Frankly that article only confirms my opinion that there has been a crash in quality at Jane’s considering that is where the author is from.
The article is full of sweeping statements and rather condescending conclusions based upon what he saw in a flight display at an airshow!
Usually only amateurs, fanboys or JSR would conclude what an aircraft’s actual performance is whilst watching an air display routine from a distance or on a video.
Not saying the J-31 hasn’t got flaws or performance issues to iron out but this article is a very poor piece of writing.
What do you think Deino?
Ohh I feel a field of mines lying in front of me …
To admit, I agree, there is a really severe crash in Jane’s quality regarding China. Just look at the report about the J-31-striker version, based on a small grainy CG made in a University related article not even to SAC … .
I have the feeling that esp. from the US media it is a common behavior to show “hey they want to become a superpower, they are getter more and more dangerous, they are spying around – esp. our beloved US military industry – and investing billions of $$$$, but hey, they are first of all not smart enough to catch up, they still lack behind and it they will never catch up since we are Americans, the Pacific is ours !”
But let’s take a more serious look especially regarding the J-31 and please take it simply for what it is: It is a technical demonstrator, build more or less as a “private” (as far as this is possible in China) venture by AVIC. As such they are in fact correct, this type is right now underpowered, too heavy (in relation to the engine’s thrust) it certainly lacks a fully operational mission suite and has surely some flaws here and there. Yes so what … look at the evolution from X-35 to F-35 … and the same if it will proceed goes here for the J-31. No one would have claimed such stupid things about other technical demonstrators like the JSF-testbirds, the British EAP, the X-29 and X-31 …, even the Russian Su-47/S-37 flew with “old” smoky engines.
Overall I rate this design a good basis to develop a decent medium-size fighter to replace older J-7, J-8, and so on … but the fate of it is simply connected to the availability of a decent powerplant. If SAC can’t find a modern medium-sized high-thrust turbofan – and this excludes even the latest RD-93 IMO – then it will fail.
I think as such we need to sit down and take a deep breath and wait … maybe we need some tea to wait even longer
But that’s just my opinion.
Deino
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