bit like the MiG 25/31) but was canceled for the want of money and engines. If the Chinese had kept that program alive and used the avionics they have now, they might have a F-15 E look alike.

Pardon me, I mixed up the design institutes. (601 and 611, that is).