The PLAAF and Airborne: a look at the past, present, and the future.

[Khand-e]

It's sort of an icon, isn't it? Like a weird late-to-the-party Asian Phantom equivalent. Not to mention its historical significance.

 

Development actually started relatively early but was quite troubled, so yeah it arrived quite late by the time it was in the air. Still, it actually is surprisingly fast and nimble for it's age with the later variants making it at least somewhat viable as it's intended original role as an interceptor. (It used to have a never exceed speed of Mach 2.2 due to the engine troubles which was never really used, it can handle mach 2.4 now without problems.)

 

It's just that, by the time they did work out all the bugs and modernization began with the PLA, It was just sort of dated, the many updates it's received have tried to fix that, but you can only update an old airframe so many times.

[LoooSeR]

Photo report from the 10th bomber division of the PLA Air Force

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1439435.html

 

    Chinese military portal 81.cn published a large photo report from the 10th Bomber Division Air Force of the PLA Nanjing Military Region, partially equipped with the latest Chinese long-range bombers-missile H-6K

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Belesarius]

Expected flypast order for the Chinese Victory Day Parade.

 

 

[Belesarius]

http://defence-blog.com/news/china-reveals-its-new-z-19e-light-attack-helicopter.html

 

A few decent shots of the Z-19 Export variant.

[LoooSeR]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://imp-navigator.livejournal.com/364785.html

[Scolopax]

Still not entirely sure why they led with the smoke.  It didn't exactly make for the best views for the following few flights of aircraft.

[Donward]

 

DrivingFlying While Asian.

 

[Khand-e]

Well the P3 is anywhere from 3-6 times the mass of a J-8 depending on how both are loaded.

 

Not exactly hard to predict who's going to win in a game of chicken gone wrong.

[Collimatrix]

Documentary on the J-10:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpfIaHZhhsA

[LoooSeR]

http://imp-navigator.livejournal.com/365473.html

 

7th prototype of the J-20.

 

 

 

 

[Collimatrix]

Note revised DSI humps.

[Belesarius]

New AAM for the PLAAF.

 

http://www.janes.com/article/54531/chief-designer-reveals-data-on-china-s-new-luoyang-pl-10-aam

[Khand-e]

http://imp-navigator.livejournal.com/365473.html

 

7th prototype of the J-20.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://sturgeonshouse.ipbhost.com/index.php?/topic/728-bash-the-j-20-thread/?p=20543

 

Well it does confirm that 2016 does indeed exist, so now the known pennant numbers for the J-20 prototypes are, in chronological order, 2001, 2002, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016.

 

(Yes they supposedly skipped 2014 for official reasons unknown. I've heard rumors however it's over the Chinese superstition regarding the number 4.)

[Khand-e]

Also, next batch of J-20s may actually go to frontline units if this model's testing is successful, which could imply the WS-15 is finished up to the standards they wanted it or at least very close.

 

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20150913000185&cid=1101

[Khand-e]

So yeah, here's a thing, while I'm not sure about the whole "fighter-bomber" akin to the F-111 theory, this image seems to mention it alot for it's multi role capability, including ground attack and also wild weasel and electronic warfare duty like the Raven variant, striking at what appears to be AWACS or logistics aircraft at long distances, and, even ASAT capabilities.

 

I need to actually have this image verified though.

 

 

(Note I'm not sure why they'd use a Jet to kill a satellite, China has been known to have ASAT capabilities from ground launched missiles for quite a few years now.)

[Khand-e]

Note: musical chairs time with missile designations, the PL-12B after confirmation from the mainland is no longer believed to be the folding fin varaint of the PL-12 intended for the J-20 and J-31, instead, the PL-12 is base, PL-12A and PL-12B are improved variants, and the PL-12C is actually the folding fin variant of the PL-12B, the PL-12D is still the ramjet modified variant of the PL-12B.

 

 

Note the PL-21 is a very large, long range Air-to-Air missile that, like the PL-12D is ramjet boosted.

[LoooSeR]

J-10B with Taihang new engine 

 

[Khand-e]

Hmm, scanning that QR code lead me to an interesting Wechat group.

[LoooSeR]

Wechat?

[Khand-e]

Wechat is a program by Tencent, the avatar on the QR code is the user's profile picture, he's a represenative for Sina mil which.... has a fuckload of interesting content actually.

 

Chinese internet and online programs and apps make massive use of QR codes, this works very well due to how innular Chinese internet is, if you want to find out the most you can related to anything Chinese, you need yourself a QR scanning app.

[Khand-e]

Speaking of which, their internet sleuths apparently found more differences in 2016 vs 2015 then we did, translation to come.

 

[Khand-e]

So, a few days ago the PLAAF announced the PL-15, the eventual successor to the PL-12 family was successfully tested against a drone at 100km distance away.

 

CG image of J-31 launching a PL-15

 

 

And J-10B carrying missiles that are (probably) the PL-15

 

[Khand-e]

More J-10Bs rolling out.

 

[Belesarius]

PLAAF Z-9 doing a touch and go on a roadway.  Dashcam vid, supposedly from Beijing.

 

 

[Collimatrix]

Speaking of which, their internet sleuths apparently found more differences in 2016 vs 2015 then we did, translation to come.

 

 

 

Yes, yes please.