J-10 procurement numbers

IDonT

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Sinodefence stated that there is a possibility that only 100 J-10 will be procured. Is this true? How will this affect the price per airframe?

How about its export market potential? At current configuration using Russian engines, Russia will probably frown on it because it competes directly with its Mig 29 and Flanker sales. With the WS-10A engines, it could be a seller. However it still has to compete with the F-16, Saab Griphen, Mig 29. and Flankers. Which countries would buy it?

The J-10 is expected to achieve initial operating capability by 2005~2006, and the first operational regiment of the J-10 is reported to be the PLAAF 44th Aviation Division based in Sichuan Province. The PLAAF was estimated to have a total requirement of 300 aircraft, but this may be reduced to less than 100 as a result of the introduction of the more capable Su-30MK multirole fighter. The CAC is also trying to replace the Russian AL-31F with the indigenously developed WS-10A, which is said to be a Chinese copy of the AL-31FN. The J-10 may become available for export market in 2005~2006
 

H5N1

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Suspicious isn't it. The only true reason to this, is I suspect they are planning something better on the drawing board, if not already a prototype in the bomb shelter. The Su30mk just doesn't cut it as a logical reason. Or that they are waiting for a more advance radar and delivery system to be develope indigenously, either that or theu actually wanted a platform with larger load and with legs.
 

tphuang

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H5N1 said:
Suspicious isn't it. The only true reason to this, is I suspect they are planning something better on the drawing board, if not already a prototype in the bomb shelter. The Su30mk just doesn't cut it as a logical reason. Or that they are waiting for a more advance radar and delivery system to be develope indigenously, either that or theu actually wanted a platform with larger load and with legs.
That's all speculation. They already have 2 regiments of J-10 plus the 8 surviving prototypes and a few J-10Bs. It seems that China is adopting its normal procedure of using up all the engines first and procuring spares later. So, there could be a lot more J-10s with this new bunch of AL-31FN they are receiving. It looks like there will be at least 100 J-10s by the end of 2006. Maybe more. There had been a delay due to the status of WS-10A. However, it looks like J-11B is going to get all the 10As for now, so J-10 will need to order even more TVC AL-31FN. Anyhow, the moral of the story is that J-10's position in PLAAF is unshakable really. It's performance against the flankers in China's own internal mock fights have established the need for as many J-10s as possible. We know that other vairants of J-10 are being scheduled. We might see as many as 200 J-10A, before seeing future variants of J-10s. It would be surprising if we don't get at least 500 J-10s and the 4.5-5th generation twin-engined fighter based on J-10.
 

IDonT

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tphuang said:
That's all speculation. They already have 2 regiments of J-10 plus the 8 surviving prototypes and a few J-10Bs. It seems that China is adopting its normal procedure of using up all the engines first and procuring spares later. So, there could be a lot more J-10s with this new bunch of AL-31FN they are receiving. It looks like there will be at least 100 J-10s by the end of 2006. Maybe more. There had been a delay due to the status of WS-10A. However, it looks like J-11B is going to get all the 10As for now, so J-10 will need to order even more TVC AL-31FN. Anyhow, the moral of the story is that J-10's position in PLAAF is unshakable really. It's performance against the flankers in China's own internal mock fights have established the need for as many J-10s as possible. We know that other vairants of J-10 are being scheduled. We might see as many as 200 J-10A, before seeing future variants of J-10s. It would be surprising if we don't get at least 500 J-10s and the 4.5-5th generation twin-engined fighter based on J-10.

How big exactly is a regiment? Is it similar to a squadron?
 

MIGleader

Banned Idiot
100 j-10 will be procurred...that sinodefence info is rather old, and did not process in the recent al-31 order. china built around 40 j-10s for testing and they entered service. the 100 al-31s show that china wants to build j-10s now, rather than wait even a few months for ws-10a. i guess china wants to build 60-70 new j-10s with the al-31, making 100. then the j-10c/d may be produced using kjl-3 and ws-10a. the plane is probably in development as the new j-10s are being built.

export? maybe not yet. the first may be pakistan, or possibly egypt or thailand.
 

tphuang

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IDonT said:
How big exactly is a regiment? Is it similar to a squadron?
squadron is 12 people, regiment in Plaaf is normally between 24 and 32, but could be between 20 to 40. The one that's stationed next to India has about 22 planes and the only in the training center also has 20 something.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure PAF will be getting J-10 soon. Probably at the same time IAF is getting MRCA?
 
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