China Flanker Thread II
- Thread starter sumdud
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Is J-11 still being produced? What role does it have when the PLAF has both J-10 (for air superiority) and J-16 (for multistrike capability)?
J-11s are not actively produced anymore as far as I am aware. However at least some are currently undergoing their midlife upgrade to the J-11BG. Just like the F-15C its role has historically too been air superiority.
Hi is it possible for china to upgrade su30mkk with their own AESA radars and other goodies of J15/16
and if someone knows how much lifeline been left in these planes
thank you
and if someone knows how much lifeline been left in these planes
thank you
They're like 20 years old, I don't think they'll be getting significant upgrades like AESA radars. Maybe they can be sent back to Russia for "scrapping".
i think the idea was that PLAAF needed su30mkk for aerial combat when they were first purchased. but now su30mkk fills more of a ground attack role, so even if PLAAF can upgrade its radar there is simply no need.
They can but it is very difficult. Electronics on Russian flankers are not modularized and are difficult to upgrade. Think of trying to solder on additional transistors to a circuit board instead of being able to swap the circuit board for a more advanced one.
Do we know for sure that Chinese electronics onboard flankers are built fundamentally differently?
I.e. not separate (federated) subsystems, but main computers and so on?
B/c there is a certain level of intrusion from which you basically have to spend as much money as a new plane will cost(with most flight tests needed anew) - only to get the very same plane in the end.
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