No, the design isn’t that good.

The talented men who designed the Su-27 like Vladimir Antonov, Oleg Samolovich and others are mostly retired. Most of the current crop of Sukhoi designers are post Soviet era and have practically no experience other than endlessly tinkering with the Su-27 in conditions of no money.

The T-50 is going to be another warmover of the Su-27 design.

The higher the technology level, the less stages are needed. 5th generation engines (AL-41F, F119, EJ200) generally use 3 stage fan, 5/6 stage compressor.

F100 used 4 stage fan and 10 stage compressor, AL-31F used 4 + 9.

China set to take two Su-33s for evaluation as first step to potential 50-aircraft contract to build carrier capability

China could buy up to 50 Sukhoi Su-33 naval fighters in a $2.5 billion deal with Rosoboronexport, the Russian state-owned arms exporter, as part of the country’s ambition to build up a viable aircraft carrier capability in the next 10 years.

Under the deal, which Russian news reports say could be sealed by the end of this year, China will initially buy two fighters for $100 million for evaluation. These will be constructed by the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Production Association.

China has a further 12 aircraft on option and the final number purchased could rise to 50 depending on demand, as well as the progress of China’s plans to develop its own naval fighters. Rosoboronexport declines to comment on the reports.

This could be the second largest export contract for Russian arms after a $3 billion deal for 140 Su-30MKI fighters to be assembled in India under licence.

China wants fighter jets to be deployed on the ex-Soviet aircraft carrier Varyag, which it bought from Ukraine in 1999 and is being refitted at Dalian shipyard. Although it is believed to be keen to develop its own naval jets, that is unlikely to happen by 2010, when the carrier is expected to enter service.

Beijing aims to have three aircraft carriers in service by 2016 and, if the development of an indigenous aircraft does not meet that deadline, the orders for the Su-33 could total 50.

The single-seat, twin-engined Su-33 is the naval variant of the Su-27 Flanker fighter. China’s armed forces, which already have 76 Su-27SK/UBK fighters and 100 Su-30 multi-role aircraft, rely almost solely on Russia for imported military technology because of the US and European arms embargo.

http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/10/31/210318/beijing-lines-up-naval-fighter-deal.html

The X-29 lookalike is a test model for the Sukhoi S-22 fighter program (a lightweight design, and precursor to the Berkut) while the flying wing is possibly a test model from the Tupolev Tu-404 bomber program.

FC-1

Empty weight 6411KG
normal takeoff weight 9072KG
Maximum takeoff weight 12474KG
Maximum landing weight 7802KG
Internal fuel 2268KG
External payload 3629KG
Thrust ratio >=0.9
Max speed Mach 1.6
Max ceiling 15,240m
Ferry range 2,037kilometers
Takeoff ground roll 609meters
Landing ground roll 823meters
Length: 14.9679m
Span: 9.4646m
Height: 4.77485m

Specs from http://www.cac.com.cn/cpzs/index.asp

My attempt to scale from the picture of the FC-1 and J-10 together seem to confirm a length of about 16.5m, which is bigger than I expected.

We can also debate whether the translation was correct. We can debate whether that quote came from people who actually had worked with the J-10.

Common sense says you don’t put unnamed sources over official statements of denial.

Actually, they denied transferring the entire Lavi program, but not technology from the Lavi.

David Lari, director general of Israel’s Ministry of Defense, acknowledged in an Associated Press interview that “some technology on aircraft” had been sold to China and that some Israeli companies may not have “clean hands”.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/DL04Ad01.html

Those examples don’t even qualify as something anyone would present to another, for anything beyond mutual amusement. No one is even expected to fall for them.

You seem to think that I’m suggesting that the entire J-10 airframes/scenes or programme are PSed or CGI. I am not. However, I’m saying that the small details that can be analysed – serials, markings, roundels etc, can be tampered with or modified, and it would be quite difficult to make out the mods.

In addition to too much emphasis on that alone, a lot of the other info is hearsay and speculation. It is fairly clear that the J-10 programme has progressed far and well, but I would quite careful in going beyond all that and comparing it to other XYZs.

I’m aware of the 54 AL-31Fs but the problem is that these could have also been spares for imported Flankers or for locally built ones, of which the exact fleet strength isn’t certain (correct me if I’m wrong). Incidentally, India ordered 17+44 GE-F404-IN20s but the LSP aircraft are still some years away from induction.

Harry, the engine deliveries are confirmed by Lyulka and Salyut as:

9 prototypes from Lyulka in 1997 (for prototypes)
54 production engines from Salyut in 2001-2002
100 production engines from Salyut in 2005-2006

All of these are delivered as of this summer. Salyut are currently hopeful of a follow on order for 100 more to be signed in the not too distant future.

These are AL-31FN engines, and don’t fit in Su-27s. They can only be used on the J-10.

All available evidence, including Google Earth for example, points to a fleet of up to 100 J-10s right now, including prototypes/pre-series, with numbers increasing rapidly. There’s certainly more than 54.