On a more serious note, I don’t really think all these big su-30 purchases are smart. Instead of a stop gap solution, a few dozen bought, they’re turning to be really the mainstay of future Ruaf fleet. Su30m2 is pretty obsolete even today, and even Su30sm isn’t really going to be superior to many opponents in ten years’ time. And even the whole mig-35 plan doesn’t seem like it’s worth the while, considering the timetable it will happen in and considering all these planes will be serving 30 years from now.

Sure, companies making those planes got work, certain people got their pockets filled, Ruaf got a continuity of training their personnel on planes that can actually fly – but at what cost? Wouldn’t it have been better if su35 was the mainstay of all ruaf purchases until pak-fa was ready for mass production? Even if it means investing money only into one manufacturer? Sure, those planes are more expensive, and maybe even the inventory totals would have been lower if that route was taken – but plane purchase price is really just a smaller part of operating a plane over 30 years. And part of the extra cost would have been compensated with less pilots and infrastructure needed due to less two seater planes.

Having two or three competing firms may be doable for very large economies. But if France, UK etc are getting by with a single producer – maybe it’s better for Russia too, instead of throwing a lifeline to multiple manufacturers (within the same company even!) every now and then.

PLAAF operates j8 in various variants (including recce variant) in 8 regiments. (planaf operate an additional one) That could be over 150 active duty j8 in plaaf plus another 20ish within planaf. Last of them were freshly made in SAC factories in 2011 and most of these 180ish date from 2000 and later. So they have at least a decade or two more, aiframe life wise. Whether plaaf will indeed keep all of them until they run out of flying hours is another matter. But i don’t see a premature fleet retirement until the said fleet drops well below 100 airframes, making it economically unsound to keep the infrastructure for an obsolte type that’s available only in small numbers. So i’d say we’re looking at at least 2025, i don’t think plaaf will retire its j8 before that. 2030 is also possible. planaf should replace its last regiment fairly soon, at most a few years, or even within a year.

Q5 is in a similar position. planaf doesn’t operate them anymore. plaaf has 7 regiments/brigades operating them. Plus there’s the training variant q5j, which was produced until very recently, and which serves as lead in training plane for jh7 regiments. The youngest of combat variant airframes are not over 10 years old. Overall figures may be close to 200, as q5 units seem to have more planes than most of other units. So, as with j8, it doesn’t seem likely combat variants will vanish before 2025, and training variants may stick in small numbers even to 2030.

Less than more, i’d say. These are angled against the fuselage and B2’s are flush with the wing. On one hand these might have somewhat better high AoA capability as they’re higer above the wing, but on the other hand – they’re really above the lerx, not the wing. What sort of air circulation one might see over and around lerx? could it be too turbulent for proper air ingestion?

The rest of the plane looks to be designed for supersonic speeds to me, so the whole AoA issue might be important.

And yes, i am fully aware that’s just a fanboy design, i am discussing the general aerodynamics issues here.

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possibly the first image of ws-20 engine from the front. Intake area seems very comparable to ps90a. Thicker intake lip and engine cowling seems to be present, though.