The MKIs would be delivered by 2015-16 MRCA may well be into the next decade.

I see — how many MKIs are in IAF service as of now, and what kind of production/procurement rate are we looking at?

The Chinese fifth gen is supposed to be operational at the end of the decade and China has the habit of not offering the best it has. The FGFA should enter Indian service around the same time frame, hence the advantage would stay as it is.

Hmm J-20 with the WS-15 should be operational around 2018 (they might get the first batch with upgraded WS-10 eariler, think after 2015).

I think Pakistans best bet would be a Sino Flanker, with their latest A2A missiles.

The Proposed Chinese Silent Flanker will be an ideal counter in the short term while waiting for the Chinese fifth gen to become available for export.

The PAF could pick from SAC’s flanker derivatives and the supposed J-18 (a 4th/5th gen based on SAC’s failed J-XX bid) because CAC’s J-20 lite probably won’t be ready until beyond 2020… I’m not sure if the PRC will restrict SAC’s aircraft due to tech leak concerns, and I can’t imagine the Russians will be too happy if an unlicensed derivative of their signature plane gets exported without royalties or consent.

I wonder if such a large aircraft would be overkill… with one silent flanker or whatever, the PAF could get more F-16s JF-17s or J-10s.

RCS reduction is not irrelevant because the fighter with lower RCS when clean has a lower starting point than one with a higher RCS. Pakistan being a narrow nation doesn’t help the cause either as Indian aircraft from forward bases may be able to operate without the need for EFTs.

there are still external weapon loads though… Would A F-16 52 and a RCS reduced rafale both carrying a standard weapons load look that different on radar?

So what was the J-15 years ago is now said by huitong as possibly the J-18 (SACs medium weight 4th/5th gen fighter, the one which looks like the F-22)

Zzz

I mean seriously, why make an aircraft that has “only a passing resemblance to su-33 and was conceptualized way back in early 80’s and is a totally different aircraft” when they have proven themselves to be capable of making complex aircrafts as J-20. Even though anyone with an anti-china bent believes that j-10 a rip-off, there are enough design differences to inspire confidence among chinese nationalists, and with J-20 i was convinced that chinese designers have come of age, hence the disappointment with j-15

CAC and SAC are quite different 😛

To be fair even with the J-20 I think the J-15 was the safest route to take — the flanker’s a really good platform and is still relevant today and into the far future. I think that’s why SAC’s continuing to produce flanker variants, and building such an aircraft competely indigenously (or copied whatever) is a pretty big task which SAC should be proud of. I’d be more than satisfied with SAC if they can deliver on J-15 and J-16 without substantial delays and if we see a prototype of the supposed J-18 (which might be not a flanker derivative?).

After J-20, flanker derivatives, continuing production of J-10, maturation of WS-10 and AWACS being quite successful I think the last real aviation hurdle the PLAAF face is to source a reliable producer for transports… Y-9 and Y-20 are up next (helicopters too, I suppose is an issue).

One would hope they advanced on Soviet Era avionics.

I’d be surprised if they didn’t considering they already have J-11B… whose avionics are definitely better than those on soviet era flankers.

If the chinese can fit a lraam on this baby before indians can fit meteor on tejas-n and mig-29k, the battle can be pretty one sided, unless of course indians do it first.

Easier just to use an AShBM before they take off 😉
Won’t elaborate much more… in dangerous territory 😮

How’s about ‘Flying Green Bus’? BEEP!BEEP!BEEP! Look out everyone!! It’s reversing!!

I don’t get it? :confused:

Yeah it is probably BS.

Great angle… if only the landing gear was retracted at the time.

Oh dear three times the same pic in a row:rolleyes: And has anyone looked into the bay to claim it’s a weapons bay? :p

Actually two same pics in a row… there are slight differences between the pic in post 556 and 557 and 558.
I can’t imagine what else those doors would be for — it’s where everyone’s been expecting the weapon bays to be. Unless you’re implying maintenance access or something less important? 😮