Posted on 04/24/2011 7:40:40 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
New shipborne navy jet fighter makes waves among analysts
Unofficially dubbed the J-15, the new People's Liberation Army navy's "flying shark" features enlarged folding wings, twin nose wheels and an arresting hook for use on China's first aircraft carrier.
Photo: Courtesy of netizen Zhang Xinliang
By Xu Tianran
Photos of a domestic-made shipborne J-15 heavy fighter were released on Sunday afternoon on Internet defense forums, prompting many military observers to coo about China's aircraft carrier capacity.
"Heavy shipborne fighters will boost the aircraft carrier fleet's air defense capability and enhance the fleet's strike ability," said Lan Yun, editor of the Modern Ships, a Beijing-based magazine following the latest developments in warships and defense equipment.
"They can carry many air-to-air missiles or air-to-surface missiles and other kinds of airborne munitions," Lan told the Global Times. "And they have the benefit of long combat radius."
The fighters are to be stationed onboard the Chinese Varyag aircraft carrier, which is under renovation in Dalian, according to defense media. The giant ship has had radars and electronic warfare equipment installed, the Canada-based Kanwa Daily News reported.
on Sunday's photos of the fighter were taken outside the airfield of the No. 112 Factory of Shenyang Aircraft Industry Corporation, a company of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), and were uploaded onto the cjdby.net and fyjs.cn military forums after 1:30 pm on Sunday.
Videos and smaller photos showing the fighter flying over Shenyang had been circulating on the Internet since June. This time the fighter was seen with a standard naval paint scheme, according to photos released on Sunday.
The fighter has distinctive features that enable it to operate on an aircraft carrier, such as folding wings and strengthened landing gear, according to the Chinese Military Aviation (CMA).
Missile launch rails and wide-angle holographic Head Up Display (HUD) clearly indicated that the fighter is equipped with domestic sensors, avionics and weapon systems, the website reported, just like later models of the Shenyang J-11 fighter. The fighter dubbed J-15 is based on a Russian Su-33 in terms of structural configuration, it also said.
The Russian Ria Novosti news quoted a Russian military analyst saying that China's J-15 is inferior to the Russian aircraft.
Lan Yun refuted the claim. "The sensors, avionics and missiles of the Su-33 are already obsolete," Lan said, adding that the Chinese airborne electronics could offer more advanced technologies.
The first prototype J-15 was believed to have made its maiden flight on August 31, 2009, a month before the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, according to the Russian Ria Novosti news.
Lin Zuoming, AVIC general manager, published a poem in the China Aviation News newspaper one day later, celebrating the "breakthrough of scientific research." on Sunday's photos came at about the same time as foreign media quoted a Chinese blogger claiming a Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing (V/STOL) shipborne fighter for the Varyag is conducting flight tests in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the US-based Defense News. The foreign reports were dismissed by an AVIC spokesman as pure speculation on April 18.
This is a Sukhoi Su-33 with updated avionics. The airframe is proven, the avionics package perhaps less so. But its probably as good a fighter as the current of the F/A-18.
“Darn, I forget. Have they copied our nukes too? They still go boom, don’t they?”
Yes and their rockets were blowing up on the Pads until Bent Bill helped them with American engineers.
““They are smart, actually smarter than the White Man on an average, MUCH harder working, and they pose a serious threat.”
That is why they have to copy everything. Now LOL LOL that is funny!”
They’re smart enough to know that it’s far cheaper and quicker to buy the information they want from their enemies who have corrupt politicians who will sell anything to get campaign funds. Then they can spend their time and money on advancements, perfections and tweaks to make an improved product.”
They have been given or stole everything they have,I have yet to see something creative coming this way.
I've had the same experience. For originality and sheer stick-to-it till we find a solution, American engineers are the world's best.
Mind-boggling. Is nobody looking out for our country??
I was listening to NPR once. And this Senator said that when it comes to tackling America's financial woes, it comes down to three things; Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. And I believe he also mentioned interest on the debt. These 3 or 4 items together is the gorilla in the room. Ironic, though, that many on the FR feel that China is at fault. And the fact that something like the J-15 coming onto the scene is proof positive of all that is wrong with heaven, earth, and "traitorous" politicians.
The very survival of the American financial system and the ability for the government to promote economic growth will center on tackling these three issues. Yet for many on here, this J-15 seems to represent all that has gone wrong with America and the world and the dawning of a new dark age. Amazing.
LOL! There’s a reason they call it the ‘Chinese Fire Drill’.
>> I’ve worked with engineers from around the world.
>> But the best engineers I’ve worked with are Americans, period.
And there’s certainly no shortage of attitude within American engineering, but ultimately the best engineers are patient and respectful of the opinions of their colleagues even when there’s sharp disagreement within the team.
“At some point they will self-distruct just like the other china dynasties”
Before or after we do?
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