Posted on 11/13/2009 4:34:36 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
U.S. F-22s versus Chinese F-35s
Posted by David A. Fulghum at 11/12/2009 2:25 PM CST
A new Chinese fighter with stealth and supercruise is in development and may soon make its first flight with predictions of operational fielding by 2017-19, says PLA Air Force deputy chief, Gen. He Weirong.
The new Chinese fighter aircraft could come from Avic Defenses Chengdu facility, which developed Chinas latest J-10 fighter, or from Shenyang. He says the PLAAF will emphasize development of reconnaissance/early warning; strike; strategic airlift, and air and missile defense. The J-10 began large-scale service in 2006.
While replicating the F-22 seems unlikely, aerospace officials with insight into the stealth fighter programs contend that building an F-35-like aircraft (with larger signature and less aerodynamic performance than the F-22) could be a threat to the U.S. if they are built in large numbers.
Even 4th generation fighters, when pitted in large numbers against 187 F-22s, will eventually wear [the stealth fighters] down, an aerospace industry official says. They only carry eight air-to-air missiles. They dont have to match Raptor capabilities if they build an advanced fighter in F-35 numbers.
But many remain unconvinced about Chinas timelines for an advanced design.
But weve yet to see a real organic design [emerge] from China. So far theyve leveraged Russian or Israeli technology. They dont have a lot of radar engineering capability, nor experience in integrating a complete structure.
Those are two big obstacles.
You can paste on some [signature-lowering] capabilities but changing a very large target to a large target doesnt buy you too much operational advantage, the Air Force official says. You need very small stealth signature numbers.
The F-22 met a -40dBsm all-aspect requirement while the F-35 came in at -30dBsm with some gaps in coverage.
You need a combination of the right shape, structural design, surface coatings, aerodynamic performance and flight control system designs, the Air Force official says. Its not magic, but theres still a lot of art in it.
The idea that the J-10 will serve as a technological springboard is considered unlikely.
I believe the Chinese have a difficult road if their design is tied to the J-10, he says. As you know, significantly reduced signature requires more then coatings. The J-10 has many features which may produce the desired aerodynamic effects but would be a negative for signature reduction. I am sure they can somewhat reduce the signature with a few design tweaks and coatings but the operational relevance would be questionable.
They can certainly refine their composite structure competency Boeings been helping them with that through the commercial airliner programs and basic [stealth] coatings are widely known and available, the Air Force official says. The milestone will be when we see more refined shaping.
Oh. . .and engines, I forgot to mention engines (they aren’t even close on that essential part either).
I hope you’re right, mate, in every aspect of your analysis.
My main point is that the Chinese are very clever, wily and industrious fellows, they are securing excellent educations at the world’s top universities and turning out top students in every conceivable field of study, they are securing vital resources in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the South Pacific, and they are speedily beetling away building massive infrastructure in China the likes of which this world has never seen...
Even if 99% if the things they do fails, the 1% that remains is going to be massively significant, by virtue of the fact that there are so dam’n many of them.
IMO it would be miraculous if one or two of the squillions of ChiComs going thru university today studying advanced Engineering were unable to comprehend how to build hi-tech jet engines as good or perhaps even better than those made in the United States. They might be communists but they are dam’nably clever: just look at the graduating class of any top university, and see who takes away most of the top marks. Chances are excellent that person will be Chinese.
And all of the above that has been said for China can also be said for India, with the added advantage that they speak English as a native language.
As the antient saying goes “Beware the Wiley Chinee...”
Agree with you. . .and India is a threat to the US, in ways that we have not begun to evaluate. . .they are not “friends” as we have with the Brits, Aussies, Kiwi’s, Canadians. . .or like the German’s, Italians, etc. . .they are a different kind of animal altogether.
Just me talking, of course. . . .
It was a combination of american production capacity and military intelligence gathering.
We could build more machines, ships, guns, bombs, planes, and ammo than they were capable of defending against. Our grunts had semi auto rifles STANDARD, with 8 shot clips. Their grunts had bolt action 5 shot rifles. Our grunts had 4wheel 4 passenger jeeps. Their grunts were lucky if they had a 3 passenger 3 wheeled motorcycle with sidecar. Most of them were on bicycles. Our grunts had virtually unlimited food, ammo, fuel, and clothing. THeir grunts were running out of everything.
Our spies were better than theirs. Our code breakers were better than theirs. Our communications were better than theirs.
They had better machines and munitions, and probably more skilled commanders. Just like in the american civil war, the side with the factories and the machines won. Tough smart soldiers and skill with a gun isn’t enough to get the war won.
“Are PLAF pilots willing to do the equivalent of marching across a minefield in hopes that somebody makes it through?”
Their soldiers did in the Korea war, some armed with pitch forks or nothing at all. And into heavy machine gun fire. Human waves. Do what you are told or be shot.
“I wonder how long it will be before they make most of the bullets in the world?”
Don’t know about best, but they still use lead, while we, for Green reasons, use tunstun - imported from China...
Saw a stat a while back that the US turns out about 60,000 engineers a year to China’s 600,000.
Better link here:
http://www.china-defense-mashup.com/?p=5416
Anyway, I was answering another question. Whether or not they have a successful outcome may well be in doubt, since they rely on other countries to sell them parts like engines.
Heh.
That was a good one.
Chosin is a good analogy, as is the Sherman tank vs. Panzer/Tiger tank analogy already offered. Sure we had a 10:1 kill ratio in Chosin. We still lost, and barely escaped. China has more available fighting age men than we have people. Oh, and our 300 million include many who won’t fight, like liberals and illegals. It is unwise to underestimate the Chinese.
LOL!
Do they have the level of self-loathing as a nation? It's what we're particularly good at these days.
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