Any advantage that the F-35 MIGHT have had against Chinese fighters is a thing of the past. Check this out from the Free Beacon....
A Chinese Academy of Military Sciences official, Du Wenlong, told Chinese state television on Feb. 20 that the new J-20’s shortened exhaust nozzles, along with tail and vertical fin modifications, are designed to reduce radar detection.Read the entire article here.
Du also said that a “revolutionary” breakthrough allowed the twin engines to increase both power and reliability.
China’s inability to manufacture quality jet engines has been a weakness of its aircraft manufacturing programs.
Du also said that the electro-optical targeting system provides better surveillance and strike capabilities against both land and sea targets.
The J-20 also has a larger weapons bay than the U.S. F-22, which allows it to carry more powerful missiles that can be used against “aircraft carrier and foreign AEGIS ships,” Du said.
U.S. officials said the new J-20 had undergone ground tests, but it had not been flight tested as of early March.
Richard Fisher, a specialist on Chinese weapon systems, said the new J-20 was flight tested on March 1 and demonstrated the enhanced fifth generation jet fighter features.
Fisher, with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said it is “very curious” that the new J-20 featured its new electronic targeting system under its nose. That location increased its field of view and is similar to the targeting system on the F-35.
“This targeting system and a set of distributed high-power infrared sensors give the F-35 a previously unrivaled ‘situational awareness,’ but the now it is clear that the J-20 will have a similar targeting system and its own set of distributed sensors,” Fisher said.
“If as part of their espionage, China had also gained engineering insights into the F-35′s very advanced sensor systems, that could prove disastrous to its combat potential barring a rapid redesign and improvements before entering service,” Fisher added.
Advanced sensors on the F-35 were intended as insurance for the jet not having the best capabilities for maneuvering in flight, he said.
“But if the Chinese, via cyberespionage, have gained insights into its sensor system, then it is to be expected that China is also working on ways to jam or otherwise degrade its advantage,” Fisher said.
I can't wait to read the latest from the F-35 apologist on this one.
Even If I don't believe with all those "awesome" thing J-20 will do I must admit, they build a killer... and Lockheed build a toy that can't do one thing good. It's not a fighter, it's not a bomber, it's no a attacker... what the frak it that plane ?! A money maker ?!
ReplyDeleteya know. when it was just suppose to compliment the F-22 it was good to go. i never really cared about whether it was a good dogfighter or air superiority platform.
Deleteall i knew is that it was the Harrier replacement, it was supersonic and could carry more bombs in non-stealth configuration. so i was happy with it. if the USAF and USN were screwed well they should have known better.
but now. even as a Harrier replacement it just costs too damn much.
its only good for one thing. like you said. making money for lockheed martin.
It will make a fantastic Harrier replacement (since it is optimized for the STOVL mode,) unfortunately at a fantastic price that is crippling other USMC procurement priorities. The Navy knew better, but was not allowed out of the program - and is still having its version of the aircraft forced down its throat by the politicians (and the other service chiefs) in OSD.
DeleteI would sort of expect that F35 like sensor package could be more readily developed now days than it was decade ago when F35 systems were designed.
ReplyDeleteThe F-35 is not just a money maker (for Lock-Mart) but it should have a moniker of a "f*cker". It'll "f*ck" any country buying it. It'll "f*ck" when you try to maintain it. It'll "f*ck" when you try to upgrade it. And the last thing a pilot will say before he punches out from this piece of lemon? "F*ck!"
ReplyDeleteSo nowhere in that article is there any discussion whatsoever about the capabilities of these sensors nor is there any comparison whatsoever with F-35 sensors, but it's obvious therefore that they must better than those on the F-35?
ReplyDeleteOkay and you guys reckon L-M and the US military has lost the plot...
I also note that this system appears to be analogous to the EOTS system on the F-35. Nothing like the EODAS on the F-35 that is actually referred to in the article....
It is Chinese hyperbole, how it translates into a real world application would be another matter and likely to take a decade. The Chinese are susceptible to developmental delays, change of requirements, and everything that can plague any high tech development.
ReplyDeleteJason,
ReplyDeleteYou want to know how good the F-35 sensors are? Ask the Chinese. The Chinese government, through relentless espionage, most likely have the plans, specifications and data of the F-35.
Some of this is of course Chinese exaggeration but its still a concern.
ReplyDeleteThere is a reason we should have gone through with the WHOLE F-22 program. The F-22 was to be the USAF's premier air-superiority fighter that would sweep the skies and deal with these threats much as the F-15 did in the past. Meanwhile the F-35 would be "hauling the iron" and bombing ground targets while having a potent secondary air-to-air capability when the need arises.
In the long term the USAF has their F-X/NGAD program which is supposed to start fielding a successor to the F-22 sometime in the 2030s. But other than some concepts by Lockheed and Boeing for a "next generation fighter" I don't think any serious work has been done.
In my opinion the USN also needs something with performance on-par with the F-22, yet they're (understandably) insistent on a full multi-role capability. The Navy would probably be better off with upgrades to the F/A-18E and F/A-18F in the short term, followed by a more capable 5th generation multi-role fighter. Of course such an aircraft will inevitably be quite expensive and become a target of many.
Officially the Navy has a program for a "6th generation" F/A-18 replacement which is/was known as F/A-XX. Last I knew they (optimistically) hoped to start fielding this in 2025-2030. Yet I have little confidence that is going to happen. Even if the Navy were to get out of their commitment to the F-35C it will be an uphill battle. We've all seen those Boeing concepts but it doesn't seem like much effort has gone into this program yet.
USMC aviation's primary role is support for the men on the ground and for all intents and purposes the USAF and/or USN will be around to obtain air-superiority. It's true that like all past STOVL aircraft the F-35B gains this ability at the cost in performance compared to a conventional design. Yet it will still be a huge leap over the Harrier II while maintaining that STOVL capability the USMC has fought long and hard for. Considering a possible reduced number of CVNs, that capability may well become even more important.