SAC FC-31 Stealth Fighter: News & Discussions

[dy1022]

We are going to be S P. I don't wanna say those two words.

Real one, not the fake delusional 2012 one!

 

[Deino]

F35 is not battle proven as well. And PLAN will be the launch customer.

Battle proven is not the point. Being mature, tested and certified and here anyone must agree that the F-35 is more matured, tested and certified - alone with more than 100 built and operational - than the FC-31 with a demonstrator and a modified prototype just being tested.

 

[maximuswarrior]

It is very clear that V2 has got end users, probably PLAN/PLAAF. So SAC isn't in a hurry to promote V2, instead display V1 to walk it through. And the timing of exporting stealthy fighter is not matured yet, we need to have a deep consideration about it. These stealthy fighter only goes to trusted ally or friends.

The sales strategy has changed from aggressive to moderate.

I'm waiting for PAF placing orders.

J31 is a perfect design, I mean serious.

There is a unwritten rule in China: once you received purchasing orders from the army, you won't be able to promote it without army's permission. It's been classified, that's a good sign for me. If any close ally want it, we will talk in house.

And very clear that the only trusted ally is Pakistan. If PLAN/PLAAF placing orders, the it takes many years to fulfill it.

As to Saudi, I still have a question mark on it.

@The SC Rumor said Saudi had invested 1 billions USD in FC31. Still not confirmed.

There is no doubt in my mind that PAF will probably be the first customer of FC-31. It is tailor made for PAF.

The FC-31 will be sold to South American, African and Middle Eastern countries. There are no other viable 5th gen alternatives at this price range.

 

[WarFariX]

Not really ... and even less the alleged V3.
BY the way, that link is dead.





Agreed and not agreed ! Indeed it does not mean anything but also everything: Surely a less accurate model will have no connection to the true qualities and performances of the real bird but I contradict Your statement "A model is just a toy and presentation for public". Quite to the contrary: a model at an international sales show - and that's all Paris is and all SAC/AVIC needs - SALES ! - it is the ticket to sales.

You cannot try to play this game on the international scene by not playing by its rules. And even if You maybe - like me - do not like to accept it: advertisement & publicity is the key to get attention.

So even if I agree with You in general, what will anyone think if he sees this "less accurate" (IMO still a compliment) model? It's a lousy PR-stunt, bad publicity and tells all public visitors this company is taking its efforts to sell that type not seriously. Therefore You and many others here can't complain that the image in the West of Chinese products is low.

I have to admit that it is a strange, wrong and maybe even shameful Western habit - the current US president plays this game quite well - that opinion, feelings and imagination is more worth than facts and performance ... but it is so. and if SAC/ AVIC wants to play that game they need to take care of these rules.

But again just my 2 cents.
Deino

I told you before that pt-3 aka v2 will be displayed. There is no v3 at the moment

 

[Deino]

I told you before that pt-3 aka v2 will be displayed. There is no v3 at the moment

But that is not pt-3 aka V2. Even on that model it is clearly '31001' written, which makes it more or less to a stupid V1. What is even more surprising since they already had several model of the revised prototype on show (albeit always much larger).

As such the IMO most likely explanation is that SAC/AVIC outsourced the model-making to 3rd party contractors, who simply did not care or due to certain security measures this model is not allowed to given certain detailed more clearly (again strange, since V2 was already on display).

Anyway ... let's leave that stupid model aside and show us the real deal !

Deino

 

[rcrmj]

There is no doubt in my mind that PAF will probably be the first customer of FC-31. It is tailor made for PAF.

The FC-31 will be sold to South American, African and Middle Eastern countries. There are no other viable 5th gen alternatives at this price range.

its not only about the price```there are only two countries in this world can develop a true 5th gen fighter, thats China and U.S````forget about those PPTs made by Turkey, S.K, India or toys by Japan,```even though Japan and S.K is good at some civilian techs like semi-conductor, material and optical industries, but state-of-art defense aviation industry is way beyond their reach``

To admit I wish but right now I'm still sceptical: Without a product being finished, tested and proved no Air Force will take the risk of being the launch customer especially if the PLA will not openly commit to that type.

Most will wait ... and even for 70 Mio $ this thing is still not cheap as long as it is not mature.

Anyway ... I wish all the best.
Deino

the background of this project was quite complicated, had various purposes and aims`````some were obviouse, some were bizarre, but this project is very likely to be carried on, maybe it will evolve into a new project```who knows```

 

[Deino]

...
the background of this project was quite complicated, had various purposes and aims`````some were obviouse, some were bizarre, but this project is very likely to be carried on, maybe it will evolve into a new project```who knows```

More, more, tell us more please !!!

 

[rcrmj]

More, more, tell us more please !!!

time will tell, I have hinted some before``````lots of possibilities``````
those people wont go on public with stuffs that are 'uncertain'````we are very proud of our information security systems `````

 

[WarFariX]

But that is not pt-3 aka V2. Even on that model it is clearly '31001' written, which makes it more or less to a stupid V1. What is even more surprising since they already had several model of the revised prototype on show (albeit always much larger).

As such the IMO most likely explanation is that SAC/AVIC outsourced the model-making to 3rd party contractors, who simply did not care or due to certain security measures this model is not allowed to given certain detailed more clearly (again strange, since V2 was already on display).

Anyway ... let's leave that stupid model aside and show us the real deal !

Deino

I dunno why but i get a feeling after watching AVIC stall video on demo of fc31 paris air show 2017 that this model has got to do something in reality , the presenter was seen pointing at different points on the model while describing the bird to people around.

 

[Deino]

I dunno why but i get a feeling after watching AVIC stall video on demo of fc31 paris air show 2017 that this model has got to do something in reality , the presenter was seen pointing at different points on the model while describing the bird to people around.

I don't think You should over-interpret this: IMO they are explaining interested people why it is different to the real V2 and why they were making a model that is labelled '31001' and so obviously wrong in so many details.

 

[Beast]

Battle proven is not the point. Being mature, tested and certified and here anyone must agree that the F-35 is more matured, tested and certified - alone with more than 100 built and operational - than the FC-31 with a demonstrator and a modified prototype just being tested.

F-35 using the complicated vertical thrust vector engine complicate the whole process and result in many years of delay. There is no doubt many issue regarding the complicated mechanism reliability.

While FC-31 is using a conventional two engine layout without any complicated thrust vector and complex mechanism. It is a sure to work plan. Its induction will no doubt be much faster especially using many highly tested features from J-20. I highly doubt F-35 is more matured. Its reliability regarding a highly novice thrust vector mechanism is yet to prove itself.

 

[UKBengali]

F-35 using the complicated vertical thrust vector engine complicate the whole process and result in many years of delay. There is no doubt many issue regarding the complicated mechanism reliability.

While FC-31 is using a conventional two engine layout without any complicated thrust vector and complex mechanism. It is a sure to work plan. Its induction will no doubt be much faster especially using many highly tested features from J-20. I highly doubt F-35 is more matured. Its reliability regarding a highly novice thrust vector mechanism is yet to prove itself.

FC-31 will be using a lot of J-20 tech - stealth coatings, radar and other electronics will be modified from what was developed for J-20. Only thing that really will be new will be the engine but even that would have been given a head-start by the engine advances that China has made with the J-20's WS-15 engine.

 

[Deino]

F-35 using the complicated vertical thrust vector engine complicate the whole process and result in many years of delay. There is no doubt many issue regarding the complicated mechanism reliability.

While FC-31 is using a conventional two engine layout without any complicated thrust vector and complex mechanism. It is a sure to work plan. Its induction will no doubt be much faster especially using many highly tested features from J-20. I highly doubt F-35 is more matured. Its reliability regarding a highly novice thrust vector mechanism is yet to prove itself.

Funny as usual !
All Your claims can be summarised by: Will, maybe, eventually for the FC-31 while in return You are (indeed correctly) noting to delays once at a comparable time for the F-35.
BY the way, not all F-35s - in fact so far a minority - are using this over-complicated and trouble-prone engine layout ... and also by the way the FC-31 is still flying with a dated interim engine (or do You believe these claims it is already using a 100kN miniaturised-WS-15 ??).

But in the end You still have now one type in production since 2011 (the date the J-20 had its maiden flight), is operational (at least limited) and deployed by 8 (USA, Australia, GB, Netherlands, Israel, Italy, Japan and Norway) Air Forces with more than 100 delivered with a type that is just available in two different examples that have flown a few hours for a few years or months?

So I wish that type all the best even if I'm sure You will still bash me again as anti-China or an ignorant Western fan-boy but the facts speak for themselves.

Deino

 

[rcrmj]

While FC-31 is using a conventional two engine layout without any complicated thrust vector and complex mechanism. It is a sure to work plan. Its induction will no doubt be much faster especially using many highly tested features from J-20. I highly doubt F-35 is more matured. Its reliability regarding a highly novice thrust vector mechanism is yet to prove itself.

you sure about this```?

FC-31 V1 is no more than a demonstrator, and V2 is a bit closer to be a real prototype```there are alot more you dont know about this project, but it is very safe to say that F-35 is far more mature than FC-31. I mean really, a serving platform is less mature than an initial prototype`?

and I know your theory is that J-20 is already in service, so "all the technologies can be borrowed from it, hence make FC project faster and mature than F-35"?````please dude, have a common sense, you can also apply this logic to F-22 on F-35 too dont you?````if anything, U.S has better fundation and technological readiness of 5th gen fighter than China at any circumstance at the time being! ```with FC project, they havent tested anything serious yet, like radar, weapon and flying characteristic charts, how can it be more mature than a platform that has been flown for over thousands of hours???

and lastly I have to tell you again, jet fighter is not a leggo toy that you build just by putting 'borrowed' bits and bots together understand? dont let the enthusiasm and nationalism to blind you`````

FC-31 will be using a lot of J-20 tech - stealth coatings, radar and other electronics will be modified from what was developed for J-20. Only thing that really will be new will be the engine but even that would have been given a head-start by the engine advances that China has made with the J-20's WS-15 engine.

there are lot lot lot more works need to be done for this project to even come close to the maturity of current stage J-20, which btw is not the ideal condition of J-20`````for FC project, engine is just one part of many, and all equally important

 

[Oldman1]

F-35 using the complicated vertical thrust vector engine complicate the whole process and result in many years of delay. There is no doubt many issue regarding the complicated mechanism reliability.

While FC-31 is using a conventional two engine layout without any complicated thrust vector and complex mechanism. It is a sure to work plan. Its induction will no doubt be much faster especially using many highly tested features from J-20. I highly doubt F-35 is more matured. Its reliability regarding a highly novice thrust vector mechanism is yet to prove itself.

The F-35B actually works even if it was complex and delayed but other variants don't rely this type of format to fly. And F-35B was push to the limits. Another thing is the advantage over the FC-31 is by taking off from amphibious ships. I'm sure China are trying to develop one. Which means developing a complex engine system to do something similar.