Zhuhai is coming.
PLA Air Force news, pics and videos
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
My Zhuhai wishlist so far includes flight display by J-20 WS-10, ground display of J-20, flight display by GJ-11, and flight demonstration of J-31.
I just want some brave leaker to definitively settle this WS-15 business by trying to hide their leak in the sea of Zhuhai fanfare.
First two seem quite likely to me.
But last time we saw GJ-11, it was a mockup on a truck. No news or photos since then. I find it unlikely that suddenly PLAAF would unveil it on a commercial airshow, even if the real thing did fly in the meantime. Perhaps several more years of waiting. blurry images, units getting more and more of GJ-11. Then I could see it participating at Zhuhai.
J-31, as in PLAAF's or PLAN's variant - zero chance for that.
If we're talking about FC-31 variant (v2 demo plane) then that's quite likely. After all, AVIC wants to sell it abroad as well.
Military equipment displayed at National Day parade are all in or near service. I’m pretty sure that they could demo it at Zhuhai if the PLAAF allows it.
GJ-11 prototype (Sharp Sword) was flying back in 2013. Parade was in 2019. If they show it flying in 2013, you can bet it could have been flying well before 2013. Since 2019, we've had PLA mentions of GJ-11's strike capabilities in a few remote instances on various Chinese media. It's quite unlikely GJ-11 is such a new thing anymore.
But point is, we have yet not seen any real GJ-11. Not at the factory site, not at any test-site and not at any operational base; it is a complete mystery.
Yes the operational ones are curiously kept more hidden. All they've released on the GJ-11 is the flight test prototype from 2013, the mockup from 2019 parade, and bits of info about PLA appreciating its strike capabilities.
I don't think the fact that they haven't shown operational GJ-11 on TV somehow indicates the GJ-11 hasn't reached service (even though I see now that isn't actually the doubt in avatar's post). We also haven't seen WZ-8 in action either or any drone of relative strategic importance even though we've seen the actual drones. I suspect the reasons for not even showing an actual GJ-11 is simply because it uses "fluidic thrust vectoring" in place of moving control surfaces, hence making visual reveals slightly more sensitive.
