SinoDefence Forum

googeler

Sumdud wrote:
No, they'd have to install them on the flaps. if you meant that they should be put further back on the fuselage, that implies a major redesigning process - it's just not worth it. IMHO the J-7 has reached the end of its evolution with J-7G and J-7FS (J-7III) if the latter ever gets built on a large scale. The only further development could be the JL-9, but that plane has the whole front part redesigned.

sumdud

And there is nearly no space ahead of the gear for the pylons to relocate closer to the body?

Actually, if the JF-17 can have weapons much closer to its gear, why can't the MiG? Airflow problem?

__________________

Give us a break. Don't try ranting at SDF.

Totoro

the issue is not about pylons being close to the landing gear, its that on j7 landing gear takes up too much useful space. on jf-17 landing gear comes from underneath the air intakes with tires themselves also under those intakes. with j7 being so narrow, it cant possibly have landing gear that come from the fuselage as itd be too narrow and too unstable. so landing gear comes out of half the wing and folds up in such a way that tire part goes underneath the fuselage. Nice solution for ww2 fighters but it makes the inner half (third or whatever) of wing unusable for pylons as thats where the landing gear folds up.

j7 design should be let to die. chengdu made the best mig21 derivative airframe possible, it served its purpose, it will probably serve some 5-10 years more but jf-17 would be SO much better. I only hope 10 million $ is a realistic pricetag, otherwise if we're talking bout larger sums there's little hope we'll see it in plaaf in any meaningful numbers.

if bvr ends up being not overrated then j8 has quite some life in it, with newer versions with new radar and pl12. I wouldn't be surprised if they last in plaaf all the way till jxx gets in service.

tphuang

Someone on Chinese forum said he visited CAC a few days back and apparently the J-7 production in the first half of the year went through the roofs. He saw at least 30 new J-7s produced (whether for domestic or export). We might see more than 50 J-7/F-7s this year.

googeler

Well, out of the 16 planes ordered by Bangladesh only 8 were delivered in March this year, so the other 8 should be among those spotted. Add to that the 12 ordered by Nigeria and some for the PLAAF and the claim seems possible.