I think it might be easier just to straight up buy an export variant of the Gorshkov class if the IN wants Gorshkov-esque subsystems on a Talwar frigate.

Outside of superior AShMs, I think a Talwar class FFG’s sensor and weapons suite is quite a bit inferior to the Akizuki class. That isn’t a knock against the Talwar class — the Akizuki class is a larger warship by nearly 3000 tons with a much more recent sensor suite and fire control system in the form of FCS-3A, as well as the benefit of quad packed ESSMs in a 32 cell Mk-41

To be fair, the Liaoning has yet to attempt a long distance journey or deployment like what the Kuznetsov has undertaken in the past. The possibility of Liaoning encountering issues on a long deployment similar in nature to what the Kuznetsov has done over the years cannot be ruled out.

… wait why would anyone assume that the 60hr endurance is for max payload?

Surely when looking at the aircraft and it’s specs one would naturally assume or at least recognize that the 60hr endurance is for a low external payload mission like ISR only.

I can’t imagine anyone familiar with UAVs would think the 60hr payload is for the aircraft with a full 1 ton external payload

Considering the Chinese Navy’s got two 45000-50000 ton 901 class AOEs in the water, with the first likely to enter service later this year, fast replenishment ships look to have a future in at least one navy.

four J-20s, one possibly being 2001/2002 prototype, seen at dingxin on 1st June 2017

@fedaykin

well, the VSR question is still being debated. There are a number of mysterious antennaes around the bridge superstructure that is prompting speculation, and especially the two solid looking protrusions (one under the on the side of the ship which were first thought to be vents… but on closer inspection have been thought to be antennae for EW purposes or maybe even meter wave radars.

That said, whether a VSR is present on the ship or not would not have really been a radical departure from 052D or not (considering 052D has the UHF yagi type 517B as VSR, so technically the lack of an aft rotating VSR on 055 is a departure from 052D), it’s the totality of the ship’s new sensors and the way they’ve been positioned, how they’re integrated with combat management, and command/control. And of course the much bigger hull and more VLS.

Going from a 7,000 ton DDG to an almost 13,000 ton DDG is quite a radical departure by any definition imo

Regarding FC-31, there have been recent indications which suggest that the Navy has selected an “enlarged” version of FC-31 to be its 5th generation carrierborne fighter.

It’s unknown if it will be larger in every dimension or like just enlarging its wings or something, nor do we know how much bigger it is. Whatever the final in service product looks like, it probably won’t be exactly like either of the FC-31 airframes, whose purpose will likely be as tech demonstrators rather than prototypes.
There is also a rather amusing rumour that the enlarged naval FC-31 might have received the designation J-35 which would be hilarious.

At the moment it doesn’t seem like the FC-31 in any form has attracted Air Force interest.

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