PiSigma
"the engineer"
Sorry, no idea. My uncle is also semi-retired, so not too much info on current projects.
There are projects for J10 that is on going, but if the projects are for evolutionary or revolutionary changes I have no idea.
J-10 Thread IV
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
There are projects for J10 that is on going, but if the projects are for evolutionary or revolutionary changes I have no idea.
But maybe you could kindly ask him if CAC is already producing Batch 03 or even Batch 04 J-10C??? ... PLEASE.
Given that the latest confirmed construction number is a 2-51 from January 2017 (even if two images of a 2-59 were also posted in October '17) they must be well within the next batch(es)....
Best,
Deino
PiSigma
"the engineer"
I don't think those are details that he would know. He is purely an engineer responsible for design. Sorry.
Hyperwarp
Captain
What about avionics upgrades for the J-10/10A? Could they slap in an AESA?
PiSigma
"the engineer"
Internal spacing are similar between them so avionics upgrades are possible. Don't think they will upgrade. The As are starting to get worn out fast.
I always wonder why some think the early A-models will "get worn out fast"?!
Why? As long as the PLAAF still operates several hundred much older, more dated and less capable J-7s and J-8s, why should they retire J-10As?
I imagine a lot of training hours were put into those As. They might be hitting their service life limits early. I think we can forget, with the pace of technological advancement, that the PLAAF has also had to make up for a lot of lost time in terms of piloting skills, tactics, and doctrine. Making up that gap is going to reflect in the intensity of usage, and much of the particulars of force development that they will have had to focus on can’t be done on their older plane models.
Agreed in principle, but given the simply fact that there are even older types still operational, the PLAAF even introduced several JJ-7A just last years I cannot think that they will be replaces earlier than say the final J-7E/Ls or J-8DHs.
Again, I fully agree with you and also think that - as already done - older A-models are transferred to second-grade units but retiring before the last J-7/-8 si gone, I don't think so.
That’s a good distinction, between retirement and taking them off the front lines, but effectively it’s the same point with the same implications.
PiSigma
"the engineer"
Not retire them early but not upgrading them as much.
When the J10As were introduced, the number of training hours per pilot was basically doubled. Also, several pilots shared a plane due to slow ramp up in manufacturing. They still wanted as many pilots trained as possible when new J10s arrived. Compare that to older J7s where it was mostly one pilot per plane.
I would think the original J10As still got a few good years in them, but it doesn't make economic sense to upgrade avionics for a 2nd line unit that won't have too many years left.
I was told before that the air frame life increased by 40% or more between the years 2005 and 2010 solely due to improved manufacturing techniques and better material. Probably improved even more now. My uncle's specialty is in the structural/air frame and aerodynamic design. Basically when they first designed J10 the limitations were always what van be manufactured and not what's the engineering limit. When J20 started it was what is the engineering limit, there are no manufacturing limit.