KANWA is speculating that the Y-8 balance beam AWACS is just a testbed, as we have seen other Y-8s serve as testbeds before. Could be just a testbed, or the Y-8 could also be the final platform. What KANWA is speculating that China might also use feeder jets lilke the AJR-21 or the Embraer jet for this purpose.

Latest issue of AI mag. has an article on Greek F-16s, which is interesting enough, but one of the interviewees said somthing very interesting.

He said that whilst the F-16 is a better multi role platform, it cannot beat the Mirage 2000 in a dogfight. Since the Greek AF operates both types and the pilot in question had considerable experience on the F-16 I see no reason to doubt this on the grounds of biased opinion of experience in the field..

That’s also the general opinion of another AF that operates both types, which is the ROCAF (Taiwan). However, it does appear that the factory or logistical support for the F-16 seems better.

What is interesting about the PL-12 is that it is no longer visually marked like in flight test prototype models, but in the low visibility white typical of a serial production model.

Compare with this.

Shouldn’t that be a J-7D with J-7E style double delta wings packing the PL-9, SD-10 and a scaled down version of the J-10’s radar? Even then, being a new build airframe fitted with a reasonably good BVR missile, it would still be lower on my list than any of the original alternatives. The design is to old. On the other hand a single seat version of the FTC-2000 might have some potential.

Might as well be the proposed F-7MF then, or the J-7FS with the Corsair style nose. Single seat FTC-2000 would be nice too.

MiG-21 Bison with J-7E style wings would be nice.

It looks like “1021” on that J-10B.

Here he is! I’m not to keen on the F-5 or the Gripen in this PDF role, for the simple reason they aren’t zippy enough. Because range is not an issue, i think a nice, big, thirsty turbojet is what you want because having the speed to dictate the engagement (and disengagement!) is critical. While the Gripen’s network-capabilities are definately interesting for a PDF, it just isn’t fast enough.

And Distiller’s right – a system like the one i proposed could only be close to serious if it was with UCAVs used as multi-use SAMs. Considering the costs of training a pilot, and giving a pension to his widow and such :rolleyes:

Depends on what you mean by zippy then. For a Gripen to be as zippy as an F-16A or GE engined F-16, definitely not. Zippier than a Phantom or Starfighter, why yes.

An F-5 definitely lacks any sort of respectable trust or speed. Even a late model MiG-21 can fly away from it.

Definitely an old photo due to the Mao suits and caps the workers wear. Today factory workers either wear white lab coats or blue overalls.