SinoDefence Forum

maozedong

no doubt that's flanker, China dosn't have any Mig-29 yet.
China may go to buy Mig-29, but not now, at least, there is no any news for this, if "yes", the Russia already disclosed to the world.

Intrepid

It is no airfield, it is a kind of academy. And on the roof of the building they can train to organize and spott the deck, not more.

This is an US-Navy-version of a spotting-only-deck:

Attached Images

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SteelBird

Before saying so, you must confirm two things: the pictures are in China and not PSed.

maozedong

I think you just look at sina.com, you sould review our thread for at least three pages.
here is one that I post, some one said like you before.

Latest PLAN Aircraft Carrier Info & Photos

bd popeye

That photo was taken some years ago at NAS NATTC(Naval Air Training Technical Command) Lakehurst NJ. The photo shows a 1/4 size flight deck used to train Aviation Boatswain mates(aircraft handlers & directors) on flight deck operations. In the 90's the school was moved to NAS Pensacola FL.

In an historical note that photo was taken in an old blimp/airship/Zeppelin hangar.

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SteelBird

Now what? The photos are confirmed by Popeye that they were taken in the US some years ago. This at least confirms two things: first, the photos are not in China, second, the aircraft is not any Su-27 family, nor is it a MiG-29. It might be a F-14 in that case. I'm not so sure.

Some minutes later: look like I misunderstand what Popeye meant. He might talk about the photo posted by Intrepid, not those posted by me.

Roger604

Looking at it again, yes it does look it has canards. The tarp doesn't cover them.

All in all, looks just like Su-33. But we need clearer photos.

ikaleem

I am a little confused with all the comments that were posted about which plane is it. I think we can all agree that this is a mockup and not a real plane. The facility is definitely a training facility to spot, park and hangar excercises. Yes it may provide a hint on what is to come but I dont think it is something definitive till a proper batch of planes has been purchased.....Am I missing something

vesicles

Is it possible that this is an attempt by some "ingenious" architect trying to make his/her building look like the deck of a carrier? In other words, this is simply an art decal to illustrate the purpose of the building/facility?

kroko

I dont think anyone but the government would have the authority to build such a thing

I agree.

Maggern

In a way, there might be something in this. To fill the role as representative for some kind of carrier plane they use a simple mockup of an already existing carrier-based aircraft that is perhaps the closest to what the Chinese one will eventually be like...the Su-33...

Then again the tarp is most likely there for a reason. I don't see how the Chinese military would gain from covering up a mockup of an Su-33 and making everyone believe they have a new kind of aircraft on that roof.

I guess the point here is we can discuss until the mountains of Dovre fall without getting anywhere. We simply need better pictures. There is only so much information to be gathered from a partially covered aircraft.

Lundblad.Jeff

I'd say that this is what we know for certain:

+The photos are real, not photoshopped. (too many photos from different perspectives and times).

+The photos are from China.

+The facility is for training carrier operations, most likely not for pilot training. (too dangerous to perform on a building and china already has a runway for that)

+The aircraft is a mockup of a future naval fighter (if it were in primer I would have said otherwise, it's too early for it to be already painted in PLAN colors, it allegedly only took flight a few weeks ago).

+The aircraft is NOT an Su-33. Though it appears to have much in common with the J-11, there are notable differences around the engines and front of the craft. It appears that they are purposely hiding the front from view.

Bltizo

No, it's definitely a flanker derived fighter, the whole rear end is very practically the same (save for the differences you mentioned), and if we use the people in the pic for scale then I think we'll find the estimated height for the fighter in the pic is similar to your normal Su-27.
The nose of the plane is a bit angled down I think, but there is no doubting the whole aircraft's shape is a slightly modified flanker.

Lundblad.Jeff

The engines look a little small to me. The WS-10a looks like its substantially bigger. But it is true that these engines are buried in the frame of the plane (to hide it from IR or improve stealth????). Also there appears to be extensive modifications to the nose of the craft. It is angled more sharply downward as you noted, but also seems to have canards (hard to tell). Also, It seems as if the fuselage itself has a bigger "hump" and the cockpit is actually sunk in the fuselage, whereas the Su-33s cockpit is like a bubble sticking out of the main body (perhaps this has something to do with reducing radar sig). Looks like there also might be modifications to the intakes, they seem to extend further forward than in the Su-27.

One point I would like to mention is the naming of the craft. Originally it was thought that China's naval fighter would be called the J-11BJ (signifying that it would be derived from the J-11B). But lately it appears to be called the J-15. To me, if it were J-11B derived (basically an Su-33) it would have retained the J-11BJ name. While I agree that this new plane is based off a flanker, it is obviously dissimilar enough to receive an entirely new designation.

If it receiving the J-15 name, shouldnt we expect it to be heavily modified from an Su-27?

maozedong

any body can tell me why the head portion of the" mockup" fighter must be wrapped in? if it is not real plane, there is no necessary to do that.