SinoSoldier
Colonel
Sounds reasonable, although I think multiple rumors suggest that the FC-31 v.20 will fly in H1 2016.
In retrospect, the J-16D & J-11D seem unlikely to obtain certification, seeing that they have been flying for less than a year.
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Sounds reasonable, although I think multiple rumors suggest that the FC-31 v.20 will fly in H1 2016.
In retrospect, the J-16D & J-11D seem unlikely to obtain certification, seeing that they have been flying for less than a year.
Don't see why J-16D can't be certified if most of the systems on board are matured systems
Equation
Lieutenant General
Yeah, but why are they using a J-10A fighter as their logo? So far only the PLAF has J-10s.
Yeah, but why are they using a J-10A fighter as their logo? So far only the PLAF has J-10s.
No, Naval Aviation also has J-10s in service... J-10AH, J-10ASH. They can be distinguished by their red serial numbers, whereas the standard Air Force has yellow serial numbers.
Equation
Lieutenant General
You're right but those J-10AH and J-10ASH are naval land bases, not carriers as many people would assume the PLANAF would have since the Liaoning were first commission to sea duties.
Chinese naval aviation have always fielded a large fleet of land based combat aircraft, including Flankers, J-8s, J-7s, JH-7s and J-10s, and carrier aviation is really quite new for them.
So if anything, the default assumption for determining the origin of Chinese naval aviation combat aircraft if one could not physically differentiate between aircraft types should really be to assune land based aircraft as a default rather than carrier based aircraft...
It will be many years yet until one immediately thinks of carrier based aviation as the default for Chinese naval aviation.
Ultra
Junior Member
I still find it bizzare that PLAF and PLAN both have land based fighter squadrons. Its like having duplicate command structure. Doesn't that create confusion amongst the forces? I guess PLAN AF will eventually move completely into the sea as carrier based AF, while leave the land based fighter squadrons to the PLAF.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
The PLAAF fighters operate mainly over land while PLANAF ones do so mainly over bodies of water. The equipment, training, and doctrine employed by the two branches of the military differ significantly, albeit having similar-looking equipment on the periphery.