Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator
- Thread starter RedSky
- Start date
Still think the J-10 program has legs for the foreseeable future until the PLAAF needs a single engine stealth fighter...
Canards being anti stealth are a myth. Many of US and European future aircraft designs have canards. Canards can be stealthy with proper management.
Most released RCS figures are frontal right? I suspect Canards doesnt impact stealth from front.
Any numerical RCS number you see released is basically marketing BS, unless they give you specific configuration info. You can make a F-35 look like a F-15 if you mess with the angles and radar wavelength
asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
this programme has been going on and on and nothing is really happening
The X-35, which is the concept demonstrator from which the F-35 was built from, first flew in 2000 and it took 13 years for the F-35 to roll out after that. The YF-22, the tech demonstrator for the F-22, first flew in 1990 and it took 15 years to roll out the actual F-22 fighter.
Considering the FC-31 (stressing it is a tech concept demonstrator and not the actual final product) only first flew 8 years ago, and we know that the PLA is hoping to rollout a carrier variant for the 003 carrier (I remember a picture stating its hoping it'll first fly early next year), it would seem SAC are on track with the development curve.
Yeah, I totally agree, Mr. Igbal.
asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
I dont think you know how aircraft development works
during the programmes you mentioned there was development and progress prototypes and demonstrations and redesigns and many other milestones achieved
same is not said for J-31 apart from the few odd appearances of the old models
