By: Feng
Military Analyst
China Air and Naval Power: May 2008
So, I've been pretty busy in the past week with visitors + going away for a retreat. I haven't had much time to go through the PLA news, so this is not going to be the most informative update I've ever had.
I've read some concerns over the status of CAC after the recent earthquake. From what I read, it seems like CAC is back in full operation. In fact, this avic1 article does a good job talking about CAC.
Please Defence.pk Chinese members, translate this news in english. Here is another article regarding CAC and earthquake
本报讯(通讯员杨兴根 梅晶洪)四川汶川发生大地震后,一航成飞按照中国一航党组的要求和部署,全面启动和实施灾后生产自救工作。
5 月14日,是汶川大地震后的第三天,也是一航成飞逐渐恢复灾后生产的第一天。公司领导王广亚、王小平率技术改造部门负责人到各个生产单位了解受损情况,对受损设备情况进行登记,对整改工作提出了具体要求。为配合政府和部队向地震灾区运送物资,一航成飞机场也向部队开放,确保部队运输物资的飞机能安全起飞、着陆,并做好地面技术服务保障工作。
地震发生后,试飞站职工没有休息一天,全部到岗。他们对飞机、设备、设施进行全面细致地检查,各项工作步入正常轨道。到目前为止,试飞站已组织完成某项飞机缝制任务6900 米和各种机型备件零件接收任务,完成枭龙飞机的系统更改工作和5架歼七G型飞机发动机换装的库内工作,并达到待飞状态。检验检测部特种检验室技术组职工在办公地点墙面开裂的情况下,仍加紧编制某项目研制工艺文件;渗透站职工急生产所急,从5月15日开始加班对来自结构件厂、数控厂、钣金厂共800件零件进行检测。钣金厂及时启动应急机制,及时监测热处理工段硝盐槽工作情况,维修人员迅速检修厂房内机床、吊车等设备状况,通过自查清理,排除了重大安全隐患发生的可能。
为尽快恢复生产,最大程度减少灾害损失,数控厂全面启动抗灾自救工作,提出万众一心,抗灾自救,群策群力,复产减损的工作口号,要求干部职工齐心协力、科学有序开展灾后自救工作。自5 月14日正式上班后,数控厂各部门严格按照制定的计划进行工作,常规维修组抓紧时间对厂房、吊车、测量机、立体刀具库和工装库等基础设施、辅助设备进行全面检查,并以最快的速度恢复了吊车的使用,为数控机床的及时复工创造了条件。硬件维修组针对数控机床状态不明的情况,及时制定了一套数控设备状态检查方案,成立了专题小组对数控设备外观损坏情况、基础固定的松动与否、零件受损状况、设备电缆连接、悬挂元器件稳固、设备几何精度等进行了全方面测试。到5月 16日,专业厂20多台数控设备正式开始运行生产。信息技术部在恢复生产后,果断向全体职工发出了全力维护中心运行,确保生产自救的行动口号,组织各精兵强将开展抢修数据中心主机房系统的恢复工作,经过两小时的紧急抢修,企业数据中心所有主机系统和网络交换设备全面应急启动成功,企业应用系统全面恢复运行。
The gist is that everyone was back to work and everything was back to normal by the 16th of May. The interesting part is the section on the project currently being worked on. It talks about the flight testing station working non stop to a new aircraft project of flying to 6900 m. It talks about completing the modification work on JF-17 (although I'm not sure what this is referring to). I also talks about changing the engine of 5 J-7G.
And, I've read a renewed debate on whether or not China will place any orders for JF-17 in the future. I basically look at China's need for something like JF-17 in 3 areas.
1) As a cheap fighter that could be useful in a war of attrition.
2) As a ground strike fighter
3) As a trainer
Basically, a lot of these options have only become possible with the slowness of the L-15 project. Generally speaking, CAC is a much better run company than HAIG. For a project that started with so much potential, HAIG's incompetence has allowed CAC to basically pitch JF-17 in the area that was originally reserved for L-15. Heck, even the much inferior JL-9 has attracted orders from PLAAF. From that stand point, CAC seems to be more in tune with PLAAF requirements than other AVIC1 firms.
While, CAC survived the earthquake, Dongfang had a much tougher go at it.
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So from this blog, it seems that the JF-17 facility is fine, and everything is normal.