PLAN Carrier Operations..News, Videos & Photos

Originally Posted by Bltizo

So guys, remember how about this time last year blurry pictures emerged of a possible Y-7 AEWC that looked an awful lot like hawkeye?
Note the identical colour scheme.
I also remember saying somethign along the lines of "if no clear pictures of this emerge within 6 months we can start to seriously challenge the existence of this plane" -- well looks like that should be extended a bit, maybe a year should be more generous. Also, this massive delay in blurry pictures and relatively clear pictures is obviously both a matter of censoring and self censoring. It makes me think that the authorities know the definite revelation of this plane will speak volumes about their future intentions to the carrier program. Of course the final thing will probably look quite a bit different to this (which I think we can all say in confidence is a highly modified Y-7?), with folded wings, strengthened under carriage etc. But we know PLA(N) are seriously looking at carrier AEWCs in service within the mid term (J-15, would be near term, say within five years).

I believe sir that you are correct, and I would anticipate that China's indigenous carriers will indeed be CatoBar equipped. This does indeed lend credence to those who have stated the same, its probably a little too much airplane for the carrier otherwise.

As Franklin has noted, these aircraft operate quite well land based and could in the future perform COD duties, etc, etc, as they are quite practical for many different roles.

looking at higher res pictures, the prop blades look spanking new compared with the rest of the aircraft, maybe just me
the landing gears look unconvincing for carrier operations, and how nice of them to leave out the wing from the photograph

this thing seems to be an early prototype for China's carrier based AEW or Sino-Hawkeye
and it seems a tad bigger than the E-2C

would be great if someone can ID the engine

Originally Posted by paintgun

looking at higher res pictures, the prop blades look spanking new compared with the rest of the aircraft, maybe just me
the landing gears look unconvincing for carrier operations, and how nice of them to leave out the wing from the photograph

this thing seems to be an early prototype for China's carrier based AEW or Sino-Hawkeye
and it seems a tad bigger than the E-2C

would be great if someone can ID the engine

It could just be a testbed for the radar.

Originally Posted by escobar

It could just be a testbed for the radar.

looks like they chop some fuselage sections and put on a new tail for the radar dome onto a Y-7

Originally Posted by escobar

It could just be a testbed for the radar.

It is a vision, the real AEW-aircraft could be quite different. It shows the way, not the aim.

Originally Posted by Intrepid

It is a vision, the real AEW-aircraft could be quite different. It shows the way, not the aim.

What?, It shows the aircraft as it is now envisioned and will likely be placed in production and service, not saying there won't be changes, but it is what it is!

Originally Posted by Air Force Brat

... and will likely be placed in production and service

You think so and I don't think so. It is an old airframe. We will see.

May be, it will be used from land to work with the airgroup. I think, it is a mock-up.

Originally Posted by Jeff Head

Well, they simply have the hangar bay doors closed. They can easily be opened whenever necessary.


1st, that statement represents a check you may want to write...but may not be able to cash so easily at all. Two carrier groups with their associated defensive escorts and subs, if they were coming in prepared to fight with their aircraft aloft, weapons armed, etc., etc. would not be able to be simply sunk at will.

But, the US would not do that if it was like 1996 (ie. come in with all of their weapons systems live and targeting).

If they came through like in 1996 to simply show the flag and the US determination to freely sail through a well known and well traveld commericial shipping lane.

My guess is that the PLAN would certainly not start an all out war over it...because if they got into a shooting match and did all that they would have to do to sink them both, then the PLAN and PRC would probably have lost a lot in the exchange, and it would lead to full scale war.

No, the PLAN would probably try and buzz the carrier with their recon birds of whatever sort, they would shadow, as close as possible the vessels with their new DDGs, and FFGs, and they would have a lot of their own aircraft in the air not too far distant.

I doubt they would even "light up the carrier" with acquisition/targeting radars and sensors because that can quickly lead to shooting.

They would do the reverse of what the US would be doing...and something they could not do before...that is, have a show of force of their own saying, in effect, if you come in here now, we have the forces to meet youon our terms and take the fight to you...to threaten you, which we could not fo before.

If that was their intent...to shadow, intimidate, buss and harass the US groups...which it almost certainly would be...then they may well have the Varyag close at hand to help send that message.

The US would only send carriers through the straits in a war scenario after the major part of the battle had been fought and won and the US enjoyed air dominance. Otherwise, they will stand off east of Taiwan and use the island, the ROCAF and their own aircraft and missiles to fight that initial battle until its outcome was determined. Then, if they won, and if the straits were literally de-gaussed of all potential threats...they might come closer to conducty strikes further inland if necessary.

The other scenario is a classical cold-war type scenario and this time the PLAN would be able to play the game...whereas before, they could not.

There will not be a war about Taiwan unless the Taiwan government declares independence, in which case the Chinese government will close the Taiwanese ports - no insurance for ships using those ports.
Remember how at the beginning of the civil war the US government declared the ports of the Southern states blockaded. This was considered by some countries to be an implicit recognition of the Confederacy and at any rate a port is only blockaded if there are naval vessels to enforce the blockade.
As the legal authority the Chinese government has the right to close the Taiwanese port whenever it likes, but it will clearly only do so in extremis. But then war might not be necessary at all. There is little USN can do about it.

Originally Posted by paintgun

looking at higher res pictures, the prop blades look spanking new compared with the rest of the aircraft ...

Also it has six blades compare to the original Y-7 engine's four. Furthermore, does anyone else think it looks "bulkier" compare to the original Y-7's engine?

... what does "JZY-01" stand for?

Originally Posted by Engineer

This is not a valid comparison. Think of developing steam catapult as learning to play soccer and developing EMALs as learning to play tennis. One doesn't need to learn soccer first before the person start playing tennis.

True, I think the real difference as to the Chinese developing steam catapults or EMALs is which is easier to bring to production? What do I mean by this? Which tech do the Chinese have better skill sets at the moment? Which is easier to gather research and knowledge from the outside world?

Another factor would be what is the priority and deadline? That combined with what's mentioned above will dictate what direction.

Originally Posted by Jovian

Also it has six blades compare to the original Y-7 engine's four. Furthermore, does anyone else think it looks "bulkier" compare to the original Y-7's engine?

... what does "JZY-01" stand for?

Jian Zai Yu
Ship Borne Early Warning.

It is a JL-4 6-Blade Propeller with WJ-6C?
only mature powerplant in its class that china has right now. from the look of it close too.

Originally Posted by joshuatree

True, I think the real difference as to the Chinese developing steam catapults or EMALs is which is easier to bring to production? What do I mean by this? Which tech do the Chinese have better skill sets at the moment? Which is easier to gather research and knowledge from the outside world?

Another factor would be what is the priority and deadline? That combined with what's mentioned above will dictate what direction.

EMALS. They have actually both. Steam and EMALs. EMALS was a long shot but it worked.

It says JZY-01 Demonstrator, clearly it's just there to explore the feasibility of turning a highly modified Y7 air frame into a shipborne AEW&C platform, the WJ6C/JL4 propulsion package borrowed from Category 3 platform / Y8F600 should be much more powerful than Y7's standard WJ5A engines. The color scheme indicates it's a retired bird from CUA/34th Transport Div.

JL-4/WJ-6C combo is rated at 5,100 shp which is damn near identical to E-2D's T56-A-427s.

If whoever is contracted to develop this thing (XAC?) can get their materials tech right, there is a great chance PLA will end up with an AEW&C that is competitive with E-2D, in the range/endurance/TOW sense. Based on the massive strides we've seen with AEWC, EW/ECM in the PLA's other projects I have no doubt the mission avionics should be 21st century as well (apart from only having AESA, also the less notable but equally important glass cockpit, modern datalinks, displays, ESM etc).

Of course china are not there yet, but I feel like they are making developing a carrier's full complement (fighter, trainer, AEWC both VTOL and CTOL) look easy.
That's because most other nations have access to simply purchasing from the US, or if they cannot it is because they don't have/need a carrier or simply don't have the finances/know how to. Still, I dont' think there's been such a concerted push to develop all subsystems of a CVBG indigenously from any country, in such a relatively short time in history especially when the end result will be likely be a competitive product to the world's leading products.