No. 2 Minhas Squadron Reequipes With JF-17 Thunder Block-II

No. 2 Minhas Squadron of Pakistan Air Force has been reequiped with JF-17 Thunder Block-II Fighter aircraft. Minhas Squadron of Pakistan Air Force is based on PAF Base Masroor which indicate that it me be tasked to perform maritime strike role.

The JF-17 Thunder fighter jet is armed with C-802A Anti-ship Missile for use against maritime targets such as warships from standoff distance of 180 kilometers.
In maritime strike role JF-17 Thunder will be able to carry two SD-10A Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVRAAM) and 2x PL-5E II Within Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (WVRAAM) for self-defense purposes.

 

GB-6 Guided Aerial Dispenser For JF-17 Thunder Light Fighter

Its stated that this heavy munition is intended for anti-armor & IFVs in battlefield. Chinese state-owned precision defense equipment designer and manufacturer NORINCO build this lethal weapon system.

Its clustered with various sub-munitions which could adjusted against any armor or soft targets (human or soft skinned vehicles)  for precise attack. This weapon system successfully integrated into JF-17 Thunder to widen its attack capabilities. Its surely increases Thunders' lethality in a greater extents.

The Chinese Air Force's Super Weapon: Beware the J-11D Fighter

According to Russian media outlets, which cited unnamed Chinese reports, on Wednesday the People’s Liberation Army Air Force conducted the first flight tests of its J-11D fighter aircraft. The plane is an upgraded version of the J-11B fighter jets, which themselves are copies of the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-27.

According to the reports, the new J-11D incorporates a number of technologies from China’s J-16 fighter jets. Both planes are manufactured by the Chinese company, Shenyang Aircraft Corp, and the J-16 is believed to have incorporated some technologies from the J-11. However, the J-16 is a multi-role strike fighter.

Perhaps most notable of the J11-D’s upgrades is that it reportedly incorporates the J-16’s advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. When the PLAAF first took delivery of the J-16 in April of last year, Jeffrey Lin and P.W. Singer wrote in Popular Science that:

The most important upgrade to the J-16 is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which is more powerful than the slotted array radars that the Su-30 and JH-7A have. The AESA radar allows the J-16 to intercept enemy aircraft at longer ranges than either of its predecessors, and to attack multiple surface targets simultaneously. The AESA radar would also be datalinked to other Chinese platforms, including unmanned vehicles, to increase their situational awareness.

This AESA upgrade significantly enhances the J-11D’s capabilities over those of its predecessors. In fact, pointing to the AESA upgrades, some analysts have said the new J-11Ds could be China’s version of the Sukhoi Su-35s, which is Russia’s most deadly fighter jet. In fact, some U.S. military officials have told The National Interest the F-15C Eagle and Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet “would both have their hands full” in combat against the Su-35.

Besides the AESA radar upgrade, Russia Today reports that the new J-11D uses more composite materials and boasts more air-to-air missiles like the PL-10 and PL-15 than did earlier versions of the plane. It also has a new in-flight refueling arrangement that is similar to the J-15.

Also very notable is that according to some sources, the new J-11D is powered by two WS-10A engines, which are indigenous engines. For all its rapid advances, Chinese aerospace companies have continued to struggle to make high-powered engines that are reliable.

Insight into JF-17 Thunder Block-II.

Rafale Can Be Shot Down Like 'Mosquitoes by Chinese-Made Flankers': Russian Envoy

Indirectly expressing his country's surprise over the Indian Government and its defence establishment's decision to go ahead with its reported plan to buy 126 Rafale combat aircraft from France, Russia's Ambassador to India, Alexander M. Kadakin, said the Dassault Aviation-manufactured fighter aircraft could be shot down like a mosquito by a Chinese-manufactured or produced Sukhoi jet should there ever be a conflict in the neighbourhood.

 

Ambassador Kadakin, who was attending an interaction between Russian and Indian journalists in the national capital yesterday, said, "We (Russia) are still very surprised that Rafale is being bought, because if the Rafale is intended to oppose Pakistani or Chinese planes, then the Sukhoi which the Chinese produce, or mobilizes, but which is only 50 percent of the Sukhoi which you (India) produce, then even for the Chinese Sukhoi, these Rafales will be like mosquitoes on an August night. They will be shot down like mosquitoes. That's why I don't understand why...."

Rafale had won the bid to supply the Indian Air Force with 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft. In July this year, Indian media reported that the Ministry of Defence is continuing its final negotiations for acquiring these aircraft for almost USD 20 billion.

The negotiations, which have been protracted and complex, are reportedly at a final stage, with over 50 per cent of the final contract as well as the inter-governmental agreement, and all that reportedly remains is for the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to give its political approval for the inking of the contract. Ambassador Kadakin, however, said that he or the Russian Government must not be misunderstood on the issue.

"There were some reports about difficulties. Of course, if you mobilize funds to buy Rafales, which has become from 10 million U.S. dollars to 23 million U.S. dollars (in terms of cost), then it is another story. That is a story of mobilizing finance and resources. But it doesn't have to affect the (sale or purchase of) fifth generation aircrafts," he said.

"The fifth generation aircraft, work is going according to schedule, and there were no problems reported about the designing work which carried out now by Indian and Russian scientists. Work is going according to schedule, and there were no complaints. There were some negotiations about the share of designing work. We understand India has already accumulated good experience in designing aircrafts, and that is why we were thinking of doing it fifty-fifty. But this has to be now specified and elaborated on paper because there are certain fields of aircraft building industry where India is not yet ready completely to take up responsibility for designing it. This can be done jointly by Indian and Russian designers and engineers," Ambassador Kadakin added.

Taking an apparent dig at New Delhi's reported shift towards acquiring weapons from the United States, Ambassador Kadakin said, "When people start speculating around world, U.S. their technology, and that there would be much more military supplies, all that, you understand, it is all just hullabaloo, it's all hype, it's not much technology coming from them (U.S.) to India. Or, should that be corrected, zero technology is coming from U.S to India."

He took pains to highlight Russia's contribution to India's defence sector over the years. "At the same time, India is building Russian Sukhoi 30s in Pune, India is producing the world's best cruise missile Brahmos, India is navigating in the open waters in nuclear powered submarines (Akula-II class). India is building Kudankulam with our help. These are the real facts, and wrong are those doomsayers," the Russian envoy said.

Once the project is finalized, the first 18 jets are to be delivered to IAF within 36-48 months, while the rest 108 will be manufactured by HAL with transfer of technology over the next seven years. In July, then British Foreign Secretary William Hague lobbied hard for the Eurofighter Typhoon, which is backed by UK, Germany, Spain and Italy, in his meetings with the Narendra Modi Government. Germany is also learnt to have renewed the push for Typhoons.

The U.S. lobby reportedly still hopes that either the F/A-18 'Super Hornet' or the F-16 'Super Viper' can fly back into the MMRCA competition. But the Indian defence establishment is quite clear there can be "no comebacks" in the ongoing MMRCA project. With IAF down to 34 fighter squadrons, when at least 44 are required, IAF has identified the MMRCA project as its "topmost priority" for the NDA Government.

The event was organized at the Press Club of India. The club's president, Anand Sahay, used the opportunity of the interaction to highlight the need for a greater exchange of views between journalists and media houses of the two nations. He said that media of both countries must play significant roles in a wide and broad range of spheres, and not just restrict themselves to geo-political or strategic coverage.

J-31 Shen Fei (Falcon Eagle) Goes On Chinese Aircraft Carrier "Liaoning"

It  was an aspect that J-31 Shen Fei (Falcon Eagle) stealth fighter jet will go on flight deck of Chinese aircraft carrier "Liaoning".

Full scale model of the Chinese J-31 Shen Fei (Falcon Eagle) Stealth Fighter Jet has been spotted on Flight Deck of Chinese Aircraft Carrier Replica.

 

Stealth Back On Track With Further Flight Tests!

Shenyang J-31 completed another test flight last week and here are photos of that flight.

 

How J-15 Flying Shark Arises!!!

It has finally happened. We finally have news confirmation from Xinhua and also have pictures of J-15's first take/off and landing from Xinhua. The news of first landing came a couple of days ago, but this is the first time we have seen the photos.

First Chinese made Carrier Borne fighter, J-15 Flying Shark

 

Here is a timeline of China's naval flanker program just to give you an idea:


2001, Assemble the T-10K-3 prototype that PLAN purchased from Ukraine. Use this for long term technical study.

January 2007, AVIC1 and PLAN’s major program (J-15) research work started.

July 2007, AVIC1 SAC had a large program tackling meeting
January 2008, blueprint work finished, start prototype research & production stage.

August 31st 2009, J15-0001 had maiden flight.

 

May 6th 2010, maiden take-off flight from the simulated jet-ski at CFTE. Continued production of single digit number of prototypes for future testing.

August 10th, 2011, China’s first aircraft carrier went out for sea trials. J-15-0005/CFTE-554 and J15-0008/CFTE-556 prototypes made numerous fly-overs, low altitude touch and go landing along the way.

 

July 2012, Finished certification test flights, given permission to product single digit number of batch 0 J-15s for initial testing/trials works.

September 25th, 2012, PLAN first aircraft carrier was named Liaoning and had its first sailing after commissioning in October.

November 3rd, 2012, J-15S-0001 had maiden flight.

Early November, 2012, Liaoning had second sailing after commissioning.

 

November 20th, 2012, a PLANAF pilot made the first carrier landing trial.

November 23rd, 2012, Two PLANAF pilots flying 2 J-15s finished carrier op controlled first official takeoff and landing trials. 

 

This marks successful completion of first stage of the Carrier aviation project.

Updated LCA Tejas Mk.2: Infographics

A schematic info-graphs of Tejas, here, shows what features will be includes in the upgraded version Mark-II. First flight target 2017:

Tejas aircraft deficient in at least 100 technical parameters: Experts

The light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas is deficient in at least 100 technical parameters, said experts associated with the project. They also alleged that the initial operation clearance granted to Tejas two years ago was given despite the aircraft not meeting various crucial technical parameters.

The experts said as the aircraft has not achieved crucial technical parameters, it continues to be flown only by test pilots and its performance parameters too need to be monitored by ground-based stations. They also said the engine of Tejas lacked sufficient power. Though the experts were hopeful that these issues would be resolved by the then end of 2013, still the issues aren't clear how those make the pathway to solve,  they admit complex technicalities pose serious obstacles.

In a press release issued in March, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) admitted the delay in completion of project "Development of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas" and said it was hopeful to achieve Full Operational Clearance (FOC) by December 2014. "The LCA project, which though got delayed initially, is currently progressing on a fast track and is working on aggressive time schedules," it said.

"Productionisation of LCA is already going on. First series production aircraft were ready by the end of 2013, which aren't inducted still in the IAF. Indian Air Force has already placed order for 20 LCA in IOC configuration and another of 20 LCA in FOC configuration," added the release.

The Tejas aircraft is being manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The project 'Development of LCA' was sanctioned in August 1983 and Project Definition Phase (PDP) of LCA was completed in 1988. In 1990, a decision was taken to undertake LCA development in two phases. In the first phase to build 02 Technology Demonstrators (TDs) along with development of critical technologies including Multi Mode Radar (MMR) and in the second phase to build Prototype Vehicle0s, integrate weapons, sensors, and flight testing leading to Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) and Final Operational Clearance (FOC).

Recovery Parachute System for Indian LCA Developed by DRDO

Indian Govt. organization DRDO develops "Recovery Parachute System" for its LCA Tejas.Does it mean that this Light Fighter could drop straight down when flying in the sky? Its an obscure phenomenon, because Indian authorities and online defense forum members are sounding like " this is a fighter that there are no types exists like this one where F-16 C/Ds could match a little". The LCA program inducts an aerodynamic design straight from French "Mirages" and takes 30 years to develop an aircraft. HAL grasps some manufacturing capabilities by assembling Russian designed and ultimately final tested aircraft Sukhoi-30 MKI, specially made version for India.

Every year India loses pilots through the crushes of  "ancient bisons", the MiG-21s, so they feared about such crushes. And a little more doubt make them anxious about LCA. For this reason it is believed that Govt. wants a system which could minimize the damages and  loosing lives of pilots and ultimately refusal of pilots to fly these "premature" LCA birds.

The news about this "Recovery Parachute System" was published on defenceforumindia.com. Which is same as below_

[December 2005, defenceforumindia.com]

Recovery Parachute System

It is mandatory for a combat aircraft to demonstrate its spin recovery capability during flight test programme. The purpose of this system is to provide emergency recovery of aircraft from an inadvertent spin in case the aircraft controls are ineffective and are unable to pull it out of spin. The recovery is achieved by deployment of a parachute, which applies an anti-moment force at the rear of the out of control aircraft bringing its nose down further. This brings the aircraft into a controlled stabilized dive and helps it to come out of spin/deep stall.

DRDO has developed such parachutes for the flight test of LCA. The test altitude envelope for LCA (9500 kg weight) is 2 km to 12 km. The sequence of operation is as follows: 

 When a drogue gun is fired, the slug mass of the drogue gun moves rearwards and sequentially deploys the pilot chute at an aircraft wake distance of 23 m. When the pilot chute is stretched, snapping of the weak tie (48 kg) separates the slug mass of the drogue gun along with deployment bag of pilot chute. The chute then inflates and consequently pulls the packed main parachute. As the pilot chute moves rearwards the main parachute deploys sequentially. As soon as the main parachute is stretched, snapping of the weak tie (100 kg) separates the pilot chute and the deployment bag of main parachute. This allows the main parachute to inflate and produce necessary drag force of 32 kN, resulting in a yawing movement of aircraft. It then steepens the flight path angle (a-angle) of the aircraft. The aircraft can then be pulled out of spin by increasing its speed. The total operational time of the system is 3 s. When the aircraft comes out of spin, pilot jettisons the parachute by operating the release mechanism. The system has various redundancy/safety devices. When the release system fails, parachute can be separated through failure of weak link by accelerating the aircraft by 30 per cent.


Development work at sub-system level has been successfully completed and final qualification tests are under progress.

How big is PLA J-31 Fighter’s Weapon Bay?

New US fighter jet exceeds budget by billions

Next generation F-35 fighter jet is years behind schedule and costing billions over its allocated budget.

As the White House scales back US military spending, the Navy has just drastically reduced its order of the new F-35 stealth fighter jet.

The deployment of the F-35 is years behind schedule and billions over budget.

Al Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan reports from Washington.

Stealth Changes for China’s Stealth Fighter

When China unveiled its J-20 stealth fighter in 2011, analysts noted the aircraft’s potential to shift the regional balance of power further in the favor of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force. And the country is clearly committed to investing in military hardware. On Wednesday, China announced it was increasing its defense spending in 2014 to 808.23 billion renminbi, or about $132 billion, a rise of 12.2 percent. 

 

Sonic boom of J-20 Mighty Dragon

But many analysts have suggested that the J-20, ostensibly the showpiece of the air force’s modernization, had the “look” of being stealthy without actually incorporating many of the details that make aircraft difficult to detect on radar, as the defense journalist David Axe noted in The Diplomat in 2011.

For one thing, Mr. Axe wrote, “several rear-aspect photos seem to show traditional, fixed, round engine nozzles. The F-22, B-2 stealth bomber and now-retired F-117 stealth fighter-bomber all have carefully shaped, angular nozzles meant to scatter radar waves. In the F-22, these nozzles can move, ‘vectoring’ the engine thrust to boost maneuverability. The T-50 can pull the same vectoring trick with its round nozzles. The apparent absence of stealthy nozzles and thrust-vectoring places a hard limit on the J-20’s ability to evade radar detection from behind.”

The J-20’s nozzles are also mounted in such a way that infrared sensors could easily detect their heat signature. (The engines themselves pose a different type of engineering challenge for China, which may be more difficult to overcome.)

But the three aircraft seen so far are prototypes. Their manufacturer, Chengdu Aerospace Corporation, appears to be learning as it tests, based on photos circulating this week.

The first prototype, serial number 2001, shows significant differences from the latest prototype, serial number 2011, in the position and serration of the landing gear doors, the shapes of the nose and engine intakes (just to the rear of the cockpit) and the shape of the vertical stabilizers, or tail fins.

All those areas have been adjusted, presumably for performance and stealthiness reasons, as The Aviationist points out. The latest version also has a different paint scheme, which could mean absolutely nothing, but could also indicate a different type of radar-absorbent coating. The F-22, B-2 and F-35, the world’s only operational stealth aircraft, all use such coatings. 

 

The Chinese J-20 stealth fighter, in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, in 2011.

The J-20 made headlines when it was unveiled, not just because of the technology it represented, but because it came during Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’s visit to China. At the time, Mr. Gates questioned “just how stealthy” the Chinese fighter really was, then said the Pentagon was stepping up investments in a range of weapons, jet fighters and technology in response to the J-20 and other aspects of the Chinese military buildup in the Pacific. A Pentagon spokesman later said that the J-20 “has not changed the strategic calculus at all.”

The Pentagon has since suggested that the J-20 will be ready for deployment no earlier than 2018, but it remains unclear how many of the planes China could field. China’s other stealthy aircraft prototype, the J-31, produced by Shenyang Aircraft, has been suggested as a potential export. So far the J-20 has, officially, only been earmarked for use by the Chinese military.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen how much the J-20’s design changes matter and indeed how effective an aircraft it is. But it is evident that the plane’s flight testing, at least, is far more than just a publicity stunt.

Saudi Arabia may buy JF-17 Thunder Light Fighters manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex

According to a report of "The Nation" newspaper of Pakistan, Royal Saudi Arabian Air force may buy PAC made JF-17 Thunder fighters. The news is here:

WASHINGTON - Saudi Arabia is reportedly considering purchasing the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet that was jointly produced by China and Pakistan. According to a report in World Tribune, the Saudi Arabian Defence Ministry and Royal Saudi Air Force are reviewing the JF-17 programme and considering becoming a partner in it. The report said that Pakistan had offered the JF-17 fighter to Saudi Arabia with technology transfer and co-production.

The offer apparently occurred when Saudi Arabian Deputy Defence Minister Prince Salman Bin Sultan visited Pakistan earlier this week. Prince Bin Sultan reportedly toured the JF-17 programme while in the country. The diplomat could not confirm the report, which World Tribune said was based on interviews with “officials,” without specifying any nationalities. World Tribune is a conservative US-based online newspaper focusing on exclusive and underreported international stories involving strategic affairs. 

If the report is accurate, this would represent a potential significant strategic shift from Saudi Arabia, which has traditionally relied on US and Western defence technology for its military needs. The Royal Saudi Air Force, for example, is largely organised around its massive fleet of Boeing F-15 Eagles, with a couple European fighters also thrown into the mix. As recently as September 2010, the US announced a $60 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, which included the sale of 84 new F-15s and upgrades on 70 of Saudi Arabia’s existing ones. It was the largest arms deal in US history. Pakistan, for its part, has long been trying to find countries to buy the JF-17 in order to reduce the per-unit cost the Pakistan Air Force pays for procuring the plane.

As The Diplomat reported back in October, the Pakistani Air Force expects to begin exporting the aircraft this year. A report that ran in multiple Pakistani newspapers at the time said: “The Pakistan Air Force has been assigned [a] target of exporting 5 to 7 JF-17 Thunder planes next year and discussions in this regard are under way with Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Qatar and other friendly countries.”

Yet China and Pakistan have long struggled to find customers for the JF-17, which China calls the FC-1. This hasn’t been for lack of trying, as the two countries have aggressively marketed the plane over the last few years. For example, a Flight Global article in 2010 said that China was in negotiations with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Venezuela, while Pakistan was in talks with Turkey and Egypt. Later, there were reports that Argentina and China were in talks about a co-production deal for the FC-1, while Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro confirmed Pakistan had offered his country the JF-17, stating it was superior to the US F-16.

Meanwhile, Pakistan and Indonesia have signed defence, trade and industry agreements with Saudi Arabia; arrangements that highlight strengthening defence partnerships between predominantly Muslim nations, Jane’s Defence Weekly said. A defence accord between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia was signed in Islamabad on January 20th, while a similar agreement between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia was signed in Jakarta two days later.

Boeing unveils updated F/A-XX sixth-gen fighter concept

Boeing is unveiling an updated version of its F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter concept at the Navy League's Sea-Air-Space Exposition in Washington DC this week. 

The tail-less twin-engine stealth fighter design comes in "manned and unmanned options as possibilities per the US Navy," Boeing says. The design features diverterless supersonic inlets reminiscent of those found on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Boeing sixth-gen fighter concept

The Boeing concept also features canards, which is somewhat of a surprise because the motion of those forward mounted control surfaces is generally assumed to compromise a stealth aircraft's frontal radar cross-section. But the lack of vertical tail surfaces suggests the aircraft would be optimized for all-aspect broadband stealth, which would be needed for operations in the most challenging anti-access/area denial environments.

Also of note in the manned version of the company's F/A-XX concept is the placement of the cockpit-rearward visibility appears to be restricted without the aid of a sensor apparatus similar to the F-35's distributed aperture system of six infrared cameras.

The Boeing F/A-XX concept is a response to a USN request for information (RFI) from April 2012 soliciting data for a replacement for the service's Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleets in the 2030s. The Super Hornet fleet is expected to start reaching the end of the jet's 9000h useful lifespan during that time period. 

"The intent of this research is to solicit industry inputs on candidate solutions for CVN [nuclear-powered aircraft carrier] based aircraft to provide air supremacy with a multi-role strike capability in an anti-access/area denied (A2AD) operational environment," the navy RFI stated. "Primary missions include, but are not limited to, air warfare (AW), strike warfare (STW), surface warfare (SUW), and close air support (CAS)."

Navy leaders had said at the time that they expect any new F/A-XX design to have greatly increased range and offer far superior kinematic performance compared to existing tactical aircraft.

USAF leader confirms manned decision for new bomber

The US Air Force has confirmed for the first time that the Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) will be manned on entry-into-service, one of a few new details revealed about the classified programme. 

Several military experts have predicted the LRS-B programme would eventually become optionally-manned but enter service with a flight crew or a pilot, but the USAF has never revealed such details publicly.

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley said today at a Defense Writers Group breakfast that the service will initially field the new stealth bomber as manned aircraft. "It's likely that we'll start the bomber programme as a manned programme," Donley says. "It'll have the option to be unmanned at some point and so I think that option will be protected."

Boeing

The USAF is still some distance away from awarding a contract for the new aircraft, but Donley there have been no major changes in design or requirements since the programme was launched. "We're still a year or two away from those, what I would call a downselect decision," Donley says. 

The USAF still hopes to build anywhere from 80 to 100 LRS-B aircraft which would become operational in the mid-2020s. "Cost is a major factor for us," Donley says.

Donley says he is not yet sure when the service will disclose more about the Pentagon's acquisitions strategy for the LRS-B, but he did say contract details are under review. "We are developing a contract strategy at the air force and AT&L [acquisitions, technology and logistics], that work is ongoing," he says.

"We're going to protect the capabilities of this airplane," Donley says. "I think several years down the road [we might disclose more details] because we think the capabilities that it will have represent advantages not unlike those that we have enjoyed with the [Northrop Grumman] B-2."

When the B-2 was new in the early 1990s, that aircraft represented a revolutionary leap in capability for strategic bombers. Even now, nearly two decades after the bat-winged aircraft was declared operational, the USAF is still tight lipped about the stealth bomber's exact performance and capabilities. 

"We have not talked about B-2 capabilities in great depth, we did not reveal the existence of the B-2 programme until it rolled out of the hangar," Donley says. "We're years from that."

Source: flightglobal