Posted on 09/20/2016 5:18:11 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
New imagery shows that the China's carrier borne fighter, the J-15, will receive major upgrades, which point to gains in not just China's engine making but overall carrier fleet.
Chinese Military Aviation
The Original Article
The initial J-15s, derived from the Soviet Su-33, had lighter landing gears (see the nosewheel) and Russian made AL-31 turbofan engines.
The J-15 is derived from the Russian Su-33 (itself developed from the Su-27 fighter), is currently in limited production by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. It is used by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) on its sole aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.
Chinese Internet
J-15A
The J-15A prototype, compared to the older J-15, has a list of improvements that include domestic WS-10 engines (seen with silver colored afterburning nozzles), and a reinforced nosewheel to handle the acceleration from being attached to an aircraft catapult.
In September 2016, images of an upgraded J-15, the "J-15A", emerged on the Internet, showing significant upgrades to its engines and flight performance. The plane makes use of domestically produced WS-10H turbofan engines, distinguished by squarish, silver afterburner nozzle,. While some J-15 prototypes were fitted with WS-10 turbofan engines, all production J-15s presently operating off the Liaoning aircraft carrier use the Russian AL-31 turbofan (which has a dark colored afterburner nozzle). If future J-15As use the WS-10H as a powerplant, it would indicate a triumph for China's emerging aviation engine industry, which has long been a weakness. Another likely upgrade is the installation of an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which has improved resolution, multi-target ability and resistance to jamming.
Andreas Rupprecht
From Below
Here, we can get a closer look at the J-15A's strengthened landing gear, especially the extender on the nosewheel, which is several times thicker compared to the piece on the older, ski ramp launched J-15s.
However, perhaps the most significant evident upgrade is the reinforced landing gear on theJ-15A's nosewheel, with the extender in particular much larger. Strengthening the nosewheel is necessary for the plane to operate on carriers with catapults; the catapult's aircraft launch bar pulls the J-15 by its nosewheel when the carrier catapult accelerates the fighter during takeoff. Also, the holdback bar needs to be attached to the rear of the nosewheel prior to catapult launch, in order to prevent premature movement.
China IISS
The Future of Chinese Flattops
This fan art of the current and next five Chinese aircraft carriers is actually based off of models from an official PLAN exhibition in 2014. It shows the Liaoning, the under construction CV-17, and the next four catapult equipped aircraft carriers (conventionally powered CV-18 and CV-19, and nuclear powered CV-20 and CV-21). Needless to say, despite their official inspirations, future Chinese aircraft carriers could differ in many ways from these drawings.
While neither the Liaoning, nor China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, CV-17, have catapults, China's third or fourth aircraft carrier would likely possess them, with the J-15's new upgrade a further indicator of such plans. A catapult launch capability would be significant. It would give the J-15 additional range and payload, but more importantly, it means the ships could also carry fixed wing Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC), cargo/tanker and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft, which require catapults to launch. Larger AEWC and ASW aircraft, compared to the Liaoning's current helicopter fleet, would not just increase the combat power of the J-15s, but of the entire Chinese carrier group.
And the J-15 still just barely fits on the elevator, and they cannot put two on at the same time.
This will slow down any kind of carrier operations by 50%, no matter how good they get.
And without the constant kind of training we do, they will never get any kind of efficiency.
Wake me up when they can get 1000 hours on a domestic engine.
Anyone here from GE or Pratt who can comment on these WS-10 turbofans?
I know nothing about carriers. Are these propelled atomic or fuel? How long are China’s supply lines? Can China produce enough oil to sustain combat?
I have always been in love with that basic airframe but the real limiting factor is the lack of a catapult.
Taking off of this carrier type, this aircraft is limited to a weapons load maybe a tenth of what it could be.
In before Sharknado references
“CV” usually indicates a carrier propelled by burning oil.
“CVN” usually indicates a carrier propelled by burning neutrons.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho! God Bless Texas!
Shoot, the Russkies can barely operate their carrier. It’s not something you can just spin up.
Our outsourcing defense procurements to the ChiComs are paying out big dividends now. But all that counts is that the company executives and political bosses got their platinum parachutes.
If its made like all the rest of the crap that comes from China, nothing to worry about, it won’t last more than one or two flights anyway.
Thank you. My mind goes neutral. My thoughts on their carriers were more a threat if they were nuke and found after they are not. Really the real threat is if thy had the logistics to support the planes.
These look very similar to the first F-18s they were based off the same Russian aircraft as this new Chinese fighter. They had lots of problems with there landing gear, weapons capacity, range and there ejector seats.
I say there about 10+ years away from debugging this fighter!
Okay, thanks.
And thank you for your service to this country.
P&W came and examined them and had the USAF pull the aircraft for study to see why this aircraft & engines had not needed to be overhauled at all since it was rolled off the assembly lines.
Paid for with the stupidity referred to as “free trade”.
If the powerplant proves to be reliable. That hasn't been demonstrated yet.
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