The Q-5, J-7, J-8 and older PLAAF aircraft

Lion

Senior Member
:)

p8t3v.jpg

J-8II is still consider more valuable than old J-7.. It got a bigger nose which radar continuous upgrade is possible to meet future demand.
It has much much longer leg than J-7 with its long frame body, more hard points. More range and hard point plus bigger payload means its able to handle the multi-role task of ground strike.

There is nothing bad about J-8 compare to J-7 except ONE THING. It cant dogfight like a J-7G.
 

franco-russe

Senior Member
Yes, we can expect PLAAF to hold on to J-8 II for quite some time. For one thing, they are not terribly old, being built between 1996 and 2006 (not counting the recce version JZ-8F). For another, there are not too many of them, only six fighter regiments in PLAAF (6x28 = 168) and 1½ in PLANAF (26 + 12 = 38.

The two planes in the picture may actually be some of the first to go: 20630 and 20636 are pre-2005 pictures of 12 Div 35 Regt Gaomi J-8B’s, which reportedly have not been upgraded to J-8BH. They may thus be some of the first to be replaced by J-20.
 

escobar

Brigadier
Yes, we can expect PLAAF to hold on to J-8 II for quite some time. For one thing, they are not terribly old, being built between 1996 and 2006 (not counting the recce version JZ-8F). For another, there are not too many of them, only six fighter regiments in PLAAF (6x28 = 168) and 1½ in PLANAF (26 + 12 = 38.

The two planes in the picture may actually be some of the first to go: 20630 and 20636 are pre-2005 pictures of 12 Div 35 Regt Gaomi J-8B’s, which reportedly have not been upgraded to J-8BH. They may thus be some of the first to be replaced by J-20.

Sorry to ask but why you think the J-20 are going to replace J-8?
The J-8s are interceptor, so do you think they are going to use the J-20 similary?
Or am I missing something?
 

franco-russe

Senior Member
That is easy.

J-10 and J-11 are replacing J-7 (all of them, I believe).

As the top-end interceptor, J-20 will replace the former top-end interceptor, J-8.

Being expensive, there probably will not be too many J-20's. Six regiments seems fine (though I rather expected something like eight regiments).
 

Semi-Lobster

Junior Member
During the late 80s and early 90s there were test for a FBW system on a modified J-8II airframe, shame that never went anywhere beyond testing. There is still a place for interceptor aircraft nowadays, for example the exemplary capabilities of the Tornado showed during the Libya conflict.
 

franco-russe

Senior Member
? The Tornado F.2/F.3 was a rotten interceptor, long ago replaced by Typhoon in RAF service, and certainly not seen over Libya.
 
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