The J-11 is a more or less Su-27S
The J-11B is a J-11 with added some capabilities but potentially other capabilities downgraded. I expect it to be inferior in air to air comparing with J-11/Su-27. It also can be havier and can have shorter airframe life.

Err wait, if that was the case why not just buy Russian flankers then?
I hope you’re not subscribing to the idea that J-11B is a knockoff and that it will be inferior to the “original” product, which in itself is relatively outdated in the modern day.

The J-15 is one of the Su-27K prototypes probably made into flyable condition. Remember that few years ago Chinese wanted to buy carrier capable Flankers (Su-33) and Russians refused, so the option of researching own carrier capable flanker is the only option they have, and it is not the preferred option.

I thought it was more along the lines of China wanted a small batch to “evaluate” while they had already acquired the T-10K prototype from Ukraine, and the Russians refused, and PLANAF went forwards with its original idea to develop their own naval flanker?

It’s questionable whether China really wanted Su-33s in the first place. Maybe Tphuang can explain it further, the details elude me.

Boxed wing UAV?? 😮

Here’s what I posted over on SDF:

—-

Compare with the model seen a while ago…

(posted by =GT and pierrotlefou on CDF first)

AND…

So, I have a few things I want to say about this. I think the appearance of this uav (which does not look PSed), whatever and from whoever it is, can lead us to believe that models of these kind of uav’s at past zhuhai airshows do have credit behind them and that we can probably see their prototypes within a few years (xianglong, pterodactyl, CH-3, and now this uav has all shown it quite reliably)

Therefore, I think in a few years we can look forward to this:

Not completely BS considering huitong says an X-45/X-47B by SAC will be flown in a year or so. The Warrior Eagle UCAV above certainly looks like it fits that category.

Next, it’s a freaking boxed wing UAV!! gotta hand it to whoever designed this (I think it’s CAC? They said on CD that it was called the Xianglong but it’s clearly different to the one we’ve seen before about three years ago). Not even LH and NG have a real prototype of a closed wing aircraft yet I believe.

At least no one can claim it’s a copy this time, but I have a feeling some might still try :diablo:

Fine, but if “it” (what ever the designation for “it” might be) is a clean sheet design, why are we attempting to compare it to the Su-35S rather than the T-50? And if there really are that many SAC projects pending there is even more reason to be baffled by the rationale behind another Silent Flanker type design.

I don’t know, maybe because “it” might not be a real 5th gen fighter? If so it’d be a bit unfair to compare with T-50 — or would it? 😮 (j/k)
There are so many random SAC projects going on it’s hard to discern whether two are different or the same plane.

2. you wanna talk about J-16 go to PLAAF thread or make your own, very very easy

This is a thread about the differences between J-11B and Su-35S. It’s a small step to start talking about a similar rumored SAC project which is more suitable to compare with Su-35S.

A few “off topic” posts will occur in every thread and in this one it was hardly derailing the topic (well now it is), seeing as it was fairly relevant to the title. No big deal.

I do wonder about the rationale for the J-16 though, unless it is born with a tail hook. If the modifications really are as extensive as is being alleged it will basically have ceased to be a Flanker derivative and become commensurately expensive to develop. In fact, trying to preserve some Flanker DNA will arguably hold the design back, much like the Super Hornet which, despite the similar lines, has hardly anything structural in common with the basic F/A-18A/B/C/D other than the canopy. The Su-35S is about as far as you can sensibly go without throwing away the benefits of basing your project on an existing aircraft and being left with only the constraints.

Apparently J-16 is a whole new design?

But the situation isn’t very clear — before the idea was that J-16 was an F-15E style J-11BS (whether J-11B and BS can fire A2G weapons is controversial), and that J-17 is the silent flanker, J-19 is the cleen sheet design. All three are by SAC, and all three are set to appear sometime this year and next.

^ Yeah, just flicking through photos it doesn’t seem to be on the production versions.

I love how there’s that random hot woman with that pram just stretching…

The angle of the photo brings out the chining of the nose quite well.

(apparently that Su-34 is owned by the BBC? :diablo: )