It could be modern equivalent of F-117, used to knock out only most important targets like Taiwanese or Indian ABM systems, etc. Perhaps Chinese feel that such missions needs a human pilot instead of drone what can be jammed.
How many LS-6 (50kg) series bombs could that sort of machine hold?
http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-PLA-GBU.html#mozTocId132067
More like a modern stealthy F-111 considering its emphasis on speed.
Kopp should petition Australia to cooperate with SAC
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When this model emerged there was actually a lot of talk regarding its dimensions. There was a rather curiously detailed post over on cjbdy that gave it dimensions of…
length: 28.4m, wingspan 22.12m, height, 4.96m, combat radius, 3200 km (you can challenge the verity of the claim of course, on many levels, but I for one think it feels right.)
http://lt.cjdby.net/thread-1623084-1-1.html
As to a potential weapons load…
Among others which I won’t post
This plane is a striker not designed for high AoA. The top air intakes would give it better stealth characteristics against ground radars and even against airborne threats in a high altitude profile.
Compared to the chinese everyone else appears to be bungling fools.
That is one of the reasons why so many people dislike plaaf followers on this forum, not only because of the lionizing of your own group but the derogation of others. Sure everyone has their own flaws but jeez some users here are just opening the rest of us for verbal abuse.
/rant over
… But yes the top air intakes is a nice addition and will certainly aid against ground based radar. If this plane materializes, I think it will be one of the first if not the first supersonic aircraft with top mounted air intakes. A better shot of the model should also confirm whether it follows the YF-23’s general fuselage/wing blend, and the wing planform. I don’t know who in their right mind could think this thing was subsonic.
A shot to confirm the side weapon bays (for carrying self defense BVRAAMs?) would also be nice.
I don’t think there was anything wrong with what he said….
He pointed out that it looked like the model shown at an Iranian parade day. I see similarities in it myself. He also said that maybe they are doing a joint project like China/Pakistan. It’s just speculation, nothing wrong with that.
I thought he was making a reference that the model was somehow Pakistani and that therefore the chinese model and that may be connected.
Of course the more paranoid folks may also wonder if there was a coy subtext trying to connect the cheap plastic propaganda models that Iran has been showing which serve no other purpose than to wave their arms around in a childish manner screaming “we’re relevant!” along this chinese model, thereby insinuating the latter is as much a real project as the Iranian model (with the most distinctive shared feature being their top mounted air intakes)… but I’m sure nobody was thinking that.
Talking about distinctive shared features:
-Aircraft_180113.jpg)
The biggest problem with the whole J-20 is a striker debacle when the plane first came out was that it was completely wrong for what the PLAAF needed. Not big enough to carry supersonic ASHMs let alone normal ASHMs internally, relatively small, lacking the range needed to strike at targets in the second island chain and beyond.
This plane “Jh-XX” or whatever we’re dubbing it, makes much more sense as a striker, for the PLA.
And to whoever said this is a UCAV, the models nose shows a canopy, notice how it reflects the light differently.
Huge and… subsonic
But you know, the black model might only be an artistic impression made around a former project in the form of the yellow model.
What can be extracted form this photo is only that the Chineese AF are confident enough to build a large modern/long range version of the F117… Or simply want others to think around this idea. Any how, I don’t see any benefits afgainst the so called J-20 (no supersonic dash capability etc… etc…)
I thought one of the more obvious aspects of this plane is that its intended for high speed?
It’s more FB-23 than F-117 methinks
Does anyone know how far the Indians are along with their Kolkata destroyers? Wikipedia says two should’ve been commissioned by now, but the latest pictures (circa March this year) show this:
And I’ve heard no news or pictures of any of them actually in service ploughing the waves. Any more knowledgable members willing to enlighten the subject? Cheers.
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