China unviels J-20 stealth fighter ahead of schedule

[FlameOn]

This is for all you aviation junkies; China has started taxi testing its new Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter. This is just a year after Russia's test flight of the Sukhoi T-50. Previous estimates had pegged the Chinese as being behind the Russians and the US in terms of fielding a stealth fighter with the Chinese delivering fighters in 2020 and the Russians in 2018. Seems like they are ahead of schedule, a rare thing for a defense project.

From most estimates, its really designed to compete with the F-22 rather than the F-35s we'll be getting. I wonder how it'll actually perform.
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gener...e=null&prev=10

[Ducay]

Its likely a Cherry sedan on stilts with a body kit

[speede5]

What an original design......

[HOZ]

RELATED: the F-35 is in a whole lot of trouble. It has come under constant criticism for being less than advertised as well.

2011 Do or Die year for F-35

If there's one thing the F-35 joint strike fighter program needs in 2011, it is some clear-cut signs of progress.
Hounded by controversy for much of the past two years, the F-35 has become the poster child for troubled, vastly overbudget military weapons programs.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other top officials have repeatedly complained about the performance of contractor Lockheed Martin and soaring cost estimates. Top military and civilian managers of the program were fired or changed jobs.

[FlameOn]

It really does look like they stuck some canards on the side of a T-50.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by HOZ

RELATED: the F-35 is in a whole lot of trouble. It has come under constant criticism for being less than advertised as well.

2011 Do or Die year for F-35

If there's one thing the F-35 joint strike fighter program needs in 2011, it is some clear-cut signs of progress.
Hounded by controversy for much of the past two years, the F-35 has become the poster child for troubled, vastly overbudget military weapons programs.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other top officials have repeatedly complained about the performance of contractor Lockheed Martin and soaring cost estimates. Top military and civilian managers of the program were fired or changed jobs.

It would be sad if the Chinese managed to get a stealth fighter working and delivered before we get the F-35. 2017 is when they're supposed to take deliveries.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by HOZ

RELATED: the F-35 is in a whole lot of trouble. It has come under constant criticism for being less than advertised as well.

2011 Do or Die year for F-35

If there's one thing the F-35 joint strike fighter program needs in 2011, it is some clear-cut signs of progress.
Hounded by controversy for much of the past two years, the F-35 has become the poster child for troubled, vastly overbudget military weapons programs.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other top officials have repeatedly complained about the performance of contractor Lockheed Martin and soaring cost estimates. Top military and civilian managers of the program were fired or changed jobs.

Oh well, at least the Americans seem to have most of the money invested on that project. From what I've read, the Canadians are immune to the rising costs, while the US isn't.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by HOZ

RELATED: the F-35 is in a whole lot of trouble. It has come under constant criticism for being less than advertised as well.

2011 Do or Die year for F-35

If there's one thing the F-35 joint strike fighter program needs in 2011, it is some clear-cut signs of progress.
Hounded by controversy for much of the past two years, the F-35 has become the poster child for troubled, vastly overbudget military weapons programs.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other top officials have repeatedly complained about the performance of contractor Lockheed Martin and soaring cost estimates. Top military and civilian managers of the program were fired or changed jobs.

Meh. Tons of highly successful military aircraft start this way. The B-1, the F-111, the F-14, the C-5, etc, etc, etc.

[drewboy12]

looks alot longer the the f-22...

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by drewboy12

looks alot longer the the f-22...

= more fuel capacity for longer range. The Chinese have no carriers aside from the Russian one they reverse engineered and retrofitted after the Chinese secretly bought it by pretending to go through a Macau company claiming they were going to make it into a floating casino but it was actually a front for the government and it ended up being overhauled into China's first fully operational carrier.

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Meh. Tons of highly successful military aircraft start this way. The B-1, the F-111, the F-14, the C-5, etc, etc, etc.

True enough. Hopefully the F-35 will be as successful.

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

= more fuel capacity for longer range. The Chinese have no carriers aside from the Russian one they reverse engineered and retrofitted after the Chinese secretly bought it by pretending to go through a Macau company claiming they were going to make it into a floating casino but it was actually a front for the government and it ended up being overhauled into China's first fully operational carrier.

They already have one now! LINK


Seriously, they are building one. Or refurbishing one.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by HOZ

They already have one now! LINK


Seriously, they are building one. Or refurbishing one.

Did you even read my post? That is the same one.

[TorqueDog]

Knowing what I know about other Chinese-produced vehicles, I'd hate to see the crash-test ratings...

[CaptainCrunch]

the Chinese are building what looks like jeep or pocket carriers, They're probably going to be equivalent to the kiev class carriers that the Russians built, except the Chinese are looking at conventional instead of nuclear propulsion, and will probably carry between 20 to 30 aircraft.

To compare, the Nimitz class is over 100 tonnes displaced compared to an estimated 60 tonnes, the Nimitz can carry up to 90 aircraft. The American's also had about a 100 year advantage in carrier tactics and aviation.

If things get troublesome in the strait the American's will park at least one carrier off shore and dominate the sea lanes.

[TylerSVT]

The pilots will probably get lead poisioning from the paint or something...

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

the Chinese are building what looks like jeep or pocket carriers, They're probably going to be equivalent to the kiev class carriers that the Russians built, except the Chinese are looking at conventional instead of nuclear propulsion, and will probably carry between 20 to 30 aircraft.

To compare, the Nimitz class is over 100 tonnes displaced compared to an estimated 60 tonnes, the Nimitz can carry up to 90 aircraft. The American's also had about a 100 year advantage in carrier tactics and aviation.

If things get troublesome in the strait the American's will park at least one carrier off shore and dominate the sea lanes.

Your numbers are a little off. Nimitz class carriers are approx. 100,000 long tons. 100 tonnes would 10 houseboats.

Also apparently, the Chinese also now have a (only?) anti aircraft carrier missile based on the one they use to take out satellites.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...istic-missile/

[Delthefunky]

Originally Posted by HOZ

They already have one now! LINK


Seriously, they are building one. Or refurbishing one.

Haha, stoops, they built it on a lake!

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Your numbers are a little off. Nimitz class carriers are approx. 100,000 long tons. 100 tonnes would 10 houseboats.

Also apparently, the Chinese also now have a (only?) anti aircraft carrier missile based on the one they use to take out satellites.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...istic-missile/

Yeah, I was tired last night when I put in those numbers. The missile that your talking about I think is the DF 21D which hasn't from my understanding even entered the test phase of things.

I also believe that its biggest issue is its range of about 900 miles, Carrier based aircraft like the CF-18 have an effective range thats longer with a standard load add fuel packs or mid air refueling and the American's if it came to it would have a range advantage.

ButI' just pulling from memory last night

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Carrier based aircraft like the CF-18 have an effective range thats longer with a standard load add fuel packs or mid air refueling and the American's if it came to it would have a range advantage.

Too bad Canada doesn't have any carriers eh?