We can put it this way. Roughly.

About 300 to 400 built of all types. About 10-12 regiments of the J-8II with each regiment from 24? aircraft to a maximum of 40. Actual numbers should be somewhere in between.

Of this, probably about 130 are J-8Is, which is the type with the round inlet nose and looks like a Ye-152. 20-30 were sold to Iraq, some were lost in the Iran-Iraq airwar and the remainder in the GW1. There should still be around three to four regiments of this type. One regiment is converted as reconnaissance. Two regiments were converted to the J-8E configuration.

The rest are the J-8II configuration with the sharp nose and the lateral side intakes. Surprisingly, the J-8II only shares 30% parts commonality with the J-8I, basically that 30% is the engine.

Variants:

J-8 Basic day fighter, no BVR missiles, PL-2 or PL-5B missiles. WP-7 engines
J-8I Type 204 or SR4 monopulse radar, no BVR missiles, PL-2 or PL-5B missiles.

JZ-8 Recon variant of J-8

J-8II Otherwise known as the J-8B, this is the base variant. Type 208 radar with PL-10 capability, with queing of PL-8 all aspect IR missiles. WP-13A1 engines. The radar ain’t very good, prompting the need for a foreign replacement of the radar. This initiated the Grumman Peace Pearl project to replace the Type 208 radar with the APG-66. Canceled after Tianammen Square incident, but destined to be canceled anyway due to cost overruns.

J-8B Ditto above. Many J-8Bs could have been upgraded with the Type 1471/KLJ-1 radar.

J-8C This was a major experimental platform circa 1995. The J-8C never came to service but it had profound effects on the development of the family. The type was fitted with MFDs, a refueling probe, PL-11 missiles and the ELTA M 2034 radar, a customized variant of the ELTA M 2032 radar. The redesign was meant to address the defects of the J-8B.

The 2034 was never adopted, and so was a FIAR proposal for a Grifo variant for the same plane. Instead, in 1996, the plane was flying the Type 1471 radar, also known as KLJ-1 for its factory designation. The KLJ-1 was China’s first successful slotted array pulse doppler. It could support the PL-11 SARH missile and the PL-8 IR AAM; it had lock down mode, and it probably has ground and sea search, as well as track while scan and multiple targeting ability. The radar was a major breakthrough for the Chinese, as the radar on the J-10 seems to be derived from it (KLJ-3), as well as for the J-7G (KLJ-6E) as well as the proposed ones for the J-11 and FC-1. I believe the KLJ-1 may have absorbed technologies from the Elta 2034.

Later around the year 2000, the J-8C prototypes were used to test the Kunlun engines, also known as WP-14.

J-8D. Hard to say when this plane came to service. Some sources say 1996 others 1999. It had the Type 1471/KLJ-1 radar and an IFR probe. There is another variant called the Block 02 by enthusiasts for the lack of proper designation, but it appears to be the same plane without the IFR probe though the plumbing remains there. There is around five to six regiments of this plane, one of them with the PLANAF. There are many pictures of this plane refueling in midair. Engine appears to be the WP-13AII.

J-8E. These are J-8Is upgraded with JL-7AG radar, an improved variant of the JL-7A radar used on the J-7D. The JL-7 radar was first introduced on the J-7C but the whole type was not successful. The JL-7 radar was improved to the JL-7A, probably reworked with Israeli help, since the radar could now que the PL-8 missile, which is a Python 3 copy. You don’t get that knowhow to que a Python without the Israelis teaching you how. The JL-7A went to the J-7D, and the successful Type 226 radar on the J-7E appears derived from it. Thus the term “J-8E” is meant to match the J-7E. This plane has no BVR missile capability at all.

J-8F The latest variant of the J-8II family. It sports Kunlun II engines (7600kg thrust each), so expect it to be very fast. The radar appears to be an improved Type 1471 that can launch the SD-10 missile. A prototype of this plane appears to be used for SD-10 test trials. Some news say that small numbers of this plane appear to have been built.

J-8G — Please note letter suffixes do not follow in sequence when it comes to the Chinese. “G” is often a reserved letter signifying “Gai” or improved. A J-8G would therefore have been a significantly improved J-8.

J-8H — H is another letter that tends to be off sequence, probably meant as a bomber sort of thing. This version appears to have two wing fences on the wing and a new exhaust nozzle that suggests a new engine, which could be the higher rated WP-13B. The RWR on this plane appears different too. It is said to have a SEAD capability, using two or four YJ-91 (licensed manufacture Kh-31Ps). The radar type used on this plane is on dispute. It may be a Type 1471 attached to a new RWR system; it may be the Zhuk-8II first used on the F-8IIM prototype. It may even be the JL-10A radar used on the JH-7A whose fire control system can use the Kh-31P. Small numbers of this plane may have entered service, at least one or two regiments.

Prototypes.

F-8IIM — Two prototypes with the Zhuk-8II radar, a strengthened airframe, two WP-13B engines. It can support various Russian guided munitions and missiles, as well as Chinese missiles and unguided munitions. Intended as a multirole aircraft, the F-8IIM was originally meant for export but the J-8H could be derived from it.

J-8II ATX — A prototype used to test FBW systems. This plane had active canards. Probably related to J-10 systems development.

a page on the IAR-95. the FC1 is such a exact replica including the wing shape, lerx, air intakes, the tailfins leads me to believe Chengdu or Pak purchased this design from Mikoyan ? good idea
to leapfrog the airframe design phase…if true.

compare the photos:
http://www.incas.ro/romanian/departamente/programe_aviatie/Romanian%20Supersonic%20Projects.htm

http://www.pakdef.info/pakmilitary/airforce/index.html

I think it’s just a coincidence, mainly because the Romanians are trying to achieve the same thing as the Chinese —create a cheapo F-16 like clone from around a Russian engine. If you look at the top part of the plane with the wings are and the mid body section, it’s very F-16ish.

Suffice to say, the FC-1 has a more prominent spine, the back isn’t as flat, and the longer nose is angled towards V shaped intakes. It also has dual ventral fins, and the oriignal FC-1 models have the plane with a sawtooth on the LERX. The FC-1’s elevators are much more F-16ish and bigger.

The IAR-95 is bigger too since you’re using either the R-29 engine (from the MiG-27), or the Spey turbofan. Strangely enough, some poeple suggest that the FC-1 should use the Spey derived WS-9 as an alternative engine. But no, the FC-1 was designed around a turbofan lighter than those two engines.

Suffice to say, the Mikoyan Project 33 has a much stronger linkage to the FC-1 project, mainly because like the FC-1, it was an attempt to create a fighter out of a single RD-33 class turbofan.

I think you’re just looking for excuses. The J-10B cockpit strikes me as being much closer to the Su-27UBK, Su-30MKK kind of cockpit, just as I predicted once. A close up on the pics shows you that the rear seat is higher than the front seat, and there is a clear front view for the second officer. The cockpit also angles in the same way.

As for the spine, it does not stretch like a bar like in late model F-16s. Rather, it actually tapers to follow the lead in shape of the cockpit, and this again, quite different from the Lavi as well.

So far this is what I know.

Kai – APG-66J radar (based on F-16A APG-66 radar), Japanese ASM-1/2 integration (indigenous AshMs), AIM-7M/P Sparrows, AIM-9L/AAM-3.

ICE – APG-65 (Hornet radar) with AIM-120.

2000 – Elta M 2032 radar and various US and Israeli style munitions, Litening pods.

What is the difference between Japanese upgraded F-4J vs. German upgraded F-4s vs. Turkish-Israeli upgraded F-4s? I have some inkling about the radar differences but can someone conveniently summarize the differences?

Who knows? There was a military officer in Taiwan before investigating anomalies in the La Fayette frigate purchases and he turned up dead.

US military equipment works. Military Cooperation is easier when allies share the same equipment. It is as simple as that.

That’s the point.

They don’t share a lot of equipment Not when you start looking at them close up.

You keep going around about the “massive” amounts of US equipment in Japan.

Here is a sample of the massive “US” equipment in Japan.

Type 90 Main Battle Tanks
ASM-1 and 2 (Japanese destroyers don’t use the same AshMs as US destroyers do).
AAM 1, 2, 3, and XAAM 4 (Japanese F-4s and F-15s do not use the same AAMs as US planes do.)

Already some of these differences amount to a considerable logistical problem. Do you expect that a USAF F-15C to use an AAM-4?

True, they do share the same datalink standards, but so does any European product within NATO. Logistically, S. Korea is much more logistically aligned to the US than Japan, but that didn’t stop S. Korea from getting Russian T-80Us.

I guess, but again, read the GAO report. LM did acquire Japanese cocuring bonding technology. Are you going to dispute what HAPPENED?