Some question regarding the J-10 development history !

Hello to all China aviation experts … and esp. specialists on the still secret J-10A development history

I hope I won’t start another flame-war because of “once again” bringing this topic on the agenda, but while I was writing a little further on my articles, I found this old (from 2002) “development history” from an unknown author who describes the development of the J-10 starting once again with the old J-10 – Lavi connection.

What made me curious was not the fact of repeating that old story, but more because of some very detailed information … are they pure fiction ???
Comparing these information with the – I think now widely accepted history as described by Huitong – where the first flight is set to March 23, 1998 and not 1994 !!

My question now is not to discuss the story once again but just to find out where these rumours of a first flight during 1994, a test phase from 1994 to 1997 with the loss of no. 02 prototype and so on came from …. And then it seems to be re-written just to begin 4 years later in 1998 ??????
• Was this 1994-test flight the flight of another fighter …. J-7 or J-8 version ???
• Were there really some tests on the J-10 before 1998 ???
• When – and much more important – because of what information was this all dropped and changed to the actual “version” ???

Hope to find out some help … Thanks a lot in advance,
Deino :confused:

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The J-10 was designed in mind as more of a low-mid altitude multi-role fighter with air-superiority, but leaving more of the latter to its big brohter, the J-11. It was developed to escort the JH-7 on anti-shipping/bombing missions, as the latter can fly from Xinjiang to the TW straits unrefueled (how many km is this?)

Ths Israeli-Sino connection started when Israel was trying to build the merkava, and had some problems with integration and fire control. Supposedly, China sent a team of advisors and helped the IDF with a 2-axis stabilization system and other FCS for the Merkava- in return, the Israeli give themt echnology on the 105mm gun which China then uses to improve the Type-79. Thus, the beginning of their cooperation.

After Israel was unhappy that the US cancelled their Lavi project, they signed a secret deal with China. One of the Lavi prototypes reached China in 1991, and by the end of 1993, prototype 8810 was finished, itself being an exact copy of the Lavi, with radar and FBW from Israel. However, by that time, the PLAAF was impressed with the Su-27, and decided that they wanted their J-10 to be bigger, better, faster, etc…

After improvements, and a test flight in 1994, the PLAAF was still not satisfied, but their prototype achieves parity with the original Lavi. After this, the prototype underwent major revision. The 611 Institute undertook the brunt of the work, setting a record in China for the most # of wind tunnel test hours. They changed the wing to double delta, redesigned the ventral tail to increase stability during high speed flight, adopted the technology of welding? the wings onto the fuselage, changed the engine, air intakes, stealthier, pylons > 10, and the weapons loadout was not changed despite all these improvements.

In a test flight in mid-1996, the prototype 8810-01 flew.

By the end of 1996, the 9910-02 was finished, and featured some more mods- the cockpit was modified, the air intake adopts a wedge-shape?, and an S-shape to reduce RCS. However, between 01 and 02, the tail fins are a bit different.

In 1997, 03 and 04 are built, which used quadruplex FBW system, Chinese 2.5 generation LCD/MFD, Sino-Israeli software written using ADA, INS, and IFF. From 03 onwards, the planes are equipped with the 00 ejection seat, and indigenous engine and weapons management system (this was advertized in the 1996 Zhuhai airshow).

The 04 prototype looks like the EF-2000, but the J-10 is much lighter, and only as one single engine- more like the JAS-39. (Ha, that’s where all the photoshop images came from!) Compared to the 1087 Lavi, it’s totally different- if the Lavi and F-16 had sex, and the J-10 were the child, it would look like it were adopted. The engine used was the AL-31FS with approx. 120kN, total capability exceeded the Lavi by 705, high speed acceeration ~ Su-27, FCS more like that of F-16C/D. Prototypes 02-04 have the same type of FBW, and include HOTAS and other measures to reduce pilot exhaustion.

In 1997, 3 planes are tested (02-04), with the 04 being called the J-10. At the end of 1997, the 02 is destroyed and the pilot is killed in a crash.

Also, one of the 8810 system integraiton engineers goes to the US to defect to the CIA; he carried with him many secrets of the J-10 project, but after defecting, his briefcase with the documents disappeared, and the FBI asked him to recount from memory the information. He asked for protection, but one week later, was run down by a truck with no license plates, and was killed.

At the end of 1996, SAC’s J-8IIACT (not the J-8III as some Western analysts have described) was the tech demonstrator for canards, the new control system, and supercruise tech, exceeding the level of the Su-27.

After the 1997 crash, they improved the seat ejection system, and the 03’s engine was replaced by a more reliable engine- in 1998, the PLAAF conducts their first supercruise test, the first in Asia, with the cruise itself lasting bout 40 minutes. Because the engine tech. for supercruise is rather expensive, the mass production planes will not be equipped with this feature. The air to air loadout of the J-10 is two drop tanks, PL-8 x 2, PL-12 x 2, and PL-14 x 4.

In the fall of 1998, 03-06 have their problems fixed, and at the celebratory problem, JZM congratulates the engineers and takes a picture next th the new plane (THIS IS THAT PICTURE THAT WE HAVE THT WE COULDN’T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS- THOUGHT IT WAS THE FC-1, BUT IT APPEARS TO BE THE J-10!! THE ONE WAS CENSORED.) By now, R&D of the J-10 has gone on for about 10 years.

In 1999, 05-08 are sent to Xian and the Yuan Liang testing range to do the 2nd stage of testing of the FCS- new radar and management system are fitted out, and the problem of amgnetic interference is solved. Also, an indigenous HMS is outfitted.

In 2000, the J-10 is certified for production, and small batch quantities are made, as is the flight manual, and certainsquadrons receive them. It undergoes deep submerged testing?, …..
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… and please, don’t troll me because of this text; it’s not my version !!!