China Flanker Thread II
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Maybe I was a bit misleading: it is surely a logical decision - esp. since Anshan already houses the 1. AR with J-11Bs - but the J-8Fs are at least in my opinion not the first type necessary to replace since there are older types still in the inventory and even more I would have expected a Ground Attack Division first.
Deino
Deino
but again, the j8f would not be disposed of. they would be passed down to another regiment with even older planes which would be then disposed of. such sort of cascading replacemnt was seen in plaaf countless times.
as for ground attack divisions - were not all su30 so far given to fighter regiments when they were procured? With q5 regiments being replaced solely by new jh7?
as for ground attack divisions - were not all su30 so far given to fighter regiments when they were procured? With q5 regiments being replaced solely by new jh7?
Yes for sure, but in that case You have to transist two units with the 3. AR getting the J-16 and the - IMO the 12. Division would be surely happy to replace their last J-8IIs and J-8Bs - J-8Fs going tto another unit. Overall You are correct, that seems to be a standard "habbit" within the PLAAF.
My idea was simply that at first I would have expected a few to be delivered - similar to the first J-10Bs - to the FTTC.
Again You are correct, and with the J-16 claeryl a multirole type it is indeed an expansion in capabilities by replacing the J-8s with Flankers.
This seems overall a standard habbit:
J-8B (and later)-units are replaced by Flankers,
J-7- and J-8I-units are replaced by J-10s
Q-5-units are replaced by JH-7
Will be interesting
to see when the first JH-7Bs will enter service.
Deino
I really dont get why the jh7 production hiatus. Chengdu developed muchnmore advanced variant j10b alongside producing j10a. Yet xian cant make more jh7a until jh7b is ready? I guess plaaf simply said they dont want any more jh7a And now xian struggled for a few years to turn jh7b into something plaaf does desire?
I'm seriously considering the possibility that new airframe JH-7 production has ended and the few possible JH-7Bs are prototypes for a structural and avionics MLU for existing JH-7As that has yet to commence.
But why invest in a pulse production line in 2010, make 20 odd airframes on it and then stop production? If no new jh7 will be made, SAC will need to almost double its production unless plaaf intends to lose some regiments. i havent seen on GE images that sac made significent new halls. (unlike Cac which basically doubled its factory floor)
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