Chinese Air Force (PLAAF) News & Discussions

[LKJ86]

Via @东部战区 from Weibo

 

[LKJ86]

 

[LKJ86]

Via http://www.81.cn/kj/2022-11/29/content_10202129.htm

 

[hualushui]

View attachment 901328
Via http://www.81.cn/kj/2022-11/29/content_10202129.htm

UAV？

 

[Deino]

UAV？

Nope ... regular J-7E

 

[Gomig-21]

UAV？

Just curious, what made you think it was a UAV?

China took the original MiG-21 F-13 which was the first of the mass produced MiG-21s in Russia and copied it exactly but as time went by and China became a powerhouse in building its own avionics and other important elements to aircraft not to mention its own designs like the J-10 series and many others, they also began doing their own things on these F-7s such as the F-7PG for example which they sold to Pakistan. I do believe that was a request by the PAF to specifically make the change to the delta wings tips which helped create greater square footage to the wings. That was one of the several faults of the MiG-21 series in that the wings were really small and for a reason. It was originally designed as a rocket cylinder with just enough wings to create good lift, vertical stabilizer for obvious reasons (to hold and use a decent-sized rudder) and of course, the horizontal stabilizers which had great shapes to them to assist in minor and major pitch control, and they did just that. Rolls also with the assistance of the airlerons and the aircraft did its job perfectly which was simple - interception.

It was meant to be on guard, get orders from general command that a foreign aircraft has entered Russian airspace and so it (and at least one other) would take off immediately, fly straight to the point of interception at mach 2+ and once intercepted, first attempt to escort the intruding aircraft out of Russian air space and follow it until it does and then return straight back. If it refused, then it would reveive a series of 30 mm cannon fire straight across the front of the nose as a serious warning. Usually by then, the intruder is gone but if for some stupid reason it persists on its course over Russian space after that severe warning, the next option is to actually make that 30 mm cannon blast run right along the center of the fuselage and wing and tail. That's usually enough to cause the intruding airfcraft to fall apart and pilot having to eject so he can be caprtured and interrogated. If for some amazing reason the intruder STILL doesn't get the message and the aircraft survives the cannon blast and he even has the cajones to turn and fight the MiG-21s, then it's Atoll missils time. One can fire both its missiles and the other can empty its cannon shots and that most certainly will take care of the intruding aircraft, bringing it down,

This is what started making the MiG-21 a very accomplishes interceptor which many other countries saw as a great asset to have to protect their own airspace. Hence the beginning of one of the most successful export fighters ever (until the F-16 I believe not too long ago has surpassed the number of MiG-21s ever sold).

And with that early success, MiG and Russia started to improve on the original F-13 design which required a larger body, wings, radar, more avionics etc. etc. and the design slowly changed with every new model as the years went by.

But China stuck with the overall design of that original F-13 shape (with the exception of the wings on the PG like I mentioned earlier) but made improvements in many other areas and has sold A LOT of them to many countries all over the world including its own squadrons which I am assuming this beauty in this picture (as well as the one taking off) are part of that squadron(s).

A closer look at this never-ending classic. The first to incorporate the bubble canopy? Also looks like it's carrying one of its own PL missile or a A2G one, not sure. Also judging by the length of the wings, this

A good look at the Pakistani F-7PG and easily noticeable difference in the wing tip change design which gave it that much more area for better lift and slower speeds, so it didn't bleed too much of the infamous energy loss the standard MiG-21 delta wings were well known for.

Not only the increased area footage, but you can also see that it allowed the Chinese engineers to add either self-moving slats or leading edge flaps to the leading edge of that changed wing area. Very noticeable on the portside wing in this pic.

So the Chinese made some great and very significant changes and addons to their copy of the MiG-21 F-13 that were nothing but excellent improvements. You also get a great look at the bubble canopy which every MiG-21 enthusiast knows very well that was one of its biggest flaws, especially in the later designs as they added more and more items to the fuselage, the outward view for the pilot kept shrinking and got worse and worse with each new model. This was another item the Chinese engineers made sure only got better, it seems.

From some literature out there, a few pilots who were interviewed about this F-7 and those larger wings and what they felt about them all told the same thing about increased ability to turn much tighter turns at higher speeds because it helped the aircraft sustain that momentum as it entered the merge and began making tighter turns, unlike the original wings which caused the aircraft to bleed energy once it entered the merge and started performing those tighter turns.

Many countries that were buying the MiG-21 ended up buying the F-7 as well and most were actually the original design with the standard MiG-21 wings. They were affordable and China was able to pump them out like crazy making all these countries very happy.

 

[LKJ86]

 

[LKJ86]

Via @东部战区 from Weibo

 

[LKJ86]

 

[Deino]

Ok, … 2022 ended and again like the years before it was filled with interesting news and revelations, so now with 2023 already two days old, what can we expect in 2023?

- additional J-35 prototypes
- finally clear KJ-600 images
- J-20AS and J-20B + WS-15 news
- Y-20B enters service
- Z-20S/F enters naval service
- …

My personell wishes are, we‘ll get a first sight of the operational GJ-11 and the H-20 will be revealed.

 

[LKJ86]

 

[LKJ86]

Via http://www.81.cn/pk/2023-01/09/content_10210622.htm

 

[AmirPatriot]

Hello everyone.

Was wondering if anyone knew who this interview on the Su-35 in Chinese service is with. Some interesting points in there but would like to know if it's from anyone 'official'.

https://mil.sina.cn/sd/2018-12-09/detail-ihmutuec7501376.d.html?from=wap&fbclid=IwAR0Zimt46_KUVu7lzkOy6OXCwaKc_jbkDrSlt_K9Qdn1WqMdPc7DTwlb24g

 

[siegecrossbow]

Hello everyone.

Was wondering if anyone knew who this interview on the Su-35 in Chinese service is with. Some interesting points in there but would like to know if it's from anyone 'official'.

https://mil.sina.cn/sd/2018-12-09/detail-ihmutuec7501376.d.html?from=wap&fbclid=IwAR0Zimt46_KUVu7lzkOy6OXCwaKc_jbkDrSlt_K9Qdn1WqMdPc7DTwlb24g

It is from Yankeesama, who is a pretty legit source most of the time. Here is a photo of him receiving commendations from Northern Theater Command for doing a great live coverage of Tank Biathlon 2020.

Also do keep in mind that the article was written in 2018. J-16 has received at least two radar/avionics upgrades and one engine upgrade in the five years that followed. By the pilot’s own admission it is a quantum leap forward. Whatever capability gap in the avionics department has only widened.

 

[LKJ86]