Shenyang FC-31 demonstrators / J-35 naval fighter / J-35A land-based version

Not sure it's even necessary, j-20 is a very fresh platform with no obvious inadequacies.
And hardware certainly doesn't represent the path of best returns right now.

PLAAF has some degree of need to replace literally any other aircraft in service(jh-7a, j-10 are the most obvious suspects), but not j-20.
 
And of course the nagging thought that it might never get of the ground at all, but I suppose that is all in the past now with the two variants to enter service soon.
 
www.twz.com

China’s J-35A Stealth Fighter Officially Breaks Cover

The J-35A's development has been a meandering one but now it's clear China's Air Force has interest and export possibilities are significant. After being pitched as an export fighter, and a carrier-based aircraft, the J-35 is now officially of interest to the Chinese Air Force.
www.twz.com www.twz.com
 
siegecrossbow said:
Adaptation flight before main event.

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Those are some pretty damn clean lines... Sucks that the serially produced-airforce variant (apparently) won't have EODAS (including IRST) for slashing costs though. Especially as it plays an important role for counter-enemy stealth at the dawn of 5th generation air warfare.

I know that China actually leaves everyone behind with it's GaN tech and application to basically everything it can find but I also hope that this jet's radar is as capable as the AN/APG-85 from the start. It'd also suck if it still has 4 PL-15 capacity even with the new bays since the F-35 can carry 6 AMRAAM Ds (in real world 4 BVR + 2 WVR) due to unchanged missile dimensions..

Overall, acc. to my mk.0 eyeball analysis, this jet's a pretty though competitor to the F-35 and I expect it to perform even better than F-35 in some mission critical specs due to not having to meet the requirements of 3 different services with conflicting needs.
 
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Hydroman said:
Kind of now looks like the KF-21 and Kaan and not like the F-35?
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FC-31V1 and KF-21 look similar (except the DSI) but subsequent versions only have similar dimensions in common.

FYBe3M4WYAAXjdi (1).jpg


Again, Kaan doesn't have the DSI, it's main landing gears are taller and under the fuselage and it has that duck beak of a radome. Kaan's vertical stabs are placed on the engine bay unlike any other fifth gen (downside is it doesn't hide the nozzles) and Kaan and J-35's dimensions are not comparable either.

tai-kaan-turkeys-delight-what-do-you-think-of-the-kaan-album-v0-tlzd1i3zilec1.jpg pic-j-35a-stealth.jpg


Kaan's swept vertical stablizer and almost no gap between horizontal stabilizers and main wings, aileron+flap, leading-edge flap, etc. all have similar config to F-35C. It also doesn't have canted edges on it's wings and stabilizers like the J-35(A) and previous FC-31(V1&V2)


(Kaan design comparison below is via: Jamd/Pakdef)
1690697012678.png
GOuxQ6jWYAAEzyB.jpeg

There's only a visual resemblance from far away.
 
Chief Expert: J-35A Research and Development Breakthroughs in Multiple Key Technologies]

Wang Yongqing, chief expert of the Shenyang Institute of Aviation Industry Corporation of China: For the J-35, users have proposed higher stealth indicators. "In order to achieve such stealth indicators, we have adopted many new technical measures and new systems. There have been great progress and new innovative achievements in many fields. We have used the latest technology of existing breakthroughs to complete the J-35A Development.
 
J-15 and J-35 will be "carrier agnostic" - let's call it that way. I mean that there will be specific variants being able to do STOBAR and CATOBAR indifferently.
And in turn, this avoids that the STOBAR carriers - Liaoning and Shandong - go to waste (or training only) after CATOBAR-carriers enter service.

Very smart move from the chinese, really. They are consolidating their carrier fleet from the aircraft on the deck.
 
overscan (PaulMM) said:
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Probably worth mentioning that's an old picture and is a display at one of the aviation museums. I can't even remember if it was even the original FC-31V1 airframe converted to a model or a bespoke full size model made for the museum.

All of which is to say, the relevance of the picture to J-35/A and even the older FC-31 tech demos, is probably not very useful.
 
Blitzo said:
Probably worth mentioning that's an old picture and is a display at one of the aviation museums. I can't even remember if it was even the original FC-31V1 airframe converted to a model or a bespoke full size model made for the museum.

All of which is to say, the relevance of the picture to J-35/A and even the older FC-31 tech demos, is probably not very useful.
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Yes, it was speculated to be a static test article. The bay appears to be the same basic shape and size from the outside however.
 
Blitzo said:
Probably worth mentioning that's an old picture and is a display at one of the aviation museums. I can't even remember if it was even the original FC-31V1 airframe converted to a model or a bespoke full size model made for the museum.

All of which is to say, the relevance of the picture to J-35/A and even the older FC-31 tech demos, is probably not very useful.
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In fact it is said to be a static test specimen now on display I think at SAC! Interesting is, it is of the V2 configuration and as such actually the fourth airframe (at least).

FC-31V2 static test airframe 31004 at SAC - Fighterman_久丽美学研究 - 3.jpg

By the way, it is getting even more interesting ... it seems there is indeed even a third airframe (see the first two known for comparison via Dylan Nguyen):

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siegecrossbow said:
Basically laser 3D printing for main support structure, which leads to less material wastage, stronger structural performance, and lighter overall weight.
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A little bit more, you design the shape of the component taking into consideration the thermal gradient occurring during the print process. This lead to a leaner design instead of the traditional approach that tend to beef up an area of interest.
I don´t think it´s new. I have been doing that myself and others certainly since a decade.

What is interesting, at least to me, is the discussion around matching the friction coefficient of inspection panels to seal them on a most efficient way instead of having to add extra peripheral surface. I want to see that tested against time and wear.
 
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FighterJock said:
I do not think that we will be seeing Chengdu's 6th Gen just yet siegecrossbow as they are far too busy with J-20 production at present. Perhaps towards the end of the decade we might see the 6th Gen fighter starting to make an appearance.
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But if China is being smart about it, they will be starting work on their 6th Gen design more or less as soon as J20s reach IOC. Maybe FOC.


siegecrossbow said:
Basically laser 3D printing for main support structure, which leads to less material wastage, stronger structural performance, and lighter overall weight.
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I'm honestly not sold on that yet. Strength wise, isn't it similar to cast pieces, as opposed to billet or forged?
 

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