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Saw this on Aviation Week. Supposedly someone photographed the "J-20", probably with a cell phone camera from a car. This wouldn't be the first time a photograph is faked but Aviation Week is at least a credible source.
Thanks. It's hard to see but it looks like it has an all moving tail (a la PAK-FA), does't appear to have TV nozzles, and side profile looks much like and F-22 (except for the tail).
I do not doubt for a minute the inventiveness, drive, or funding sources for the Chinese. However, I do doubt their ability to produce a truly 5th Gen fighter at this time. Their only modern fighter is the J-10 which 1) was based on Israeli Lavi, 2) proved inferior to existing Russian 4th Gens in A2A, and 3) proved to have maintenance/reliability issues. These things take experience and a level of integration that is difficult for even experienced industrial bases. My guess is that, if this is real, it is a technology demonstrator at best.
Even still, maybe this will make the US start thinking again about restarting the F-22 line or at least fully funding F-35 multi-year orders. One can only dream...
Last edited by Phoenix10; 25 Dec 10,, 19:08.
Reason: typo
if that is a real pic, floating around everywhere on different sites,looks like a f22 hybrid.first pakfa resembles raptor a little when it 1st came out a year ago,now here we go again.whos next.
if that is a real pic, floating around everywhere on different sites,looks like a f22 hybrid.first pakfa resembles raptor a little when it 1st came out a year ago,now here we go again.whos next.
The F-22 and YF-23 were excellent designs. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
If this is for real i can only say wow! That would be a shocker to most, a rabit out of a hat. I wonder if western intel knew about this. I can't imagine McCain agreeing to the cancellation of the F-22 last year if the US was aware of this advent.
Dr. Wayne Ullman, who works for the USAF, said it would mostly likely be in service by 2018 and "be in the ballpark of the F-22" in his testimony to the USCC this year.
If this is for real i can only say wow! That would be a shocker to most, a rabit out of a hat. I wonder if western intel knew about this. I can't imagine McCain agreeing to the cancellation of the F-22 last year if the US was aware of this advent.
My understanding was that McCain/Gates knew about this but determined that by 2018 we would have 180+ Raptors and enough F-35s to maintain advantage. While we will have some F-35s by 2018, it will be far less than we he thought at the time. Turns out that this, like most of his reasons for capping F-22 production, were horribly incorrect.
If real, this is impressive for the Chinese. However, whether or not this is or will be or par with other 5th Gens is a whole other topic.
EDIT: My mistake. Gates didn't think they'd have anything before 2020 and only a handful by 2025:
due to copyright, I can't post the entire article.
Jane's has learnt that China is using Russian-sourced -117S engines (a heavily modified AL-31F) to power its fifth-generation design - at least as far as prototype and development aircraft are concerned. This engine powers Russia's own fifth-generation fighter, the Sukhoi T-50. Despite attempts to replicate previous generations of Russian fighter engines for its own aircraft, China's industry has failed to do so reliably. Its dependence on foreign technology, and specifically Russian engines, particularly as it embarks on its next generation of designs is an embarrassment for China's designers and a major obstacle to building a truly indigenous military aircraft industry. Russia is now dealing with a Chinese request to acquire an unknown number of -117S engines upon which Chengdu will rely for some time to come.
Military training
Date Posted: 20-Dec-2010
Jane's Defence Weekly
Window on China
Robert Hewson, Jane's Air-Launched Weapons Editor, London
“the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson
Russia, China push fifth-generation fighter programmes to meet year-end milestones
Meanwhile, rumours from China's Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC) and the adjoining Aircraft Plant No 132 suggest that a flight of a Chinese-developed fifth-generation fighter prototype would take place by the end of the year. Reportedly, two airframes (numbered 2001 and 2002) have been assembled at the 132 plant.
“the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson
due to copyright, I can't post the entire article.
Jane's has learnt that China is using Russian-sourced -117S engines (a heavily modified AL-31F) to power its fifth-generation design - at least as far as prototype and development aircraft are concerned. This engine powers Russia's own fifth-generation fighter, the Sukhoi T-50. Despite attempts to replicate previous generations of Russian fighter engines for its own aircraft, China's industry has failed to do so reliably. Its dependence on foreign technology, and specifically Russian engines, particularly as it embarks on its next generation of designs is an embarrassment for China's designers and a major obstacle to building a truly indigenous military aircraft industry. Russia is now dealing with a Chinese request to acquire an unknown number of -117S engines upon which Chengdu will rely for some time to come.
Military training
Date Posted: 20-Dec-2010
Jane's Defence Weekly
Window on China
Robert Hewson, Jane's Air-Launched Weapons Editor, London
Some interesting assumptions. The Chinese could have choosen the 117S simply because it has TVC (the WS-10 to date does not, and any ones that do will probably have a first priority for the J-15) and the larger thrust doesn't hurt either.
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