JH-XX ... China's stealthy fighter-bomber unveiled !

[Deino]

I have to admit !!!

The JHX was expected - maybe not that soon ... but anyway, but now !!!!!

 

[JFC Fuller]

I think it needs some more unveiling, currently insufficiently unveiled.

 

[Deino]

I think it needs some more unveiling, currently insufficiently unveiled.

Agreed ... but at least I don't think this is a PS-Fake !

 

[sublight]

The Chinese decided the SPF J-20 thread had run its course and an exciting new thread was needed....

 

[Grey Havoc]

The Chinese decided the SPF J-20 thread had run its course and an exciting new thread was needed....

How considerate of them. ;D

 

[sublight]

Question: If you RCS optimize the shape but construct the aircraft from Aluminum, will it still reasonably reduce the RCS? I see a lot of rivets in that photo....

 

[Deino]

Question: If you RCS optimize the shape but construct the aircraft from Aluminum, will it still reasonably reduce the RCS? I see a lot of rivets in that photo....

Hmmm ... here are many rivets too to see without the primer or paint !

IMO the biggest question now is: Is this thing real ?? ... especially since the photo was reportedly taken at Chengdu and not at Xian ! ??? And then: Can China's aviation industry afford so many different projects in parallel ?

Deino

 

[Grey Havoc]

Can China's aviation industry afford so many different projects in parallel ?

Deino

The politicians may think it can.

 

[donnage99]

The cockpit doesn't look stealth optimized, but most likely due to it being prototype stage. What I'm thinking is that perhaps this is a competing design to the j-20.

 

[Deino]

The cockpit doesn't look stealth optimized, but most likely due to it being prototype stage. What I'm thinking is that perhaps this is a competing design to the j-20.

I can't think of that ! Why should CAC develop to competing designs for the same requirement !??

Deino

 

[donnage99]

Same way yf-23 and yf-22 were designed to compete for the same requirements?

 

[Trident]

Except the YF-22 and YF-23 were not built by the same company.

That said, I don't get the panic about rivets either, it was comical with the T-50 and remains so now. Unless the aircraft has been primered all over without regard to materials (occasionally seen on MiG-29s and the HAL Tejas), it does seem that it is primarily metal though. At least the parts that have been sufficiently unveiled, that is

 

[chuck4]

You can tell it's fighter bomber from that? Is it a hologram? Maybe it's a twin seater J-20?

 

[sferrin]

You can tell it's fighter bomber from that? Is it a hologram? Maybe it's a twin seater J-20?

This. (If it's not pshop.)

 

[Trident]

What little can be seen does match remarkably well a CAD image of an undeniably JH-7A-inspired design which has been floating around for some time. If it is indeed real, IMHO the only reason to believe it is anything else than that would be if the photo has actually been taken at CAC (rather than JH-7 manufacturer Xian) - a twin-seat J-20 would indeed be the most likely explanation in this case.

 

[Foxglove]

Now that's a real spy-movie suspense that's developing here, like with the J-20 up to a point. A big thank you to Deino for this spook pic-it really came out of the blue, even though I've heard the rumours of its development. Still, something tells me we are dealing with , again like with the J-20, a deliberate leak by the authorities. Call me stupid if, in the coming days/weeks we're not gonna see a steady trickle of more-and-more revealing shots.
Nonetheless, I'm already drooling for more on this one, plus the stealthified JF-17, J-19, J-16 and what have you. Even if they don't go into production, who cares, as long as they look cool?

 

[frank]

The F-117 was made from aluminum.

Question: If you RCS optimize the shape but construct the aircraft from Aluminum, will it still reasonably reduce the RCS? I see a lot of rivets in that photo....

 

[frank]

It seems to have a CGI look to it to me.

I have to admit !!!

The JXX was expected - maybe not that soon ... but anyway, but now !!!!!

 

[windingroad]

some more pics

 

[LowObservable]

As the earwig said.....





'ere we go again....

 

[SOC]

the stealthified JF-17

Given that it sits at Chengdu (allegedly), can we be sure it isn't a twin-seat version of this?

 

[Deino]

Hmm ... could be ... but IMO not really, since it "seems" to be much larger than the FC-1/JF-17.

As such I tend to say - even at that early stage - this is the long-rumoured JH-7 successor ... but what makes me wonder is that this photo was taken at Chengdu and not in Xian. ???

Deino

 

[Trident]

the stealthified JF-17

Given that it sits at Chengdu (allegedly), can we be sure it isn't a twin-seat version of this?

Good point, although the tail plane planform in these latest images (again assuming that they're real, obviously) more closely resembles the JH-7.

 

[Deino]

Honestly, but I think the two photos showing it in the air are FAKES ! I can't prove it but if a first flight was done at CAC the news would be all ovber the net, additionally it looks too much like a "JH-7B" and not like a new design.

Quite interesting is the model above, since the guy on the left is General Zhang Wannian - Vice Chairman Central Military Commission (1998-2003).

Deino

 

[Trident]

How certain are we that the picture was really taken in Chengdu?

 

[Trident]

Another thought - if this really is a JH-7 follow-on it would appear to pour cold water on the notion that the J-20 is intended to be a fast fighter bomber rather than an air superiority platform.

 

[windingroad]

i think XAC just focus on the intake\radar\engine, like the evolution from F18 C\D to E\F, they dont pursue a stealth aircraft,so there wont be weapon bay or V-tail

 

[Trident]

Agree, assuming it is a close relative of the JH-7 it's going to be more like a "Super Leopard" or JH-7SE, rather than a true VLO design. Some LO shaping (inlets etc.) and serrated panels but no internal bays.

 

[Mike Pryce]

Another thought - if this really is a JH-7 follow-on it would appear to pour cold water on the notion that the J-20 is intended to be a fast fighter bomber rather than an air superiority platform.

Not necessarily. China sometimes develops two aircraft for apparently similar roles - J-10/FC-7, L-15/JL-9.

Also, J-20 may not be something they wish to export, and it does not look like it will land on a carrier (those dangling doors!). So maybe this 'JH-XX' does one of those things.

Time will tell, but I'll be amazed to see a Spey powered stealth bomber!

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

J-10/FC-1(JF-17)

 

[JFC Fuller]

J-10/FC-17

Not that similar, and there seems to be very little evidence that the PLAAF/PLANAF have any intention of procuring the JF-17.

 

[Mike Pryce]

Well, typo (thanks Overscan - I was on a train!) aside, they are both single seat fighters. The point I was trying to make was that if this is a new attack plane it does not mean the J-20 isn't. What it is for (maybe export) may mean there can be two types for a similar role.

 

[SOC]

Not that similar

Similar in concept, not necessarily design or execution. Single-engine multi-role J-7 type replacements, one for export and one for home use, although the J-10 is likely to be exported itself.

And if Chengdu is apparently at the forefront of China's LO aircraft development, maybe seeing this thing there (if it is in fact a JH-7 derivative) isn't out of the question. Think along the lines of Northrop's F-17 and McD-D's F-18 maybe. Could also be that Chengdu has the only facilities able to produce components to LO tolerances right now as well. With the size of the J-20 and the apparent size of its weapon bays, however, one has to wonder if this "JH-7LO" is yet another export-targeted platform, as the J-20 represents a far more survivable design with the probable range and internal volume to perform in the strike role.

Besides, with the J-20, producing a "JH-7LO" for home use is basically pointless. Hang a bunch of ordnance from it and you say goodbye to a lot of your LO benefits.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Seems to have been a fake, guys.

 

[Deino]

What a shame on me !!!

Yes, reportedly an unknown CG-artist simply wanted to show his/her capabilities.

Sorry, and I have to admit ... shame on me.

Deino :-[

 

[fightingirish]

Deino,
I hope not, that you were allready writing an article for an aviation magazine?

 

[Deino]

Deino,
I hope not, that you were allready writing an article for an aviation magazine?

Nope ! ;D

 

[Deino]

http://the-diplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2011/06/14/54faking-chinese-stealth-fighters/

 

[Foxglove]

What a letdown. Here's JH-7B, apparently no stealth features. Found this on Huitong's site.

 

[sferrin]

Larger intakes for more powerful engines maybe? ???