This is a noteworthy OpEd due to Mr Xu Yongling stature as a J-10 test pilot. Given that, his "low opinion" of the FC-1 is not entirely unexpected.
Expert: J-10 more suitable for Argentina
(Source: China Military Online) 2015-02-11
BEIJING, February 11 (ChinaMil) – The "Chengdu FC-1 is a light fighter developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Co., Ltd specifically for the market in the third world countries. Its advantages include a high performance-price ratio, with a unit price of only more than 30 million U.S. dollars," said Xu Yongling, China’s meritorious test pilot of J-10 and air force theory expert.
However, Xu Yongling also pointed out that the Chengdu FC-1 originated from J-7 after all, it is not a fourth-generation warplane in a strict sense, thus with relatively low operational effectiveness.
Britain now deploys six "Typhoon" fighters in the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands, while four "Typhoon" fighters four or five years ago. Once the situation becomes tense, or simply if Argentina upgrades its air force equipment, the Britain may keep sending its "Typhoon" fighters or even E-3 early warning airplanes along the route of "mainland Britain-Gibraltar-Ascension Island- Malvinas (Falkland) Island" at any time.
"14 FC-1 fighters seem to have quantitative superiority over six Typhoon fighters, but the Britain can absolutely deploy one or two squadrons of Typhoon fighters and early warning airplanes in the Malvinas (Falkland) Island." In the eyes of Xu Yongling, the introduction of FC-1 actually doesn’t substantially help improve the situation in the Malvinas (Falkland) Island since there is no quantitative superiority and the single-aircraft combat capability is obviously inferior. "Even if less money is spent compared to that for J-10, it is a waste," said Xu.
Only J-10B can contend against "Typhoon"
If Argentina possesses the new-type J-10B which is also a fourth-and-a-half-generation fighter and equipped with the phased-array radar, it is completely capable of fighting the "Typhoon" fighter because the latter is using the traditional pulsed Doppler radar.
With the advanced navigation-power equipment that reaches the level for fifth-generation warplanes, the J-10B can also carry the China-made air-to-air missiles that reach the world's top level -- including the active radar guided medium-range missile PL-12 and infrared imaging guided fighting missile PL-10 which are no way inferior to the America-made medium-range missile AIM-120 and "Sidewinder" fighting missile.
If the J-10 is deployed in the Malvinas (Falkland) Island direction, its limited combat radius is worrying, because after all the Malvinas (Falkland) Island is 500 kilometers away from the mainland of Argentina. But the J-10B has the flight-refuel function, and this is not a big problem if the refueling aircraft is also introduced.
"Facing the Britain, a traditional powerful nation, as well as the surrounding countries such as Chile and Brazil which have introduced fourth-generation warplanes, Argentina would feel ashamed for the old stuffs it is using," Xu Yongling said that the F-16 fighters Chile bought from America were delivered in 2008. At present, Chile has 46 F-16 fighters, one Israeli "Vulture" early warning airplane, and three KC-135 refueling aircraft. Brazil signed the agreement with Sweden last year to buy 108 "Gripen" fighters, and the first batch of 28 such fighters will be delivered in 2019.
In such grim strategic environment, Argentina has to choose the equipment of the same level -- the new model of J-10, in order to have the freedom of choice and leeway. Once the production lines for fighters and ammunition are introduced, Argentina will be able to produce advanced fighters endlessly, making the cost of delivering combat forces from the mainland of Britain too high to bear, no matter the land-based aviation forces or aircraft carrier taskforce.
South America is an ideal entry point for China's export of warplanes
Arms sale is a sensitive field. Every country would be very careful when it begins to buy weapons from other countries. But once this gate is opened, the arms sale relations will be highly stable and last for long.
Xu Yongling gave an example. India began to buy weapons from the Soviet Union from the 1960s, and now adapts itself quite well to and trusts the Russian equipment. Though the French "Dassault Rafale" warplanes won the bid for Indian air force's latest big order for 126 fighters, no progress has been made so far. Now the deal would quite probably fail because the French want to raise the price. It is no easy even for America, let alone France, to sell weapons to India.”
"The China-made operational aircraft did not sell well in the past, because on the one hand some countries concerned hobbled us, and on the other hand, the China-made aircraft did have defects. But China's aviation industry today is not what it used to be." Xu Yongling believed that China must take solid steps to find an entry point in the international market for the advanced fighters that it produces, and such entry point may just lie in such South American countries as Venezuela and Argentina.
Editor:Zhang Tao
5 comments:
You know China really needs to better educate their own experts. The claims here are laughable, first of all the pilot assumes that Argentina is politically tense with all its neighbors, when Argentina is in fact on pretty good terms with most of them, especially Brazil the regional powerhouse. Second his claims about the J-10B are also based on fantasy. To say that it is comparable to a Typhoon is so ridiculous that it borders on pure fantasy. First to assume that the J-10B's radar is anything special is silly since all new fighters these days are being equipped with AESA, with the Typhoon soon to get these back installed on aircraft. Also the power of radar is important, so is the AWAC support it receives, the British have E-3 sentries, which are powerful C4 platforms, Argentina as I will discuss later would not be able to afford these. Lastly for the J-10B flight characteristics are very important, and the Typhoon outstrips the J-10 in every way. It is faster, and is stealthier, both in radar and IR since it doesn't need afterburner to go mach. That supercruise capability also gives it greater range. Lastly it has the Meteor missile, which can out-range anything China can offer. It is also more maneuverable, and can pull of maneuvers no other missile can do thanks to its ram-jet engine.
Third is Argentina's ability to finance any of this. Argentina has nearly defaulted on several of its international debts. They could not afford the FC-1 much less the J-10, its support infrastructure and planes needed to support it. Further if there is any nation that Argentine is likely to go to for military equipment it would be Brazil not China.
China really needs to develop better control over their pilots so they dont go and embarrass their own country by making fantastic suggestions with no bearing on reality.
People follow Chinese military can tell that they don't have a good grasp of PR. That said if you want to sale something you say whatever it works. Nothing else has the same weight as Falkland. It is also an indication that China is no longer hopeful about lifting the arm embargo. Mentioning Chile and Brazil serve as reminder for regional balance.
When it comes to money people often are unaware that China often provide loan to countries which then use to purchase goods, in this case, arms. Sounds strange but somehow works for them.
@Lucinator
Before jumping to rash conclusions regarding which jet is "better", do you have access to authoritative specifications regarding either aircraft upon which a comparison could be concocted?
We know neither the details of the AESA radars on the jets, nor the performance of the engines (and no, thrust isn't the only factor), nor the aerodynamic performance of either jet (airshow videos do not count), nor a myriad of other factors that may play a crucial role in determining how a "fair fight" (itself a controversial term) might play out.
I'm in no way implying that the fighter pilot is in a position to make such an assertion, given that he unlikely is aware of the Typhoon's true performance, but why don't everybody just hold out on their theses until more concrete data comes to light?
@Lucinator
"Lastly for the J-10B flight characteristics are very important, and the Typhoon outstrips the J-10 in every way."
What way? Got any concrete numbers on thrust to weight ratio, turn rate, climb rate, maximum G load, etc?
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"It is faster"
Funny how one could claim that without knowing the J-10's maximum speed.
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"...and is stealthier..."
And the RCS values for the J-10B and Eurofighte are...?
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"...both in radar and IR since it doesn't need afterburner to go mach..."
In close-range encounters (where IRST is used the most) both planes would be in burner to attain enough energy for a potential dogfight.
We know nothing of the Eurofighter's or J-10B's LPI capabilities.
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"That supercruise capability also gives it greater range."
I'll give you that, even though supercruise itself does not extend the aircraft's range.
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"Lastly it has the Meteor missile, which can out-range anything China can offer."
Perhaps the PL-12D and PL-21 (both of which have completed development as per their respective developmental timelines) will ring a bell some time in the near future.
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"It is also more maneuverable, and can pull of maneuvers no other missile can do thanks to its ram-jet engine."
Ramjet engines (a provider of speed) does not give the platform any more maneuverability, by its own virtue, than any other type of rocket engine.
""That supercruise capability also gives it greater range."
I'll give you that, even though supercruise itself does not extend the aircraft's range"
yes it does since afterburners eat up fuel alot faster than military power
""It is also more maneuverable, and can pull of maneuvers no other missile can do thanks to its ram-jet engine."
Ramjet engines (a provider of speed) does not give the platform any more maneuverability, by its own virtue, than any other type of rocket engine"
note the words ram jet, its not a rocket its a jet engine, and unlike any solid fuel rocket it can restart its engine. Here is why that's important. Most air-to-air missiles use up their fuel well before they reach their target. They go the rest of the way on a ballistic track, because they have no thrust at this point they cannot preform more than minor course corrections. Pilots know this and use this to avoid long range missiles by preforming a last minute evasive maneuver The Meteor can restart its engine in the final stretch of its flight allowing it to change course when no other missile would be able to. thus negating this tactic. So yes it is more maneuverable.
also both the PL-12D and PL-21 are developmental prototypes, neither has entered service, or had any of its flight data released. more importantly the idea that you can take a solid fuel rocket design and just add a ramjet is ludicrous, this leads me to question either missiles capabilities other than propaganda.
As for the other counters you make, just do a basic internet search (assuming your are outside of mainland china) the info is all out there.
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