Shenyang next gen combat aircraft (?J-XDS)

A

Aval

Junior Member
Registered Member
I have a few questions for the J-50/XDS just based off the photos we have to far, as well as a few of my observations. I invite discussion on these to see if I've missed anything.

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1. What is that side bay?
  • While we lack accurate length measurements, it seems to be just a little too short to fit a PL-10 if the aircraft is about the same length as the J-20. So, does it house a new, shorter AAM, or a different kind of utility?
  • Furthermore, what is that bulge? I've never seen a bulge on an external panel of a stealth fighter. I imagine there must be a reason for this protrusion that has a stealth cost, and a significant one worth the tradeoff.
  • Why is the bay slightly canted (upwards; the front is higher than the back)? The J-20's side bays are perfectly parallel to the fighter.
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2. Where is the bort number?
  • The CAC J-36, despite being an early prototype, was famously photographed with a bort number in the usual place: At the front side of the fuselage near the intakes. And yet, the J-XDS doesn't have even a fuzzy outline of any numerical markings. SAC aircraft have bort numbers in the same place and also on the vertical stabiliser, but the J-XDS doesn't have the latter and the former seems occupied by those side bays.
  • We have good quality photographs of the entire bottom and sides of the aircraft, and yet no numerical markings at all. We're only missing the top view, but have bort numbers ever been put directly on top of aircraft such that they're impossible to see unless flying directly above them (and close too) and being able to look down?
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3. Why does the middle section, between the two split main IWB panels, also have lines that join them?
  • Does the central section open up as well? There's no reason for the two split bays to have a line joining them.
  • This is especially strange since the central section has the centreline ventral groove of the fuselage. How would this central panel even open, and would it not seriously affect aerodynamics if it could? I imagine the groove exists for a reason.
  • The central section is the same length as the two outer sections and there seems to be a pod attached directly behind it (but not a Luneberg Lens, as that's the even smaller circle dot behind the oval pod). This rules out earlier speculation of a "中" shaped IWB with a longer missile being housed in the central bay.
  • I've also noticed that these panels don't have sawtooth edges like the IWB panels on production stealth fighters. But I chalk this down to the current airframe being a prototype. Sawtooth edges can be added later.
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Further observations:
  • There seems to be two known airframes of the J-XDS. I believe there are two airframes because one is seen with a pitot and a white triangle marking near the inlet above the side bays (see the 3 images above), and another airframe on the tarmac with no pitot and no white triangle marking (see further above). However, this is not definitive evidence as these could simply be modifications of the same airframe, and I don't have accurate dating for the photos.
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    (granted, a very early one from nearly a full year ago now) that annotated the All-Moving Wingtips as "drooping wingtips" is wrong, since its clear the AMTs are flush with the trailing edge control surfaces beside it. However, while viewed from underneath and at an angle, the AMTs do appear drooping while they are deflected. Its important to note this as non-flush AMTs would add extra trailing edge geometries and negatively impact stealth.
  • The intakes are trapezoidal in shape and not a right-angle, but it can look like that from certain viewing angles. This again is important to note as right-angled intakes, especially on the ventral side, can negatively impact stealth.
  • It has twin-wheeled front landing gear. This does not confirm naval capability but is a good indicator for it. I want to point out that the J-20, which is estimated to be roughly the same size, only has a single-wheeled front landing gear. This either points to an early exploration for potential navalisation of J-XDS, or alternatively that the J-XDS is more front heavy.
  • There is a tailsting, which like on the J-35 could be used to house a tailhook for a naval variant. Current photos aren't higher enough quality to see if there's a panel there for an existing tailhook, though. I imagine it doesn't exist at the moment, but there space is already there if needed.
  • There is a crank in the radome itself, which I believe is the first we've seen on any stealth fighter (except perhaps the F-47 concept arts). Furthermore, the radome is clearly of a different material (or at least different colour) from the rest of the fuselage (especially in the pictures without a pitot), which wasn't the case for the earliest 2001 prototype of the J-20 that was fitted with a pitot.
 
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