Skip to main content

China's FC-31 has yet to prove itself a match for the US F-35 it copied



German newspaper Der Spiegel cited claims from former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden earlier this month that China stole key design information on the US-built F-35 stealth fighter and used it to build their J-20 and FC-31 fighter jets.

The United States’ airline industry also said that the FC-31 jet, displayed for the first time during the 10th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai in November 2014, is a copy of the F-35.

Regardless of whether the FC-31 is a copy or the result of stolen designs, various airplane manufacturers and countries often produce jet models that highly resemble one another, which makes the FC-31’s remarkable resemblance to the F-35 far from unusual.

However, China’s choice to display the FC-31 at the Zhuhai Air Show has many implications.

Firstly, the decision was a move to demonstrate the country’s aerospace capacity to the world. The display of the FC-31’s excellent flight maneuverability during the exhibition demonstrates China’s capability in creating a stealth fighter.

Secondly, China aims to establish its reputation in the area to help boost aircraft sales at home and abroad. Stealth technology is important to meet the combat readiness requirements of new-generation military aircraft. Some stealth fighters, such as the F-22 and F-35, are expensive which precludes poorer nations from obtaining one.

China’s launch of the FC-31 could help build its reputation in the industry and attract potential international customers such as the Pakistan Air Force.

Thirdly, the air show will show the development of China’s aerospace industry. The industry’s technological roots can be traced back to the 1950s, when it began building copies of Russian MiG-19s and MiG-21s. It then rolled out improved versions of the original A-5, J-7M, and FC-1 types after several years of development.

The country has also launched the J-10 and the J-11, copies of the Lavi and Su-27 jets, in recent years.

China’s ability to launch the FC-31, which bears a striking resemblance to the F-35, in such a short period of time also shows its strength in the aerospace sector.

Fourthly, the FC-31’s ability to meet China’s combat readiness requirements remains to be seen.

The key to demonstrate the combat abilities of a military airplane lies in its electronic systems or avionics. Therefore, the success of the FC-31 in the future will depend on its engine and weapons systems.


                                                                    SOURCE : http://idrw.org/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Type 096 submarine can attack US homeland from China's coast

The Type 096, China’s third-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, has given the PLA Navy the means to strike the continental United States from the Chinese coast for the first time, according to the Singapore-based Lianhe Zaobao. China is estimated to have four Type 094 Jin-class second-generation ballistic missile submarines. Together, those four submarines can carry 48 JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles and 200 nuclear warheads, which is 35% of China’s nuclear arsenal. With an attack range of 6,000 kilometers, the JL-2 missile’s threat to American forces is confined to the Western Pacific. China is developing Type 096 Tang-class ballistic missile submarines to replace the Type 094 by 2020, according to a study from the Moscow-based Russian Military Analyst. By then, the PLA Navy is looking to have at least six Type 094 and Type 096 submarines operational. It will control 80 submarine-launched ballistic missiles with about 300 nuclear warheads. The ne...
Post a Comment
Read more

SR-91 Aurora aircraft

Aurora also known as SR-91 Aurora is the popular name for a hypothesized American reconnaissance aircraft, believed by some to be capable of hypersonic flight at speeds of Mach 5+.  According to the hypothesis,  Aurora was developed in the 1980s or 1990s as a replacement for the aging and expensive SR-71 Blackbird. A British Ministry of Defence report released in May 2006 refers to USAF priority plans to produce a Mach 4-6 highly supersonic vehicle, but no conclusive evidence had emerged to confirm the existence of such a project. It was believed by some that the Aurora project was canceled due to a shift from spy-planes to high-tech unmanned aerial vehicles and reconnaissance satellites which can do the same job as a spyplane, but with less risk of casualties. The main question here is, Does the US Air Force or America’s intelligence agencies have a secret hypersonic aircraft capable of a Mach 6 performance?. The continually growing evidence suggests that the answ...
Post a Comment
Read more
SPECTRA (Système de Protection et d’Évitement des Conduites de Tir du Rafale) is a integrated defensive aids suite for Dassault Rafale developed by Thales Group. Modern air warfare pose a different challenge on aircraft self-defense capabilities. SPECTRA provides complete automated system directly integrated into the Rafale. SPECTRA ensures efficient electromagnetic detection, laser warning, IR detection for missile warning, jamming and chaff/flare dispensing, even in the most demanding multi-threats environment. SPECTRA is divided into different modules and sensors strategically positioned throughout the airframe to provide all-round coverage. The latest advances in micro-electronic technology have led to a new system which is much lighter, more compact and less demanding than its ancestors in terms of electrical and cooling powers. All elements of the Thales SPECTRA system are built into the airframe, have high levels of automation and system integration. SPECTRA include...
Post a Comment
Read more