The J-16, another heavy fighter-bomber to the "Sukhoi"
The history of the J-16 began earlier than the J-11D. In 1999, China has ordered the first 38 heavy fighter-bomber Su-30MKK for its air force, before adding 38 more copies two years later.
The Chinese navy, which was looking for a heavy fighter with great autonomy to compete with the F-15J over the East China Sea, also bought a regiment of 24 Su-30MK2 aircraft in January 2003.
Satisfied with these purchases that allow them to create a consistent capacity-Surface Air strikes on a long-range, the Chinese have sought the one hand, to further optimize the integration of these original devices Russian in the Chinese environment, "crackant" example source code of its bus and fire control system to integrate Chinese arms, and on the other hand, provide and develop the next replacement.
Thus was born the project of J-16, which was taken from the design of two-seat J-11BS in 2009. The main features flying J-16 are substantially aligned with those of Su-30MKK, the plane is heavier than the basic J-11BS.
also powered by two Chinese WS-10 engines, the new Chinese fighter-bomber flew for the first time in late 2011. It can carry a wide range of Chinese ammunition like missiles air-air PL-10 and PL-12, the Sol-Air missiles KD-88, LS-500J LGB bombs or submunitions.
In total, the J-16 can carry 8000kg of weapons to a maximum range without refueling, 4 000km.
If everything is practically Chinese on this plane, its flight refueling system is not compatible with the existing H-6U. Like the Su-30MKK and MK2, the new J-16 must wait three IL-78 that are happening in the ranks of the Chinese army to be refueled.
Entered service in the army of the Chinese air in 2015, the aircraft sharing much of the new avionics suite with heavy interceptor J-11D. However, it is equipped with an AESA radar antenna developed by the Institute 607 of AVIC Group.
According to the latest rumors, the development of this radar is delayed and the performance is not at the level expected by the air force, who would have refused outright validation.
The entry into active service J-16 should therefore, if the rumors are confirmed, take considerable delay.
As for why the J-16, fresh out of the factory is Daocheng Yading, it remains unknown because in principle on ground qualification flights should have taken place in recent years, when the first aircraft entered into service.
A less than the qualifying J-11D requires the presence of J-16 for specific reasons unknown today?
Note that, to support its Air-Ground missions that are now part of the new doctrine, and to enjoy the great platform offered by the J-16, China's military has developed in parallel an electronic warfare version , similar to the American EA-18G.
The J-16D (??) includes a pair of pod ESM / ELINT after its wings and more consistent on his cell antennas. Part-cons, its IRST and the gun were removed, certainly for mass control issue. It is not therefore bound to get in close air combat and should simply escorting other planes 'Soft' mode.
