China Military Watch - Sept' 2016

chola · Post by **chola** » 25 Jun 2020 19:15

idan wrote:Epic

https://twitter.com/elmihiro/status/127 ... 16321?s=20

Is that a Z-10? Not a chini camo and looks more like a Hind with the long wing stubs though.

idan · Post by **idan** » 25 Jun 2020 19:20

It is Z-10

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 25 Jun 2020 21:27

Irrespective of american willingness to deploy hypersonic systems, either scramjet powered or bgv, the japanese seem eager to have their own programs for these. They most likely will deploy them.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 25 Jun 2020 21:39

Prasad wrote:Irrespective of american willingness to deploy hypersonic systems, either scramjet powered or bgv, the japanese seem eager to have their own programs for these. They most likely will deploy them.

No one (in the public) really knows of how committed the Japanese are to both funding the complete development of, and then acquiring these systems in a quantity that creates the sort of deterrent (conventional) effect that is required. There have been media reports that say they want to develop this capability. But that is very different from a 10-12 year political and budgetary support that will be required to follow through on all of that and then set up a capability to produce them at scale (or at least enough scale for them to be something beyond silver bullet force that can't be "decoy'd away). Plus it is not just about building and fielding these very fast and potentially highly accurate weapons. If they are going to be designed around anything besides a large and well known fixed target (which then gets into the economics vis-a-vis purely ballistic missiles) then you need giant leaps in your long range ISR capabilities to do the sort of target-generation and post impact assessment in a dynamic situation. This conundrum ( need for survivability+ multiple order of magnitude improvements in decision cycle and time + ubiquitous high fidelity SA) and the challenges it poses to traditional F2T2EA is what has led the USAF to finally ditch a like for like AWACS or JSTARS replacement in favor of something radically different, and technically much complex from developmental perspective (lack of tech maturity) and a doctrinal perspective (how and how much authority to delegate at what level and how much authority to delegate to AI). Those programs and efforts would have to move concurrently. This is no less of a challenge and actually worthy of being dubbed Assault Breaker 2.0.

Even China's dog and pony parade where they rolled out a bunch of hypersonic weapons, was coupled with a few sprinklings of unknown (at the time) high speed, and/or penetrating ISR systems. Who knows what real capability they have (besides just propaganda props for 11) but had they just rolled out missiles without addressing the ISR piece then their claims would have been far less credible even for existing DF-21/26 systems. Now they are still getting their AWACS programs so they are a bit away something that shifts to a new C2 architecture.

Its one thing to say you are moving form a 800 km Mach 0.9- Mach 2 capability to 2000 km Mach 10-20 capability but then in reality you have to be able to generate those targets, verify that they are the right targets (discrmination challenges), develop fire control solutions and then do battle assessment at range. Otherwise no point in having a 3000 km ranged Mach 17 BGV that is nothing but just merely a better version of a lower cost ballistic missile in terms of the type of targets it can engage. I don't see a lot of evidence of that happening in Japan just yet. Though it is tough to read their strategy. If you're just taking out man made island instalations then you are probably better off investing that money in fielding multiple types of cheaper, subsonic or low supersonic weapons and just saturating the air-defenses (little or no magazine impact given ground deployment). Or just more of what you already have.

Politics in Japan around long range offensive strike capability is shaky at best (even when it comes to buying cheaper and much less escalatory systems like hte JASSM-ER) and the jury is still out on whether there is broad political support for this capability, or at least enough support to follow through on some of the early work. If they field ground based intermediate ranged weapons (which is controversial at the best of times) then that would naturally solve a lot of the political problems the US has (internally) of deploying these systems in the region. Naval and Air Launched systems have broad support in the US and limited Conventional Prompt Strike capability probably already exists, with larger scale capability a couple of years away.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 26 Jun 2020 00:09

All True. They might be banking on utilising co-working with american capabilities in whatever theatre they want to use these weapons. My guess about their development and deployment is based on the political noises being made now (yeah 10 years is a long time still) as well as their mo when it came to their own next gen fighter.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 26 Jun 2020 01:50

That is one possibility thought I suspected that sort of deep cooperation on offensive capability will itself come with its own set of cultural and political challenges in both nations. Their short term plans will be a good barometer on their long term ambitions. In the short term, they want to introduce stealthy cruise missiles and extend the range of their supersonic anti ship missiles. If and how that materializes will likely be a good proxy for how politically invested they are in acquiring this capability as opposed to circling on the fringes or the technology and not really going the last mile in producing and deploying it. Elon Musk likes to say that it is very easy to design a rocket but multiple orders of magnitude harder to design Its mass production capacity. I think that can also be said on hypersonics - what will likely separate the big players from the small players is going to be the capacity to field these systems at scale and then to, through building survivable and reliable ISR and C2 capability, employ it across a wide mission set (everything from relocatable or moving targets to generating targets through obscurity and decoy operations).

chola · Post by **chola** » 26 Jun 2020 15:18

Another Type 056 corvette commissioned. So many that watchers have lost precise count. At least 50 in service and about another 20 in fitting and trials.

1500tons and pretty well packed with weapons -- 76mm gun, 2x30mm cannons, 4xAShM and 2x3 torpedos. Towed sonar in A version for anti-sub role. Half the size of our Kamorta (of which we have just 4) but not much less armed. Missing a helo hangar but has a helipad.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news ... s-corvette

22 JUNE 2020 00:00 GMT+0

Chinese navy commissions another Type 056-class corvette
by Andrew Tate

Another Type 056 (Jiangdao)-class corvette has entered service with China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), as reflected in photographs posted on the Chinese Weibo social media platform.

The ship has been given pennant number 617 and named Jingdezhen after a prefecture-level city in China’s northeastern Jiangxi Province. The commissioning ceremony appears to have taken place on 17 June at a naval facility in the eastern coastal city of Xiamen.

The Type 056 design may also be classed as a light frigate, and the latest ship is thought to have joined the 16th frigate squadron, which already operates four Type 056 and two anti-submarine warfare (ASW)-capable Type 056A corvettes.

It is not entirely clear how many Type 056s are now in service, although it is more than 50. Four of the class were commissioned in January but unconfirmed sources suggest that a further six may subsequently have been commissioned this year, prior to Jingdezhen.

Although unconfirmed, the number of commissionings is quite plausible. In January it was assessed that there were at least 20 more of the class that had been launched and were fitting out or undergoing sea trials.

Multiple iterations. Over 8 ships per years

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 27 Jun 2020 10:36

Any map of PLAF airfields in Tibet? And nearby airbases.

Rs_singh · Post by **Rs_singh** » 27 Jun 2020 10:51

ramana wrote:Any map of PLAF airfields in Tibet? And nearby airbases.

The map posted here is quite telling. Dated 2017:

I am not sure how to post a picture so posting the link instead:

https://jamestown.org/program/snapshot- ... r-command/

nishant.gupta · Post by **nishant.gupta** » 27 Jun 2020 12:53

Rs_singh wrote:
ramana wrote:Any map of PLAF airfields in Tibet? And nearby airbases.
The map posted here is quite telling. Dated 2017:

I am not sure how to post a picture so posting the link instead:

https://jamestown.org/program/snapshot- ... r-command/

Here you go sir. You can use Imgur.com for loading images in future.

MeshaVishwas · Post by **MeshaVishwas** » 27 Jun 2020 18:06

https://www.pilotonline.com/military/vp ... story.html

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 27 Jun 2020 21:13

MeshaVishwas wrote:

https://www.pilotonline.com/military/vp ... story.html

The Chinese carrier is operational and just sent the global economy into a recession and shaved hundreds of billions of dollars. So its batman 1, and CVN 0.

chola · Post by **chola** » 27 Jun 2020 23:42

brar_w wrote:
MeshaVishwas wrote:

https://www.pilotonline.com/military/vp ... story.html
The Chinese carrier is operational and just sent the global economy into a recession and shaved hundreds of billions of dollars. So its batman 1, and CVN 0.

What good is a carrier that they can't target with and causes collateral damage to everyone including themselves? lol

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 29 Jun 2020 08:14

There is major floodingin China. It, along with the virus, has got to take some wind out of their military sail.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 29 Jun 2020 10:52

China's quantum satellite helps send secure messages over 1200km

vimal · Post by **vimal** » 29 Jun 2020 10:58

NRao wrote:There is major floodingin China. It, along with the virus, has got to take some wind out of their military sail.

Now we are the mercy of rain gods to help us. Next earthquake gods.

chola · Post by **chola** » 29 Jun 2020 11:43

NRao wrote:China's quantum satellite helps send secure messages over 1200km

This and their Beidou constellation. They outlaunched the rest of the world by a wide margin last year and will do so again probably by a bigger margin this year.

People outside Wall Street don't remember how close the US came to dominating the chini satellite market. Then Bush punished LockMart and embargoed Cheen -- basically wiping out American competition by choice and that was it.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 29 Jun 2020 11:44

Russia Accuses China Of Spying, Stealing Submarine Research Papers

Russian authorities have found Valery Mitko, President of its St Petersburg Arctic Social Sciences Academy, guilty of handing over ‘classified documents’ to the Chinese intelligence, TASS reported.

An investigation into the matter further revealed that Mitko handed over classified data during his visit to China.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 29 Jun 2020 14:19

NRao wrote:There is major floodingin China. It, along with the virus, has got to take some wind out of their military sail.

BS that dam will never collapse.

chola · Post by **chola** » 30 Jun 2020 14:04

Aditya_V wrote:
NRao wrote:There is major floodingin China. It, along with the virus, has got to take some wind out of their military sail.
BS that dam will never collapse.

No but bigger issue is it is being choked with silt and vast islands of garbage.

chola · Post by **chola** » 30 Jun 2020 14:17

They make really nice models. Chini watchers can order anything from Taobao or Aliexpress including these barely known prototype variants.

https://mobile.twitter.com/KushigumoAka ... 2889577473

蜜柑Tangerine
@KushigumoAkane
A model of Z-8L (Z-8 wide body variant)
This model was first seen in late 2018

chola · Post by **chola** » 30 Jun 2020 14:33

New helo mockup spotted on their 075 LHA:
https://mobile.twitter.com/RupprechtDei ... 2205375493

@Rupprecht_A
@RupprechtDeino
Back to that new rotorcraft UAV spotted on board the first Type 075: My feeling tells me its a new clean sheet design but given its shape it seems to be similar to an enlarged CHRDI (Chinese Helicopter Research and Development Institute) AV500C.

https://mobile.twitter.com/dafengcao/st ... 8055611392

dafeng cao
@dafengcao
The size of the new drone, made by 白玮

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 30 Jun 2020 18:23

^^ Interesting that the Chinese propoganda account on twitter wanted to compare it to the MQ-8B but not the C.

chola · Post by **chola** » 30 Jun 2020 19:30

brar_w wrote:^^ Interesting that the Chinese propoganda account on twitter wanted to compare it to the MQ-8B but not the C.

Whoa! Big difference between MQ-8B and C. Obviously the chinis wanted to be bigger and badder comparing against the "B" but to be truthful I didn't know much about the "C" myself.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 30 Jun 2020 19:35

The MQ-8C was declared operational (ioc) last year and will go on its first full length deployment later this year. At FOC they intend on having an AESA radar and potentially even weapons (APKWS, Hellfire etc) in the future. About 40 are planned for the USN small surface combatant fleet to work alongside the MH-60R and the smaller MQ-8B.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 30 Jun 2020 19:47

I would take any fully functional battlefield automated system.

chola · Post by **chola** » 30 Jun 2020 19:52

brar_w wrote:The MQ-8C was declared operational (ioc) last year and will go on its first full length deployment later this year. At FOC they intend on having an AESA radar and potentially even weapons (APKWS, Hellfire etc) in the future. About 40 are planned for the USN small surface combatant fleet to work alongside the MH-60R and the smaller MQ-8B.

That looks more like a full-fledge helicopter than an UAV! Obviously without worrying about a human compartment you can pack the thing with far more sensors (and weapons.)

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 30 Jun 2020 20:03

Bell 407 is the parent design for the MQ-8C. When you take the human, and the associated sub-systems required to support crew, out you can increase range, endurance and payload. A UAV is just an unmanned craft. Size doesn't really matter and is dictated by mission needs. Most rotary winged UAV's are based on some sort of manned parent design (though unmanned concepts based on clean sheet design are now emerging - like the Bell V-247 Vigilant). The MQ-8B is based on the Schweizer 333.

Schweizer 333:

chola · Post by **chola** » 01 Jul 2020 13:25

^^^ Interesting. I've always thought the MQ-8B was a clean sheet design. But it makes sense to use a trusted and tested design.

chola · Post by **chola** » 02 Jul 2020 13:15

Chini carrier numba three is coming. They'll probably cobble this thing together the next six months or so.

https://mobile.twitter.com/RupprechtDei ... 0217192448

@Rupprecht_A
@RupprechtDeino
And so it begins:

As it seems this is the first confirmed image of one of the Type 003 aircraft carrier's mega-modules in dry dock no. 4 at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 02 Jul 2020 19:13

Regarding that earlier discussion on the number of Chinese J-20's produced till date - Aviation Week has that # at 38. One thing not noted in the AvWeek's "narrowing combat aircraft gap" narrative is the fact that the US 5th Generation fighter fleet is growing at around 90-100 aircraft (presently) annually which is expected to climb up to around 120-130 aircraft annually by 2025. Overall, the US will add about 120 fighters (or more) in its 2021 budget with the 5Gen to 4Gen ratio heavily skewed towards 5th gen. So while the %ages for growth may be small given the sheer size of the overall force structure (between USAF, USN, USMC) the raw number of new aircraft being added is not something the Chinese can ignore.

Long term, I suspect this gap will be narrower if not be in favor of the Chinese. I see the USAF (in particular) pivot away from fighter aircraft in favor of longer ranged bombers, and unmanned ISR. Whether that is just an increase in the topline for the B-21, or a very different looking next gen. air dominance platform. China will probably continue to be a fighter dominant force. USAF will have to make that cultural and force structure pivot away from traditional fighters to confront China.

What Is The Ratio Of U.S. And Chinese Military Aircraft?

When it comes to combat aircraft, the ratio is more narrow: The U.S. operates 3,435 aircraft while China operates 1,943. For now, the U.S. has a qualitative edge—with 586 fifth-generation combat aircraft to China’s 38.

chola · Post by **chola** » 02 Jul 2020 20:46

^^^ 518 third gen fighters! Still a lot of MiG-21s. lol

Most surprising is a huge lack of transports especially among rotary. Cheen is considered strong with its logistics but I guess that is mostly roads and ships.

Added: 500+ rotary transports, maybe lacking only relative to the US.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 06 Jul 2020 07:02

2 CVN's and their associated air-wing, and a nuclear capable bomber in/over the South China Sea -

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --
One B-52 Stratofortress bomber from the 96th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, took off from home station and participated in a maritime integration exercise with the USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike groups in the South China Sea before landing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. LINK

chola · Post by **chola** » 06 Jul 2020 14:16

chola wrote:So it seems both of their carriers are out at sea. CV-16 had been tooling around the Pacifuc for a few weeks. CV-17 left port yesterday.

Story is that they will converge on Taiwan for "war games."

Seven of 11 USN carriers are out at sea too. The USS Reagan has left homeport Yokosuka, Japan. USS Reagan has sailed from Guam. USS Nimitz and Lincoln has departed San Diego. A lot of carriers in or heading towards the Western Pacific.

This should be fun.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... asion.html

China plans to deploy two aircraft carriers off Taiwan for war games to stoke tensions with Washington as Beijing warns of a 'new Cold War' amid virus blame game

By Ralph R. Ortega For Dailymail.com
22:49 EDT 25 May 2020 , updated 02:32 EDT 26 May 2020

China is reportedly sending its two new aircraft carriers into war games near the Pratas Islands, playing into fears that a Taiwan invasion could be next as tensions with the US continue to worsen.

The aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong are currently in Bohai Bay in the Yellow Sea on a combat readiness mission before the massive ships head into the war games. The move comes after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang expressed Beijing's desire to 'reunify' with self-ruled Taiwan, an apparent policy shift.

...

I posted the above five weeks ago

With action in Galwan receding, my warmongering self is hoping to see some fireworks in the SCS.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 06 Jul 2020 14:36

2 CVN's in the SCS for a dual carrier ops is a very different thing. 2 carriers in a region is not atypical there. But dual ops is something the USN has done relatively rarely given global deployments (though they have of late picked this competency up). That 7 US CVN's out at sea was a rare event but something that is expected due to COVID with deployments changing around and some being extended to record breaking duration. Dual carrier ops is a rare event by itself and even rarer in the SCS. Furthermore, dynamic bomber deployments concurrent to a dual op and that two with a nuclear capable bomber is totally at a different level in terms of posturing. The USN and USAF are buttoning down their force projection in case the CPC tries to tests the waters and do something in the region which is possible in case it faces internal political resistance to XI.

And this is playing out even in the social media trolling world -

https://twitter.com/chinfo/status/1279779741415833601

chola · Post by **chola** » 20 Jul 2020 13:59

The Type 075 and the Z-20J/F naval copyhawk that will operate from the vessel. Their LHD and complementary helo programs seem well planned. I've been following our MRSV proposals for years before the Type 075 suddenly appeared in dry dock last year and now they have two in water with helo projects for them too. Our LHDs remain proposals.

https://mobile.twitter.com/RupprechtDei ... 8141027331

@Rupprecht_A
@RupprechtDeino
Quite a rarely seen view from the second Type 075 LHD.

https://mobile.twitter.com/RupprechtDei ... 9858772993

@Rupprecht_A
@RupprechtDeino
Additionally to the well-known Z-8 mock up and the new so far unknown helicopter UAV, the first Type 075 LHD now also has a Z-20 mock up on deck.

https://mobile.twitter.com/RupprechtDei ... 7938192388

@Rupprecht_A
@RupprechtDeino
A few new images of the naval Z-20 - not sure if the utility/multi-role Z-20J or the ASW Z-20F - helicopter were leaked. This time it seems to carry a larger store or pylon/adapter on its rear fuselage station and not under the stub-wings.

chola · Post by **chola** » 20 Jul 2020 14:33

The WS-10 TVC on that J-10C at Zhuhai 2018 eventually made it to the J-20. Four production lines.

https://eurasiantimes.com/after-us-russ ... -in-j-20b/

China 5th Gen J-20B Breathing Down India’s Neck; Can Rafales, Sukhois Match The ‘Stealth’ Jet?

...

An upgraded version of the Chinese J-20B stealth fighter jet has formally entered mass production. The modification has earned it the title of being a fifth-generation fighter jet. Fifth-generation fighters are defined by their stealth technology, supersonic cruising speed, super manoeuvrability, and highly integrated avionics.

Although J-20 has been on active duty since 2017, western aviation experts had described the jet as a “dedicated interceptor aircraft” because of its lack of agility. The modified J-20B was unveiled earlier this week. The ceremony was hosted by many senior military leaders including the Central Military Commission (CMC) vice-chairman General Zhang Youxia.

Speaking at the event, Zhang, who is also in charge of weapons development for the People’s Liberation Army, confirmed the mass production of the J-20B. He said that J-20B is now equipped with thrust vector control thus helping the jet achieve agility criteria required to ‘classify’ as a fifth-generation fighter jet.

Thrust vector control (TVC) allows pilots to better control the aircraft by redirecting engine thrust. Chinese advancement in TVC technology was first displayed in 2018 when Beijing debuted its J-10C multirole fighter at the air show in Zhuhai.

...

Besides challenging the US stealth fighter jets, the J-20s are anticipated to dominate the Asian skies and pose a direct challenge to soon to be acquired Japanese F-35s and Indian Rafale and other aircraft that New Delhi is in the process of acquiring.

J-20B vs F-35 and Rafale
The mass production of J-20B has handed a massive boost to the Chinese Air Force. With adversaries like India, Japan and South Korea equipped with modern fighter jets such as Dassault Rafale and Lockheed Martin F-35, the original Chinese J-20 did not offer much competition.

...

India is set to receive 36 Rafale from France and would be purchasing more hi-tech jets as part of the MMRCA contract. This led to Beijing speeding up its own fighter jet program, experts argue.

...

Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC), which manufactures the J-20s, has already received ‘heavy orders’ from the PLA. CAC set up its fourth production line in 2019, each one with a capacity to make about one J-20 a month.

chola · Post by **chola** » 21 Jul 2020 09:05

Interesting and detailed take on the re-engined J-20 from
WarZone. Chinis still having issues with the WS-15 but the uprated WS-10 provides an interim engine good enough for mass production. They might be going for both an uprated but non-TVC variant of the WS-10 (J-20A) and the TVC variant (J-20B.)

Once the WS-15 comes onboard they might change the planform using the TVC to replace the canards. Interesting thought. The MKI has both canards and TVC.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3 ... ld-include

China's Enhanced J-20B Stealth Fighter May Arrive Soon, Here's What It Could Include
A new version of the Mighty Dragon might already be in production and it could feature new engines, thrust vectoring, and more.

BY JAMIE HUNTER
JULY 20, 2020

Reports indicate that China is building a brand-new variant of its Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon stealth fighter. Chinese air power watchers and a number of media stories suggest that the production of the long-expected J-20B commenced this summer. The variant will likely feature upgraded powerplants that will add thrust-vectoring controls (TVC) as well as increased power to the J-20’s capabilities, and possibly more.

It’s been rumored that the powerplants fitted to the new J-20B will be an improved version of the indigenous Chinese WS-10 Taihang engines that are fitted to the latest production examples of the fighter. A variant of this engine with thrust vectoring was revealed at the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2018, and demonstrated in-flight fitted to a J-10B single-engine fighter. It endowed the Chinese fighter with the similar jaw-dropping performance and high angle-of-attack nose authority that has become synonymous with late-model Russian “Flankers” and the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor. The engine fitted to the J-10 at Zhuhai was named as the WS-10B-3 and it represented a major breakthrough for Chinese engineering and for the performance of its indigenous fighter aircraft.

...

Despite being the jewel in the crown of Chinese fighter aircraft technology, early J-20A models were all fitted with Russian AL-31 engines. The J-20A demonstrators used AL-31FN engines, but the prototypes and low-rate initial production (LRIP) versions moved to the improved AL-31FN Series 3 rated at 137 kN (30,800 lbs) thrust. It was a customized version of the AL-31 that was the result of a joint development project between China and Russia’s Salyut.

China has struggled to produce a quality, indigenous jet engines for its fighters despite close ties with Russian industry. They have tended to lack thrust and reliability. Chinese engineers have been able to cleverly recreate or reverse-engineer certain technologies, but lack the experience and corporate know-how when it comes to matching the high-end jet engines of their peers.

Imagery of a J-20A carrying the serial ‘2021’ that surfaced in September 2017 also revealed new serrated engine nozzles for the first time. This confirmed that J-20 production had shifted to include indigenous WS-10C engines built by Shenyang Liming. These featured sawtooth exhaust feathers to help reduce the aircraft’s rear hemisphere radar cross-section (RCS). These new engines delivered a much-needed increase in thrust to around 147 kN (33,070 lbs). Reports at that time suggested that these engines featured thrust vectoring, but this was never confirmed.

Images that were released in November 2019 showed J-20s in yellow primer, with the same sawtooth nozzles. These were claimed to be evidence of the J-20B by Chinese media. However, these aircraft were actually additional J-20As with standard WS-10C engines. These engines were also incorrectly identified as WS-10Bs, as that engine is mainly intended for the latest production batch J-10Cs and J-16s and lacks the sawtooth nozzles.

Supposedly, the decision to enter production on the J-20B follows a period of flight trials that were designed to prove the new thrust vectoring configuration for the heavy fighter. The decision to move forward would suggest that this testing has proved successful. Sources have told the War Zone that up to six J-20Bs could be in production at the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAC) and the first aircraft are expected to be complete by the end of this year. They are thought to be followed by a further batch of regular J-20A fighters that are fitted with conventional, non-TVC, WS-10C engines.

This suggests the PLAAF intends to use the first six aircraft for development flight testing, while continuing production of the current standard J-20A with WS-10C to equip further squadrons.

...

There have been various rumors about the actual configuration of the J-20B amid much tighter security rules around Chinese fighter programs. Conflicting open-source information suggested that either Russian TVC-AL-31FN-X engines or the indigenous WS-10 with thrust vectoring could power the new variant. However, given that a J-10B flew a public flight demonstration with the WS-10B-3 at Zhuhai in 2018, the technology now appears to be substantially mature. Furthermore, it is thought that CAC has not built a J-20 fitted with AL-31FNs since mid-2019, having now consolidated on indigenously-produced engines.

The WS-10B-3 with TVC is considered to be a vital step towards the WS-15 ‘Emei’ engine, which was always considered to be the definitive choice for the J-20. However, this powerful Chinese engine has always lagged behind the development curve of the aircraft itself.

The added capability of thrust vectoring has been debated by the War Zone, but as the J-20's designer stated, it could reduce the J-20's canard deflections during flight. Fluttering flight control surfaces are not good for a stealthy aircraft's radar signature. Furthermore, the J-20 is unlikely to have the power required to achieve supersonic speed without afterburner, also known as supercruise, in its current configuration. That important ability is only considered possible once the aircraft receives the powerful WS-15.

The addition of thrust vectoring and major configuration changes would involve significant work, but Chinese military technology is moving fast. The J-20B could go further than just being an engine upgrade. It will likely include avionics enhancements and sensor improvements. There have even been rumors that it could feature a new outer mold line.

Removing the big canards and re-certifying the complex flight control system would be a huge undertaking for the CAC engineers, but doing so could dramatically enhance the J-20. In addition to removing the canards, cleaning up the empennage strakes, refining the wings, and other small low observable (LO) tweaks would substantially reduce the aircraft's radar signature, especially in the radar frequency bands beyond the X-Band that is used by most fire control radars.

Thrust vectoring could help compensate for these changes and, along with the slew of other tweaks, it could still render the fighter somewhat nimble. It is also possible that we could see a more dramatic iteration of the original J-20 design, similar to what is described here, in the future, once the powerplants have been upgraded and smaller enhancements have been made.

...

Manish_P · Post by **Manish_P** » 21 Jul 2020 11:32

Dhoti shiver all your SDREs.

Here is glolious PLAAF showing how it is done... vely badly

Fighter Pilot Breaks Down the Recently Released J-10 ACM Video

wig · Post by **wig** » 26 Jul 2020 09:43

https://www.news18.com/news/opinion/is- ... 33757.html

Is China’s Biological Weaponisation of Pakistan Aimed to Target India? The ‘Sinister’ Deal Will Also Sting US
China has thrown the gauntlet to the world at large. Its worldwide biological attack clearly indicates it has no respect for humanity.

exctracted from above

Wuhan Institute of Virology Pakistan has supplied Pakistan with the reagents for Bacillus Thuringiensis and the above joint China-Pakistan project has conducted successful soil sampling tests to isolate Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT), which has a striking similarity to Bacillus Anthracis or Anthrax. The Wuhan lab is providing extensive training on manipulation of pathogens and bio-informatics to Pakistani scientists to help Pakistan develop its own virus collection database. Anthrax attacks have happened in the past but the above China-Pakistan agreement also includes that collaboration is not necessarily limited to stated objectives and new thematic research to monitor potential new diseases can be added by either party. This provides the handle for developing newer deadly viruses and biological weapons.

There is little doubt that biological weaponisation of Pakistan by China is aimed primarily to target India but it is also aimed at the US and allies and all those countries China considers hindrance in its race to dominate the world. It is quite possible that China may have established similar secret biological research facility in North Korea as well. The ISIS already had access to vintage chemical weapons in Iraq and Pakistan’s ISI is well linked to the ISIS and numerous terrorist organisations. China has established the strategic reach and lethality of biological weapons even above nuclear weapons by releasing the coronavirus from Wuhan in 2019. Whether Beijing has achieved ‘directed’ biological bombs and miniaturised them for tactical use is not known, but biological proliferation to Pakistan unfolds a very dangerous precedent for the world. No one will understand this better than the US reeling under the pandemic.

China has thrown the gauntlet to the world at large. Its worldwide biological attack clearly indicates it has no respect for humanity. America’s continuous efforts to coax Pakistan to tame the Taliban and Haqqanis ignored Pakistan is sitting in China’s lap. But Pakistan’s biological weaponisation will sting the US and the civilised world much more. This should be a wakeup call for collective concrete action.