beautiful photos, Is that a sea vixon?

Japan has no right to build SSMs of any means, its restricted by their constitution, since it can be a vessel used to deliver nuclear weapons. I think too many ppl has forgot what Japan is like 60 years ago, Japanese people are proud and ambitious people, once they have the power, they will expand, and this is already showing as they are slowly changing their constitution. I think people should revisit history lessons again, eg: Pearl Harbour? Rape of Nanking? Occupation of Korea, Singapore, Philipines, China? Asians have suffered too much in hands of the Japanese during WW2, and I think none of the countries would want Japan to have SSM now. I think China should really re-think its policy of not using nuclear weapons first if Japan aquires SSMs of any sort and have nuclear capability.
As for the North Korean and Chinese threat as seen by JSDF, its full of crap, North Koreans dont have any capability to attack Japan, nor does China want to invade one of its biggest trading partners (or have the capability).

To Flogger,

I think your assumption of J-8I is based on E152 is simply based on the fact that they look similar. if you look at Sino-Soviet relationship closely, you will understand that their relationship was never an easy alliance. Ever since 1949, China and SU already had some border disagreement, both sides restrained themselvs for a “greater cause”. Even during Stalin era, soviets disagreed on China having a strategic capability eg: having a submarine force, have a long range bomber force (small number of TU-4 were delivered to China as a token of good will on Mao’s birthday), have nuclear weapons. The soviets actually started reduce their tech assistance after 1957, and pull out their tech advisors completely in 1961. So you see, there is no way that SU would provide blue prints of a experimental aircraft to China, (E152 was still top secret before 1961). Mig-21-F13 was completely delivered in 1961, because the agreement was made before 1959, and the negotiations started as early as manufacturing of the first Chinese Mig-17 took place, and thats 1956. You simply cant say that an a/c is a copy of another because they look similar, in that case, we can claim F-15 is a copy of Mig-25.

Hi Phantom, here some answers

Mig-19P has a radar in the nose, thats why the nose canon was deleted, u r rite about Mig-19S having 3 canon and so did the J-6 in PLAAF. the AA-1 Akali is a beam riding missile with little chance of hitting a fighter, since the carrier a/c have to keep the target illuminated at all time until hit with his/her gunsight. thats why the Chinese version of Mig-19P (J-6A) was fitted with 2 PL-2B IR missiles later.

Excuse my ignorance on AEW and AWACS, just a question, if for example PLAN has installed the serachwater onboard the Y-8 transport, it will have better range and endurance and cruise alt, would it give a slightly better coverage as it is flying higher than the helo? Since seaking’s searchwater antenna is installed in one bag outside of the helo, how come PLAN’s Y-8J has both nose atenna and antena in the extended tail? Finaly question, Can marinetime patrol a/c like Nimrod MR.2 with an adequet radar able to be used as a simple AEW for low flying a/c?

Hi troung, heres a pic of PLAAF J-6 shot down in vietnam, my memmory didnt serve me correct, it was an J-6 that was shot down.

more info on the A-5, it has armour protection for cockpit and enigne, with bullet proof windscreen. its WP-6A was originally intended for J-6III, which as a modest 4% thrust increase, but with all the extra weight from armour, more fuel and longer fuselage, it is much less nimble than the J-6. That can be reflected by the PAF’s disappointment at its AtoA performance.

To clear up the Argentine a/c I mentioned before, I was implying that the same achievement as what the Argentians did cant be repeated under mordern air warfare environment.

one of the fatal flaws on the British part that lead to the sinking of Sheffield was the lack of AEW a/c. Now if countries like Japan, China, now all have AEW platforms in one form or another, flying wavetop level and pop up for attack wont be an advantage