gambit
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What the PDF Chinese aviation 'experts' missed is the lack of information on the range of movement of the engine's thrust redirection.Hi,
And for that---we are all ears---. Please continue---.
The F-22's engines' TVC is 20 deg single axis. We have all seen this image...
A major reason why is physical location -- BETWEEN the vertical stabs.
For this Chinese J-10B, the single engine is directly below the single vertical stab, which would affect the TVC's range of up/down movement. The Russian PAK-FA's engine TVC is reportedly in the 15-16 deg range.
What this mean for this J-10B demonstrator is that the canards are the major factor in the jet's maneuverability. The engine's TVC is a contributor but not likely its range of movement is the same as the PAK's. With TVC, this J-10B's flight control laws were definitely rewritten.
Can this new engine be retrofitted into other platforms? There are technical caveats.
1- The jet MUST at least be computer assisted, if not outright computer controlled like the F-16 and later platforms.
2- From condition one, the jet's flight control laws must be rewritten.
3- It maybe that the new TVC engine MUST work with canards. If this is true, this will limit platform retrofit.
Another issue and question is whether the existing J-10B physical design can execute these maneuvers while being fully armed, especially with external fuel tanks. We are talking about centrifugal forces that were never factored in -- in the original airframe design. The flight control laws can be written to compensate but physical limitations will have to explored -- PER PLATFORM. Then comes those custom flight control laws. This will mean yrs of development that most countries that must import their defense will question if they can afford the funds.
So for now, we should view this as more likely a stepping stone for China to enter the TVC domain with this demonstrator.