PLA air operations in westpac region

Overbom

Brigadier
Registered Member
Interesting how they never specify which J-10 variant it is.
Is the J10A/B/C difference large enough that the radars can distinguish between them?

AFAIK Taiwan is just "deploying SAMs" now, they mostly stopped with sending fightersI in the air to intercept
 

siegecrossbow

General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Is the J10A/B/C difference large enough that the radars can distinguish between them?

AFAIK Taiwan is just "deploying SAMs" now, they mostly stopped with sending fightersI in the air to intercept

B/C variants use more composites, have DSI inlet, and mount AESA/PESA on a canted radome. The radar difference should be very significant. Even the J-16, which is virtually identical to other flankers identically, has a very different radar signature.
 

AndrewS

Brigadier
Registered Member
What is the point in having a helipad if not?

The Type-056 don't have a helicopter hanger.

Given that they will mostly be used within the First Island Chain, they would be within return helicopter range from land. A Seahawk has a range of 830km. So if there are emergencies or something urgent, a helicopter can reach them. And if operating further out, they'll be accompanied by nearby ships which host helicopters.

A Seahawk costs like $50M, and my guess is that a Type-056 costs about $100M
 

plawolf

Lieutenant General
The Type-056 don't have a helicopter hanger.

Given that they will mostly be used within the First Island Chain, they would be within return helicopter range from land. A Seahawk has a range of 830km. So if there are emergencies or something urgent, a helicopter can reach them. And if operating further out, they'll be accompanied by nearby ships which host helicopters.

A Seahawk costs like $50M, and my guess is that a Type-056 costs about $100M
The full sized helipad represents a massive investment of the already limited available real estate on the 056. You don’t make that sort of investment for only ‘just in case’ contingency scenarios, and if you did, you would not put such a huge helipad on such a small ship. Just look at how small the helipads can be on other corvettes and private yachts to give an idea of how much bigger than bare minimum the 056’s helipad is.

The only justification for having such a huge helipad on such a small ship is if they intend to use it to accommodate a wide range of helicopters, and also to give themselves room to perform critical support functions like refuelling and re-arming.
 
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