Chengdu J-10 "Vigorous Dragon" fighter

[Deino]

Not really new, since we've heard about that AL-31FN-order already a few weks (months ?) ago, but new to me is the part regarding the J-11 with the AL-31F:

Big New Chinese Order for Russian Fighter Engines
AIN Defense Perspective » October 3, 2011

by Vladimir Karnozov
Russia has now sold nearly 1,000 AL-31 engines to China, where they power J-10 and J-11 fighters.
October 3, 2011, 4:45 AM

China has placed additional orders for Russian AL-31-series fighter engines. State arms trade agency Rosoboronexport clinched two big contracts earlier this year. One is for more than 150 AL-31Fs as replacements for earlier engines of same type that power the Su-27/Su-30MKK/MK2 fighters, that are designated J-11 in China. Engines under this contract will be assembled by the Ufa-based UMPO factory.

The second contract is for more than 120 AL-31FN engines to power newly built Chengdu J-10 fighters. Engines under this contract are already being delivered, from the Moscow-based Salut plant.

Speaking to AIN at the Aviation Expo 2011 in Beijing, Salut general director Vladislav Masalov said that negotiations continue on a second batch of nearly 140 AL-31FNs and that a follow-on contract is expected to be signed in October.

Masalov further said that the grand total of Salut-made AL-31 series engines in China “is nearing one thousand units.” To serve them, Salut has established partnerships with Limin Corp. and Tyan Li company in Chengdu on deliveries and manufacturing of spare parts for both the AL-31F and the AL-31FN. Russia has also agreed to provide all necessary maintenance and repair documentation to the Chinese partners. Salut faces many issues pertaining to ramping up production to fill these big Chinese orders, Masalov said. This year the company must increase its production output by 30 to 40 percent to fulfill the Chinese contracts. “Certainly there is some pressure on us, with bottlenecks being metal and vendor items,” Masalov said.

Meanwhile, Salut is negotiating the sale of another 40 AL-31FM1 engines to the Russian Air Force for the Su-27SM upgrade. Twelve have already been ordered. Talks to supply AL-31FM2 versions for the Su-34 continue, Masalov said.

Big New Chinese Order for Russian Fighter Engines | Aviation International News

Deino

 

[Deino]

 

[fightingirish]

A J-10 was spotted in Chengdu on June 10 with twin-rail missile launchers carrying PL-12 missiles. Similar to the LAU-115/LAU-127 used by the Hornet, Super Hornet.

Source & pictures: http://alert5.com/2011/06/11/j-10-with-twin-rail-missile-launchers/

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJr6YResKwA&feature=player_detailpage#t=41s

 

[Deino]

The J-10 has a targeting capability now too ...

 

[Deino]

A new image of that J-10A + targeting-pod: It's not a new naval aircraft but a factory owned J-10A with new serials.

 

[hesham]

Hi,


I still love this drawing.

 

[Deino]

Finally the first production models of the J-10B were spotted at CAC yesterday (even if these images are reportedly from October) ... latest rumour - flateric please, do You know more ???!!! - is that they are ready since months and were awainting an uprated AL-31 from Russia.

Could it be that they are equipped with AL-31FN-M2 ????

Cheers, Deino

 

[hesham]

Very cool my dear Deino.

 

[LowObservable]

2 free internetz to you sir.

 

[pedrospe]

Nice pictures, thanks a lot Deino.

 

[hesham]

Hi,


early artist impression by Flightglobal to J-10.


http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2001/2001%20-%201010.html

 

[Deino]

Serial aircrafts numbered 110 and 111 spotted and it seems as if the first operational unit will stand up soon.

 

[GTX]

I just love the way Titanium alloys change colour when heated...

 

[Radical]

Judging from the nozzles, still the AL-31FN?

 

[Deino]

Yes, ... maybe flateric can say more but these are said to be from the latest purchse which were of AL-31FN series III.

 

[sferrin]

Think we'll ever see a demo at Paris or Farnborough?

 

[kaiserbill]

It's matured into quite a good looking aircraft actually.

 

[Radical]

Am I seeing some subtle gold tinting of the canopy there?

 

[Deino]

Just found this (http://lt.cjdby.net/thread-1827578-1-1.html) ... most likely related to the J-10B (FX-B with F = J and X = 10 ??)

Sadly without any source.

The FSUE “GTE-RPC “Salut”-produced AL-31FN series-3 engine receives code letter “O1”
April 10, 2014 the AL-31FN series-3 engine's design documentation was approved for full-scale engine production and assigned a code letter “O1”.

Salut has completed a range of works to provide for supply to its Customer (PRC) of the AL-31FN series-3 engines, intended for FX-B aircraft.

The extended equivalent-cyclic testing was performed according to accepted program to test the initial engine operation of 750 hours. The results confirmed the characteristics and performance capability of the engine, fault-free operation of all systems and units as well as the initial operation to first maintenance of 750 hours. The AL-31FN series-3 engine was proved to comply with the performance specification.

The special tests were performed at Salut's test benches to strain-gage the stage 1 and 2 low-pressure compressor blades; the self-oscillation check of the stage 1 low-pressure compressor rotor blades was performed at CIAM (Central Institute for Aviation Motors) with various flight imitation conditions. Results deemed satisfactory.

Additionally, as planned and agreed with the Customer's Representative, Salut performed special tests with the pre-turbine gas temperature increased by 25K, evaluated the performance of the engine at the rotation frequencies of the rotors higher than maximally allowed by 3%, strain-gaged the new pipework, took part in the interdepartmental testing of the engine digital control unit TsRD-99. All results deemed satisfactory.

Flight tests of the AL-31FN series-3 engine, installed in FX-B aircraft, were performed at the facility of Prime Contractor 156 to satisfactory results. The engine was proved to comply with the performance specification.

FSUE “CIAM” has issued the assessment of stability of AL-31FN series-3 engine at the operation time to first maintenance of 750 hours / 1000 flight cycles on the customer's FX-B aircraft.

In order to facilitate full-scale production of AL-31FN series-3 engine at FSUE “Gas-Turbine Engineering RPC “Salut” the Director of the State Defense Order Procurement Department under Ministry of Defense of Russian Federation has initiated the assembly of the inter-agency committee to perform assessment of completeness of the design documentation with subsequent assignment of the code letter “O1” (i.e. full-scale production documentation).

Upon Salut's presentation of the design documentation, the inter-agency committee has attested:

- compliance of the presented design documentation with the technical specification;
- thorough revision of the post-manufacturing and post-testing design documentation;
- compliance of the design documentation with requirements to completeness, content and layout; physical condition of the original documentation and suitability thereof for reprography;
- commonality of the engine and the prototypes: AL-31F series 42 and AL-31FN series 1, 2;
- conformity of the design documentation to the current production;
- compliance of the employed purchased integrated parts with the warranty terms, operation conditions and the documents stipulating use thereof with the engine;
- availability of the calculations and the documented performance stability tests, normative standardization documentation and test programs approved by the Customer's Representative;
- availability of the resolution of use protocols;
- availability of the engine assembly process documentation;
- technological availability of the production for the engines output;
- availability of the description lists of spare parts, tools and accessories;
- completeness of the engine spare parts, tools and accessories and compliance thereof with the description lists;
- provision of the measuring equipment for the in-operation engine checks;
- electromagnetic compatibility of components with the aircraft systems and the airfield equipment;
- commonality of the engine and engine prototypes processes;
- certification of the testing equipment according to GOST.

The Director of the State Defense Order Procurement Department under Ministry of Defense of Russian Federation approved the Inter-agency Committee Design Documentation Inspection Act on 10 April 2014. The AL-31FN series-3 engine's design documentation received approval as full-scale production documentation and was assigned a code letter “O1”.

The compliance of the engine with the specified and between-overhaul operation time is being further ascertained. The extended testing of the engine's between-overhaul operation of 750 hours is being performed.

The initial operation of the first batch of the FX-B production aircrafts with AL-31FN series-3 engines, year of manufacture 2013, is underway at the Customer's (PRC) facilities.

Deino

 

[Deino]

It's like Christmas today !!

Simply amazing that image ... It was taken somewhere in the 1980s – some say even before the Lavi’s maiden flight in December 1986 – and shows a Chinese delegation right in front of a Lavi-prototype .... and most important including Song Wencong (forth from the right) ??? the chief designer of the J-10. To admit I do not want to overrate this image - esp. as proof for being a Lavi-clone, which is simply wrong – but however it is the first clear image that proofs that there were close contacts between CAC and IAI and that they even laid hands on the Lavi !

Deino

 

[donnage99]

Awesome man. Thanks for the great contribution.

 

[hesham]

Hi,


is that a real design to J-10 (stealth version) ?.


http://gaza-aircraft.blogspot.com/2009/03/china-develops-j-10-stealth-fighter.html

 

[Deino]

No !

 

[hesham]

Thank you Deino.

 

[Deino]

Air Interational, November 2014, p. 70 - 75

 

[Deino]

Serial production has been reached already a high level (no. 143 - meaning the no. 43 airframe of lot 1) was spotted last week.

Also yesterday the first "ready for delivery" serials have been seen at Chengdu and even if blurred, the numbers seem to give a hint of the 170. Brigade assigned to the FTTC. The next unit is reportedly the 131. AR / 44. AD.

 

[Grey Havoc]

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?242447

 

[Deino]

Yes indeed a tragic loss of a factory fresh J-10B but even more important the injured peoples on the ground should recover soon and the pilot survived. Quite interesting it was flown by Li Gang, the pilot who flew the J-20 during its maiden flight.

Deino

 

[latenlazy]

Yes indeed a tragic loss of a factory fresh J-10B but even more important the injured peoples on the ground should recover soon and the pilot survived. Quite interesting it was flown by Li Gang, the pilot who flew the J-20 during its maiden flight.

Deino

Are you sure? I remember you pointing to a picture of the spine antenna as a sign that it was a J-10B, but I looked at pictures of J-10S with the same spine antenna...

 

[Deino]

Simply look at the small - nearly nimble - spine (more a cable duct than a spine) where the antenna in mounted !

 

[latenlazy]

Simply look at the small - nearly nimble - spine (more a cable duct than a spine) where the antenna in mounted !

I suppose. The S's spine is thicker huh?

 

[Deino]

Yes exactly .. as such it can't be a twin-seater !

 

[Deino]

Ready for delivery to the PLAAF ... 14 J-10B fighters spotted during the last days at the ramp at CAC / Chengdu.

 

[Deino]

I think here is another surprise ... if it is real then this would be a J-10C !

Even more since 101x = J-10A pre-serials, 102x = J-10S prototypes, 103x = J-10B prototypes, and now maybe 105x = J-10C prototype ... all what is missing is a 104x = maybe the J-10BS prototypes !! ???

Deino

 

[kaiserbill]

Forgive me Deino, but what exactly is a J-10C?
I haven't purchased your book (yet), but I sort of keep an eye on the J-10 programme.




I know the original A, the twin seater, and the B.


What does the C have that warrants a different model number?

 

[Deino]

Forgive me Deino, but what exactly is a J-10C?
I haven't purchased your book (yet), but I sort of keep an eye on the J-10 programme.

I know the original A, the twin seater, and the B.

What does the C have that warrants a different model number?

No need to apologies (even if I would highly welcome if You would buy one !).

Anyway there are some reports about another J-10B-based development called J-10C since some time (esp. after an aircraft numbered '201' appeared). To admit I was always a bit skeptical about this "C" even if most bloggers say it is in fact a "B" but featuring an AESA instead of the PESA radar in the "B".

What makes me now quite sure is the new serial, since so far 101x = J-10A pre-serials, 102x = J-10S prototypes, 103x = J-10B prototypes, and now maybe 105x = J-10C prototype ... all what is missing is a 104x = maybe the J-10BS prototypes !!

What new avionics are added is so far unknown.

Hope this helps a bit,
Deino

 

[RadicalDisconnect]

Ready for delivery to the PLAAF ... 14 J-10B fighters spotted during the last days at the ramp at CAC / Chengdu.

Are those film crews?

 

[Deino]

Are those film crews?

Yes,. ... reportedly the were preparing a report on CAC !

 

[sferrin]

Does anybody know of any plans to eventually get a J-10 to the Paris or Farnborough airshows for flight demos? Would love to see them there.

 

[Trident]

Does anybody know of any plans to eventually get a J-10 to the Paris or Farnborough airshows for flight demos? Would love to see them there.

Hear, hear! Fingers crossed for this year, as after a hiatus of 10 years (Christ! It really has been that long!!!) I will be attending again