J-21/J-31 Chinese 5th Generation Stealth Fighter

[DaTang]

finally ,we got the clear large pic...by some member from DSWC

my goodness, so many high def pix came out, and so soon.

 

[J20!]

Looks like those gaps between the engines and fuselage have been sealed with saw-tooth edge covers:

 

[J20!]

when you fly for the first time it does not lead, chase plane is their to keep an eye on new plane.

I agree, and that J11BS did keep a BIG eye on J31's first flight.

That's a reconnaissance pod with a large aperture camera.

 

[DaTang]

I agree, and that J11BS did keep a BIG eye on J31's first flight.

That's a reconnaissance pod with a large aperture camera.

it is also seen on JF17.

 

[J20!]

As a comparison, the F35 is 15.67m long and has a wingspan of 10.7m, so J31 is slightly bigger than the F35 but only slightly..

I wonder how they compare in terms of weight though. F35 is heavier than both the Super Hornet and Rafale, in fact so heavy, it might not be able to land on the French carrier De Gaule at combat loads. Hopefully J31 weighs less but I suspect they'll end up having similar Max Take-off Weight's...

 

[farhan_9909]

As a comparison, the F35 is 15.67m long and has a wingspan of 10.7m, so J31 is slightly bigger than the F35 but only slightly..

I wonder how they compare in terms of weight though. F35 is heavier than both the Super Hornet and Rafale, in fact so heavy, it might not be able to land on the French carrier De Gaule at combat loads. Hopefully J31 weighs less but I suspect they'll end up having similar Max Take-off Weight's...

well let suppose if it weighs about F-35

than each engine thrust should atleast be 105KN.
making total 210KN thrust combined.to have a better twr

 

[sathya]

New Next Generation Chinese fighter conducts maiden flight

mages have emerged on Chinese defence sites that appear to show a new Chinese fighter aircraft in flight.

The flight was said to be the first conducted by the aircraft that is now being commonly referred to as the Shenyang J-31. Previous reports have variously given the aircraft's designation as the J-21, J-31 or F-60.

Images for the aircraft first appeared in mid-September 2012 and were said to be taken at the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation airfield.

The Shenyang stealth fighter aka J-21/J-31/F60/Blackie made its first flight Oct. 31 at 10:32:35 local time. The jet made one orbit around the airfield before landing at 10:43 with drag chute deployed.



During the flight the J-31 was accompanied by a pair of Shenyang J-11 fighters. It seems to have conducted the ten minute flight with its landing gear in the lowered position.

Prior to its flight, it conducted a high speed taxi run and became briefly airborne.One of the two J-11BS escorts was carrying a camera pod.

 

[LurkerBaba]

@sathya Please look for existing threads before creating new ones

 

[Impluseblade]

Hi p2prada, you can read Chinese, right? Here is a recent article discussing the development of J20 and a comparison of J20, F22, and PAKFA.

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This may not necessarily be the case. It all depends on how much you are willing to spend in RCS reduction measures. RCS depends on 3 major factors; size, reflectivity and directivity.

Size, well it is not a large aircraft and hence will have a small RCS. Reflectivity is stealth shaping which is adequate on all 3 airframes, J-31, J-20 and PAKFA.

However what you haven't considered at all is probably the most important of the three. This is what makes the F-22 the king of the hill while the others are only trying to catch up. This is Directivity or the materials that go into making the airframe and the radar absorbent materials including paints. F-35 uses a jacket made of carbon nanotubes and covered with RAM. PAKFA, currently unknown, what we have seen is only the outer shell. J-20 may be doing well with what it already has today.

So, you see just looking at an airframe and claiming it is as stealthy as fully funded programs is not enough. As a matter of fact there is nobody on the planet who can claim the aircraft has this and this RCS just by eyeballing the airframe, especially if you are comparing two different airframes.

The reason I came to this opinion of mine is not because of size or reflectivity. It is because of directivity. Considering SAC built the frame for export out of their own pocket, how much would they be able to spend on materials if aircraft like J-20, PAKFA and F-22 require Billions just to get prototypes flying in the air. Sukhoi/Russia alone have been speculated to have spent $2Billion on the 3 PAKFA prototypes. Would SAC spend Billions for an export customer they may never get?

Even getting JF-17 to fly cost $500Million, all that money on just an airframe, FCS and engine.

This is an unpainted PAKFA, you have seen this many times,

Unpainted F-35,

Unpainted F-22,

See how similar they all look. Now we don't know what goes below these paints, but we can guess these materials are not cheap.

That's why this could be a bare bone aircraft with some loose ends. A PLAAF sponsored program may have a more stringent requirement in using materials compared to a pet project meant for export.

As of today we cannot say whether SAC has been involved in a govt funded stealth program like CAC to claim they have been researching materials since sometime. All we know is they had a design as a competitor to J-20. There is no information if actual prototypes were built, like the YF-22 and YF-23 or whether they were flight tested. Perhaps it was a direct jump to the J-20 prototype after a paper competition. If SAC is able to use these expensive materials and built their own prototype after spending Billions all on their own funding, then be my guest, believe anything you want.



It's primary role may be air superiority.



Only if there is confirmation that it is a state funded project and not a company funded project.



Your oldest J-10As will be old enough for replacement, nearing 20 years by the time J-31 or equivalent is ready. Your newest J-10Bs don't have to be replaced at the same time. As J-31s or equivalent's production continues the older J-10s will be subsequently replaced. Or are you suggesting the J-10As will receive service life extension programs to keep it relevant. Unless of course China is not able to manufacture the jets fast enough to replace older ones.

 

[p2prada]

The J31's underside is a good deal smoother and thus stealthier than the lumpy bumpy F35:

The overall design matters. You are making it too simple.

 

[p2prada]

Hi p2prada, you can read Chinese, right? Here is a recent article discussing the development of J20 and a comparison of J20, F22, and PAKFA.

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Ah! You give me a little more credit than I deserve. It wasn't a technical paper, so it was easier to read. But I couldn't understand half the words.

They made a mess out of our AMCA though? MCAC?

Anyway thanks for the article. It is always good to know both sides of the story.

 

[RedDragon]

The J31 should work together with J20, or they are competitors and only one will be choosen?

 

[LTE-TDD]

Hi, guys, expect J15S's first fly this week end! Another navy flighter from SAC. S stand for dual seater.

 

[shiphone]

another clear pic by some member of DSWC

 

[cir]

another clear pic by some member of DSWC

Now here is a beauty。

Hope it gets better，and by the time 31003 appears，we will get to see。。。。

 

[asianobserve]

Here just look at this pictures...

Except for the 2 noozles that protrudes from the back the 2 jets really look so similar...

 

[tony4562]

Here just look at this pictures...

Except for the 2 noozles that protrudes from the back the 2 jets really look so similar...

Different vertial tails also. Still the similarities are striking, that's for sure. Shenyang defintely has studied F35, but to say China copied F35 is just the kind urban legend only non-technical people would believe. Modern systems are so complex that copying by spying is simply not possible. In fact you can give key to every Intel or Boeing facility room to some outsider and allow him ample time to study every small detail, still I doubt that person would even come close to recreate an Intel chip or a Boeing dreamliner after spending 20 years inside.

A stealth fighter like the F35 is the product of hundreds of thousands people from hundreds of different companies spending countless working hours, copying it would make deciphering Windows OS look like a walk in the park.

 

[sayareakd]

It is first flight of the aircraft and they are taking it for all sort of spins and turns, looks like either they are very sure of the capabilities of the aircraft in its first flight or they are quite stupid to do this kind of stuff on the new aircraft.

At this speed they are going to put it into production under three years time.

 

[tony4562]

It is first flight of the aircraft and they are taking it for all sort of spins and turns, looks like either they are very sure of the capabilities of the aircraft in its first flight or they are quite stupid to do this kind of stuff on the new aircraft.

At this speed they are going to put it into production under three years time.

It was possibly only a slight roll. But do keep in mind that general dynamics managed to go supersonic with F-16 only 3 days after its first official flight. You can not use LCA as measuring stick because it has been progressing painfully slow.

 

[sayareakd]

if you guys want to super cruise on the development, please be my guest. I will be more them happy if you guys do that.