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Chengdu J-10 Multirole Fighter Air Craft News & Discussions

Chinese Chengdu J-10 Emerges

Aviation Week

by Richard Fisher, Jr.

Published on January 14th, 2010

Wrapped in secrecy for most of the decade following its 1998 test flight, Chengdu Aircraft Corp.’s J-10 multirole fighter is set to enter the global market. Following a development history that extends to the 1960s, and five years in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), the J-10 may emerge in the market soon after 2010, offering capabilities approaching Lockheed Martin’s F-16C Block 60, at half the price.

About 150 J-10s may be in PLAAF units. This could exceed 300 based on Russian disclosures that China purchased 300-400 12.7-ton-thrust Salyut AL-31FN engines for the fighter. Pakistan, which received Chinese nuclear weapons technology and generations of conventional weapons, will be the debut J-10 customer.

Reports from Pakistan say a deal has been reached to sell 36 J-10s to Islamabad for $1.4 billion, about $40 million per unit. F-16C Block 60 fighters with AN/APG-80 active phased array radar were sold to the United Arab Emirates for about $80 million each. It is not known whether the price of Pakistan’s J-10 includes spares, support and training.

Pakistan could buy 70-150 J-10s. The country has been an F-16 operator since 1982, and is taking delivery of 18 F-16C/D Block 52 fighters, half of an expected sale of 36. Pakistani sources tell DTI that the J-10 is not expected to become a coproduction project with Pakistan. There have also been reports of interest in the J-10 by Iran, Myanmar and the Philippines.

China has not released data about the J-10. Recent Chinese media reports, however, offer the following: length, 16.43 meters (53.9 ft.); wingspan, 8.78 or 9.75 meters; maximum takeoff weight, 19,227 kg. (42,300 lb.); maximum weapons load, 7,000 kg.; combat radius, 1,100 km. (683 mi.); maximum speed, Mach 2; maneuverability, 9g.

Despite a history of Israeli and Russian design assistance, and its dependence on the Salyut engine, China touts the J-10 as a domestic product. November festivities marking the PLAAF’s 60th anniversary featured a J-10 aerobatic display and the showing of a prototype and full-scale, twin-seat mockup at the national aviation museum.

Besides price, what makes the J-10 attractive is competitive electronic and weapon systems. The latest version, sometimes called the J-10B (or FC-20 when slated for Pakistan) emerged in Internet photos in January 2009. It features a diverterless supersonic inlet similar in principle to that of the Joint Strike Fighter. The nose is redesigned, with an infrared search-and-track system in front of the windscreen and what appears to be a canted radar bulkhead consistent with a fixed electronically scanned array radar. If true, this would be a major advance for China’s radar technology, and may make the J-10 competitive with upgraded Western and Russian fourth-generation-plus fighters. The cockpit is dominated by three multifunction displays and a head-up display.

The J-10 has 11 hardpoints, including five on the fuselage. Its principal counter-air weapon is the Luoyang PL 12 active radar-guided air-to-air missile (AAM) with 70-km. range. With a twin-AAM pylon on the inner wing mount, plus two on forward fuselage mounts, the J-10 could carry eight PL-12s. Short-range AAMs include the PL-8, a copy of the Israeli Python-3, and an improved version of this missile, the PL-9, both helmet-sighted. The J-10 may soon feature a more capable helmet-mounted display and a new fifth-generation AAM from Luoyang.

The fighter’s market success will depend on China’s ability to produce reliable advanced turbofan engines. Rival fighter maker Shenyang has been developing its WS-10A Taihang turbofan since the mid-1980s, which could offer 13.2 tons of thrust. Russian sources believe it is beset by developmental difficulties.

Chengdu may have a competing Huashan advanced turbofan engine program, which some Chinese sources note is based on its late-1990s acquisition of the engineering data and sales rights to the Tumansky R-79 turbofan developed for the defunct Yakovlev Yak-141 supersonic vertical/short-takeoff-and-landing fighter. Nevertheless, Russian sources say China remains interested in more powerful versions of the Salyut AL-31FN, which could come in 13.5- and, eventually, 15-ton-thrust versions.

Chengdu remains ready to develop a carrier-based version of the J-10. During the PLAAF anniversary, a test pilot was reported noting that ground-test simulations prove the J-10 can operate from a carrier.


Related Links
Chinese Chengdu J-10 Emerges (Aviation Week)
 
New dual missile carrying rack developed for the j-10/FC-20

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The Chinese are working at a new long range air-air missile with an expected range of 150-180 km
 
Hope this thing could pull the same maneuvers in real ,I think its possible if provided a proper thurst to weight ratio means a good engine well! This proves the design is perfect for dogfight if it could stand that sort of g-forces in real life.bravo Chinese!:china::pakistan:


 
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I Agree but we should keep in mind that at current J-10 is using AL-31F....we ll have to see that how WS-10A impacts the aircraft's performance attributes
 
Hope this thing could pull the same maneuvers in real ,I think its possible if provided a proper thurst to weight ratio means a good engine well! This proves the design is perfect for dogfight if it could stand that sort of g-forces in real life.bravo Chinese!:china::pakistan:


YouTube - J-10 Fighter RC Jet CRAZY FLY


DAAAAAAAAAAMn that is not a propeller based crap engine its using a jet engine in a RC model :what: did not knew you could buy these ... is that legal .. that thing could literally kill someone if it hits someone on runaway:what:
 
Good news for Pak bros: PLA started to retrofit AESA radars on J-10As since 2008. WS-10A has been installed on J-10As for flight tests since 2009. If the engine passes all tests PAF might be able to get J-10 in 2012-2013.

The J-10B for PAF might be the one with DSI intake while PLAAF will get another variant without DSI in 2011.
 
@Saulat

Yes, they are SD-10s mounted on a new dual rack.
 
now this development may also help the JF17!!

great news!

regards!
 
but PAF have absolutely no previous experience in this department and also lacks the infrastructure required to make engines for fighter jets. Pakistan may only join in latter once the chines are done with there home work!!!

but yes i do agree that PAF require a reliable engine for a stable future in shape of JF17 and FC20z!!

regards!
regards!
 
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