But for the PLAN it IS 1948. China is dreaming if they think they can somehow master carrier operations before 2030. This admission of deaths in their carrier program seems to explain the current snail’s pace of their work up for carrier operations. And speculation is that there could be much more to this story.

A major accident on deck could be the reason why the PLAN was so touchy about the USS Cowpen’s getting close to the Liaoning during that carrier’s first deployment to the South China Sea back in November 2013.

In any event this is proof that having a carrier and knowing how to use a carrier are two very different things. More information on the circumstances of these training deaths are bound to leak out sooner or later.

I guess Russia didn’t get enough trouble with Chechnya. Ukraine would be Chechnya many times over if they decide to fully invade that country. Meanwhile likenesses like this are appearing all over Moscow as Putin builds on his cult of personality.

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Yes engines. Any news on that front?

I’m a reasonable person who can be persuaded with evidence. Show me the numbers. Break it down to gun kills, WVR missile kills, and BVR kills from the Gulf War on.

Here is the break down: “..In Bekaa Valley in 1982, 8 kills were with guns, 54 with IR missiles and 12 with radar-guided missiles; more than half of kills were made by “multirole” F-16 despite it being primarly tasked with bombing missions. All radar-guided missile kills except one were from visual range. Total of 5 BVR shots were made, making data range very low…”

Note that most kills were made WVR. Dog fights.

Regarding gun kills we see this:

“During Six Day war all shootdowns achieved by Israeli were by cannon. It dropped to 70% during Attrition War, 30% during Yom Kippur war, and 7% in Lebanon Interdiction in 1972. During 1982, only 4 shootdowns scored by British fighters were by gun, and US only scored 2 during Desert Storm.”

The Israelis seem to favor guns whenever the opportunity presents itself

Source: http://defenseissues.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/air-to-air-weapons-effectiveness/ I have more if needed

In the real world MiG-21 stand no chance against F-15s. Yes you can construct unrealistic scenarios where the F-22 can be shot down by a biplane but what is the relevance? Real world air battles are primarily BVR engagements supported by AWACS.

The relevance is that the USAF does not want a repeat of the air battles over North Vietnam where a mistaken over reliance on missile technology and the BVR fight led to the belief that WVR combat was a thing of the past. Lessons learned from that conflict have led to making sure that all American fighters have an internal gun and are trained to smoothly transition from missiles to guns as the need may arise.

by your logic, USAF should replace its F-15s with Mig-21s.
this is the human resource of modern Japan. very sad.
http://www.vice.com/vice-special/aokigahara-suicide-forest-v3

You seem to be unaware of the results of Cope India 2004. Within the strict rules of engagement the IAF handed the USAF some surprises.

The JASDF equipped with their ATD-X and F-15J’s can hand out similar surprises to the PLAAF for the reasons I have outlined earlier.

Read about lessons learned at Cope India 2004 and I am sure that you will agree: http://theaviationist.com/2014/05/02/cope-india-2004-results/

Based on…..?

The question was wither the ATD-X aka F-3 would be a handful for the J-20.

Answer: First, just the size of the J-20 alone would give the ATD-X pilot the tactical advantage as the battle moved into WVR. During the Red Flag exercise which the IAF participated in, it was noted that the size of the Su-30MKI allowed the USAF pilots to spot the Su-30MKI first as they closed to the merge. Seeing the enemy first gives advantage. J-20 is at least as large an aircraft as Su-30MKI.

Conversely, in Cope India 2004, the Indian Mig-21 Bison offered a nasty surprise to the visiting F-15s. With its low radar visibility, instantaneous turn rate and “jackrabbit acceleration”, the Mig-21 Bison was a handful. It can be argued that ATD-X with its thrust vectoring, radar stealth features and small visual signature will offer the same and more to those J-20s and J-11s encountered over the skies of the East China sea.

This fighter whenever it gets built looks like it will be more than a match for the huge Chinese J-20 in an air – to -air tussle.