Kiss_of_the_Dragon
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Because the F-35 design is most optimized for SVTOL, and pays the price in terms of acceleration, range, and max speed.
China didn’t take all aspect of F-35, beside the DSI intake, I’m pretty sure this J-31 has several hundred hours in wind tunnel tests to tweak the design to meet military planner’s wish.
The Chinese engineers may not have had a choice because the F-35 is a highly draggy design that needed 40,000 lbs of thrust.
That’s why we go with two engines...if China can have F-35’s engine...might as well to copy integrally F-35 with VTOL...we need similar F-35 for carrier too but it’s a wet dream
But two engines take up more space, leaving less room for fuel. The F-35 with 8.5 tons of internal fuel gets only 590 nm combat radius; and it is actually failing to achieve that range target. If the Chinese F-35 has two engines, then its fuel capacity is even lower.
Don’t forget it’s slidely bigger that F-35...the fuel tank will be enough for the mission
The better solution was learn from the F-35 data and design a new airframe that fixes the design compromises of F-35, but the Chinese engineers decided to not to take that path, as it appears that stealth and time to market were more important than the most optimal airframe design.
Than show us how the aircraft should be look like if you’re so convincing that the J-31 airframe is wrong. Make some hand sketch...will just fine but do it in Pro/Engineer or Solid Work is even better