From BR:

Does anyone have the specs for the french engine?

Not French engines, props.

Interesting to note that the TOW-2A isn’t a tandem warhead. Tandems are specially made to counter ERA.

Those pursuing P-3s better have some fighter escorts as they approach Chinese waters… 😉

JANE’S DEFENCE WEEKLY – NOVEMBER 17, 2004

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China’s Su-27s may fall short in capability
Robert Hewson Editor Jane’s Air-Launched Weapons
Zhuhai, China

The Russian-supplied upgrade for China’s licence-built fleet of Sukhoi Su-27SK single-seat fighter aircraft, produced by Shenyang as the J-11, is not as advanced or far-reaching as once believed, sources have told JDW.

Earlier reports suggested China was close to fielding upgraded Su-27SKs that delivered a level of multirole capability approaching that of People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Su-30MKK aircraft.

To date only a limited new air-to-air capability has been added to the upgraded aircraft and China has not made meaningful steps towards producing an ‘indigenised’ Su-27 fitted with Chinese-built engines, weapons, radar or avionics. Furthermore, Russian industry sources have said that China is moving to halt J-11 production on the grounds that the design is out-dated and lacking in overall capability.

Upgrade work for China’s J-11s began earlier this year under the leadership of Russia’s Technocomplex group. Currently, “several 10s of aircraft” have been refitted under this programme, sources said. The main feature of this upgrade is centred around changes to the aircraft’s Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design (NIIP) N-001 radar, that add the ability to fire the Vympel RVV-AE (Nato: AA-12 ‘Adder’) active-radar air-to-air missile (AAM). The improved N-001VE can control a simultaneous engagement with two RVV-AE missiles.

The improved radar is not being built into aircraft on the production line. Instead, each J-11 produced by Shenyang has its radar shipped to Russia for upgrade by NIIP before being reinstalled by Chinese technicians. NIIP has offered several growth options for PLAAF J-11s including a further improved radar and the ability to launch the Kh-31 air-to-surface missile. None of these options have yet been taken up and the company says little interest has been expressed in acquiring a multirole J-11.

Neither are the upgraded J-11s compatible with China’s own active-radar AAM, the PL-12 (SD-10).

According to NIIP, China has not asked for PL-12 integration and the company has been given no technical information on the missile’s operating modes whatsoever. It has long been thought that PL-12 capability was a cornerstone of China’s J-11 upgrade plans.

China is also understood to be developing its own advanced fire-control radars, perhaps to pair with the PL-12.

NIIP sources told JDW that, in their experience, local progress in radar development has been slow and China’s capabilities still lag about 15 years behind the leading edge of radar technology.

China remains wholly reliant on Russia to supply the AL-31 engines that power both the J-11 and the Chengdu J-10 advanced fighter. JDW understands that supplier FSUE Salut is currently negotiating to provide a batch of 300 AL-31FN turbofans to support J-10 production.

First of all, they are vintage aircraft. Nothing wrong with them, as we can upgrade their Electronic Warfare system and use them for five to 10 years. But we will be introducing into our service a vastly different type of aircraft with attendant logistics and operational spares requirement. In any case, we have a major problem as we maintain a diverse range of equipment. I would say that we should go for an Airbus or Boeing configuration. This would give us much more electronic capability.

A man after my own heart 🙂

What the heck is this then?

Major Progress on British Air Tanker Deal: Sources
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, LONDON

Discussions on Britain’s 13-billion-pound ($24 billion, 18.8 billion euros) air tanker deal with a consortium led by the European Aeronautic Defense and Space company (EADS) has seen “substantial elements” agreed since September, a source familiar with the matter said Nov. 3.

The source added that a deal could even be agreed as soon as late December but would be near certain to come within “the next couple of months” and added that letters cited by the Financial Times on Nov. 3 to the effect that Peter Spencer, procurement officer at the British defense ministry, had ordered “fall-back studies” for an alternative to the EADS deal, were two months old

“Things have moved on dramatically since then, and substantial elements of the contract have been agreed,” the source said, although cautioning that there were still some sticking points.

The Financial Times identified one key sticking point as an insistence by EADS unit AirTanker that the ministry assume the full design and construction risks. But the source said that disagreement had been resolved, with AirTanker agreeing to shoulder part of those risks.

The Royal Air Force contract is central to an effort by EADS to enter the military air tanker market with its Airbus range. The promise of a British contract was the first for the A330 as a tanker.

Contacted Nov. 3 by AFX News, AFP’s financial news unit, a spokesman for EADS said the company believes the tenor of recent press comments does not accurately reflect the true state of negotiations.

“We’re actively engaged on a daily basis with the customer during the ongoing negotiation phase and working together with them.

“Progress is being made, and we’re confident and optimistic about the proposal and concluding a successful deal,” he said.

The high impact speed of the Brahmos is helpful in penetrating armor plated compartments… like magazines and VLS area. A detonation in the VLS compartment of any mid sized ship (less than 10k tons) is a total mission kill and a possible ship loss.