Yeah, you could assume that the wingtips would be reserved for smaller IR AAMs.

PII, the FC-1 has been publicized from the beginning as having the SD-10 as its main weapon. In fact, the first time we saw the SD-10 is on a FC-1 mockup. That actually caused a stir.

The PL-5, -8 and -9 are givens if it hopes to enter PLAAF service. The PL-11, I’m not sure. Because it is SARH, it might require a different set of parameters for its radar that the PLAAF might not bother with because of expense. (IR AAMs are simpler and are just a matter of “cue-ing” or lining a up a target before letting the missile’s infrared sensor take over; SARH means power for continuous lock on a target and receiving those signals as well as sending signals to guide the missile)

Of course, for PAF service, it would be compatible with AIM-9s. And might be compatible with PL-11 in the form of FD-10 since the Pakistani would undoubtedly go for a more expensive Western radar that would allow SARH if they choose, though probably pointless since the ARH SD-10 is the main armament.

Originally posted by PhantomII

2. I notice the prototypes all have PL-5’s (PL-5E?) on the wingtips. Are the PL-8 and PL-9C too heavy for the wingtips? I’ve noticed this same thing with the JH-7 and JH-7A. What AAM’s is the FC-1 to carry? I’m guessing PL-5, PL-7, PL-8, PL-9, PL-11, and PL-12 (currently called SD-10)? Am I right?

The PL-5’s we on the FC-1 (as well as the JH-7s) see are almost certainly purpose-built inert (weighted dummies) or training rounds (working seeker but no motor or warhead.) The PL-5 seems to be the generic dummy used in initial weight testing.

We see the J-10 with PL-8s in many pictures. So maybe once a type has progressed to a point where it needs to simulate possible warloads, it changes to carrying other types.

3. How large (gallons-wise) are the external fuel tanks the FC-1 can carry? I assume they are carried on the centerline and inboard wing hardpoints?

We haven’t seen FC-1 with drop tanks yet but we could assume that from a cursory look at clearance and weight figures that it could carry at least a 750 liter center line tank as well as two 480 liter wing tanks that Chengdu uses with the J-7s.

I would expect some commonality with expendables like drop tanks with other CAC products.

Here is a April 10th article from the Daily Times of Pakistan.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_10-4-2004_pg1_5

They used a part of the photo that Usman posted

quote:
Pakistani pilots test JF-17 jet

ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistan Air Force pilots have completed the first test flight of a prototype fighter jet developed jointly with China, a military statement said on Friday.

The statement said Pakistan Air Force test pilots, Squadron Leader Muhammad Ehsanul Haq and Squadron Leader Rashid Habib, flew two 30-minute sorties in the skies above Chengdu, the capital of southwest China’s Sichuan province on Thursday.

This was the first test by Pakistani pilots of the single-seat JF-17 after the aircraft made its maiden flights piloted by Chinese crews last September.

The pilots evaluated the flight performance of the aircraft in different phases of flight. After landing, both pilots reported that they were extremely happy with the excellent performance of the aircraft in all phases of its flight.

With these flights, the Pakistani pilots have joined the chosen team of Thunder test pilots, which already includes the Chinese test pilots.

“The series production of the jet fighters is scheduled to commence towards the end of 2006,” PAF spokesman Sarfraz Khan told AFP. He said in the first phase five prototype fighters would be manufactured, three for flying and two for ground testing and a small batch of 16 jets will be produced by the end of 2005.

China and Pakistan have had close military ties since the 1950s and have jointly manufactured aircraft since 1979. Besides jointly developing the K-8 trainer jet, China has also exported several other military planes to Pakistan. —Agencies

Owlet dragon 3 fly the nose to fly 7 minutes to witness that, The airborne performance may hit for 90 minute

2004-04-11 04:02:23 clicks:
On April 11, 2004 09:45 Chinese net

Yesterday (9) the date the 5 PM of 30 minute, by became fly the owlet dragon 3rd airplane which the group company developed, in the Chengdu 温江 airport straight thrust vault of heaven, after the aerial flight approximately 7 minutes safely descended in the ground.

Drives this fighter plane is air force some test flight production brigade vice- Chief Liang ten thousand is handsome. Flies from owlet dragon 1 as successfully flies as 3 successfully, has only used 8 months time, has created in a China aviation industry history miracle. The owlet dragon 3 heads fly successfully, symbolized became flies has already had the continual volume production owlet dragon airplane ability.

What the owlet dragon 3 modelling structures and owlet dragon 1 basic same, only is different was owlet dragon 3 has made some partial improvements in the interior testing device and on the air intake system; Two airplanes undertake the test mission key point to be different, in the owlet dragon 3 main tests airplanes withstanding stipulation scope each kind of atmospheric pressure ability, simultaneously also must test the pilot guidance airplane the difficulty degree.

Flies successfully along with the owlet dragon 3 heads, the owlet dragon airplane performance further will consummate, can adapt the modern warfare request and the military airplane development demand, and for next step international, the domestic market development lays the powerful foundation.

Owlet dragon airborne fervor “vaudeville”

Yesterday 5 PM, continuously the overcast Chengdu sky, suddenly changes is sunny, 久违 the sun has also stretched out its reluctantly head… … The Chengdu 温江 airport, in the aircraft parking area, the body throws over the yellow green battle dress the owlet dragon 3rd fighter plane calmly to stop, the wing next two antis-ship missile faintly is reflecting cold brightness.

Advanced post: Annihilates teaches 5, annihilates 7 to take turns to launch an attack

In front of the test flight, the owlet dragon 3 priorities carried on a low speed to slide with two high-speeds planing experiments. When last high-speed planing, the test pilot after the starting engine runner, builds for the first time adds the external force, the airplane tail group blowout flaming flame, high-speed planing surpasses 800 meters. At the same time, annihilates teaches 5 to start to lift off the link field side to fly for the test flight hits the advanced post, wide range collects the newest meteorological data. After continues annihilates teaches 5, annihilates 7 also to fly the blue sky, flies the plan route to do finally inspects. It is said that in the test flight if has the dangerous situation, this position annihilates 7 seniors the negative navigation heavy responsibility.

Soaring: Takeoffs hundred meters to be straight drops down

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1, takes off!” Follows the commander’s cupola red flag to fall, the airplane slides the speed by slow and is quick, the nose slowly raises, is howling the direct impact blue sky. “The ground, the ground, the aircraft status is good, requested overall flies second!” The distant place transmits the fighter plane thundering, suddenly as soon as flushes in a moment from our, its vigorous physique, if punctures the heaven 雄鹰.

“Owlet dragon 3” in airborne are big 耍花样, a while like airborne enters Shui Feilong rapidly from to descend to takeoffs several hundred meter high; A while has like god Long Zuanyun, by takeoffs several hundred meters straight to insert Yunsiao. In 疾飞 the process, a sudden fuselage side turns by the horizontal flight stands erect the flight, afterwards performed one after another airborne turned around, the turning around and so on a series of stunner.

Descends: Lightly touches the ground calmly to deploy

5 o’clock 36 minute, the fighter plane finally starts slowly to dive to under. The head flies descends is a most dangerous link, because airplane all parts all are the first reality complete each kind of movement with joint forces, the test pilot also is the first operation airplane, therefore difficulty enormous, slightly has the consequence to be carelessly inconceivable. “Good, receives attractively!” The fighter plane landing gear lightly touches the ground, meets the hanging runner “to be conscientious” the movement on the runway, holds up the head airplane which throws out the chest gradually with ground parallel, the airplane tail chute calmly blooms… … Pilot report: “The flight finished, air manoeuvre all normal, the flight performance is good.”

Test pilot: Its performance may hit for 90 minute

Held the post of this test mission air force some test flight production brigade vice- Chief Liang Wan Jun still to smile called oneself was “both anxious and excited, the owlet dragon flight quality was quite good, goes far beyond we at the experimental time feeling.” Liang Wanjun gives the owlet the dragon 3 appraisals to be very high.

“How many minute do you give the owlet the dragon 3 performance to hit?” Liang Wan Jun pondered the moment to reply: “Owlet dragon 3 at least may hit for 90 minute in the test flight performance.” Liang Wan Jun believed that, tests a fighter plane performance the fit and unfit quality, not only must look at the fighter plane whole the machine capability, but also has the fighter plane the operational performance, “since is the fighter aircraft, the fight performance certainly must go through a strategic pass only then good.”

Background material

“Owlet dragon” name origin

The Chengdu airplane industry (group) limited liability company Chairman Luo Ronghuai introduced, the new fighter plane therefore does not use “ultra seven”, but names as “the owlet dragon”, the reason is the company decided newly develops the fighter aircraft life great soldier taking a walk series, “the owlet dragon” for the first kind, hereafter also possibly uses similar “the leopard”, “the tiger” and so on the name to name, these beast of prey’s names can vividly manifest the fighter aircraft the performance. Luo Ronghuai added that, “‘ The owlet ‘ is one kind of bird of prey, ‘ the dragon ‘ is Chinese nation’s symbol.”

Chinese aviation two big miracles

The owlet dragon airplane aims at the 21st century operational environment, defers to “invests, develops, altogether takes on the risk, the sharing benefit together together” the principle development development advanced multipurpose light fighter aircraft by China and Pakistan. On August 25, 2003 owlet dragon 1 flies successfully. The owlet dragon airplane flies successfully from the freeze technology condition to 1, has only used 23 month-long time, has created in the China aviation industry history miracle. Flies successfully from owlet dragon 1, 3 flies successfully to April 9, has only used 8 month-long time, has created in a China aviation industry history miracle.

Achieves the third generation fighter plane potency

Because has used the contemporary advanced design and the manufacture technology, the owlet dragon has achieved the third generation fighter aircraft synthesis fighting efficiency.

The owlet dragon airplane uses the medium aspect ratio tapered wing the conventional configuration layout, the advanced air operated layout enable the airplane to have the better lift efficiency, is bigger 升阻比 and the good big angle of attack characteristic, simultaneously has the certain stealth ability.

The owlet dragon airplane installs a thrust force to be big, the fuel consumption province high thrust ratio 涡fan engine, uses under two sides ribs to let in air, the nose may hold the heavy-caliber radar antenna. Entire machine altogether has 7 外挂点, may be hanging many kinds of empty, the open area weapon, and may outside hang 3 auxiliary oil tanks, always outside hangs the ability 3,600 kilograms, the normal total weight is 9,100 kilograms, the maximum range is 3,500 kilometers, the combat radius is bigger than 1,200 kilometers, had already achieved the third generation fighter aircraft synthesis fighting efficiency, has had the ability which contends with with now the advanced fighter aircraft. (Author: Zou Wen, Meng Mei, Zhang Xiaohong)

Day government office morning paper on April 11, 2004
Edition: Long Xin

Notes on the above article:

It was a 7 minute flight not “90 minutes. “90 minutes” in Babelfish talk is actually “90 points.” Chinese vernacular often talks in the form of test scores. In this case, it is 90 out of 100 total points. So the headline means that flight performance is 90 out of 100.

“annihilates teaches 5” is babelfish for FT-5 and in the article, it took off first to test the atmospheric and weather condition before the the FC-1 03 flight.

“annihilates 7” is J-7. In the story a J-7 served as a chase plane. (Probably the same J-7MG we in a series of related J-10 photos.)

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