VSTOL niche is unprepared FOBs without access to airfields, not specific ships.
Given the size of PLA amphibious capability, it's a niche comparable in scale with entire Chinese navy.
China's V/STOL studies, concepts & considerations
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Given the size of PLA amphibious capability, it's a niche comparable in scale with entire Chinese navy.
F-35b and Harrier have so many drawback in performances and Yak-38 capabilities was just flying more or less. Still they offer something that other cant achieve.
V/STOL or VTOL could be interesting for small islands bases and islands hopping during conflict indeed. Maybe we will se a concept out of the common parameter that will give some more range and payload in the future. Maybe small throtleable kerosene rockets for lift engine to save weight. Waiting to see a V/STOL that deliver.
F-35B is terrible because they tried to put everything into a single plane all the while fitting the size/weight requirement of all three branches, I hope SAC will not make the same mistake and make it tailored to PLANMC's spec purely and focus on either strike or air superiority.
But where are these FOBS for China? I don't see in near future where China will have such FOB.
F-35B being terrible was more development than the final product. Regardless, it is inherent that VSTOL have shorter range, payload, added complexities and I don't see the reasons to go for it for China's geopolitical situation.
Small islands bases could be seen like FOB for these v/stol aircraft. But helicopters are way more practical for the majority of the tasks needed there. They are niche weapons systems like Gloire_bb said...
F-35b drawbacks in performance are frankly nigh-negligible. Somewhat shorter range is less important for its role(and not like penalty is critical, especially for a forward-based asset); lower G rating - horrible, but whatever.
It's too big for what USMC would really needed, and rather than plane for USMC it somehow turned into USMC for a plane, but this is beyond the topic. Primary users (USMC, RAF/RN, MM) either don't use internal munitions that don't fit inside, or operate them in token numbers.
Harrier 2, for all its drawbacks, ultimately evolved into best CAS aircraft in the world. No, not su-25 and not a-10.
It will very easily turning political, but let's carefully say that any beachead, beyond a short frog leap, anywhere is in need of local air cover. It's quite hard to conduct war in SEA/NEA regions without at least considering these contingencies.
Not taking these eventualities into account, while simultaneously building a second to none - global - amphibious capability, - is nothing but virtue signalling. China's amphibious capability alone, right now, has more displacement than most surface combat navies of the world in their entirety, behind only top-3. And its build up is not anywhere near finished.
Carrying arround China proper is for now a sci-fi area; relying on navy being nailed to that beached for providing aircover isn't exactly best plan, as ww2 history has shown more than a few times. USN managed, for good reasons sure, to abandon both USMC and US Army through the course of WW2. Those also added some of the most bitter and heroic pages to the USN history itself. Neither is good from planning perspective.
Yes, STOL is a niche capability. It's a niche capability that must be measured against two numbers:
1, oceangoing PLA amphibious fleet is ~410'000t as of now (not even counting smaller vessels and RoRos who are actual transports for troops). Just behind entire JMSDF surface force.
2, Just PLANMC and PLAAAF together is ~85 thousand troops as of today(peacetime strength).
Niche has to take into account these numbers.
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I was under the impression that helicopter rotor blades were not stealthy. I was just wondering if VTOL jet engines can replace the role of military helicopters.
Absolutely not. In helicopter flight modes, they have a huge consumption. They cannot take off anywhere other than on a solid surface, i.e. only on a special concrete or steel deck. They cannot work in a hover and cannot carry suspended cargo. During a vertical take-off, they have a very small carrying capacity. ... etc... local experts certainly know many other examples. And if deployed on small islands, they are very vulnerable, e.g. by a single missile with cluster munitions... Of course, the helicopter is slow.
You know, there are always many attempts to combine multiple activities into one device. The results are almost always disastrous. Then it does not work properly in any direction. Yes, there are exceptions.
I wonder if a clean sheet 5th gen VTOL design is even a good idea at this point instead of betting on some 6th gen VTOL platform (if that's even possible).
I agree, cleansheet 5th gen in 2030s is just too Backwards I can't see them making a fighter without atleast large amount of 6th generation technology