China stealth jet enters service, navy building 'first class' fleet

a reply to: allsee4eye

The T-50 is going for super maneuverability over stealth. It's an LO platform, as opposed to VLO or VVLO.

a reply to: Zaphod58

It's basically a frontal-optimized defense aircraft like the F-15SE, no? I'm guessing it can fly circles around the SE while the SE has a far superior avionics package. Too bad we'll never see the SE enter service with anyone.

a reply to: Barnalby

Pretty much. It'll serve a similar mission as the J-20,while being maneuverable as hell.

a reply to: Zaphod58

It's funny, because the T-50's stealth shaping (intakes aside) seems to be leaps and bounds ahead of the J-20 in terms of edge alignment, massing, frontal profile, etc, and they seem to have completely abandoned any hope of capitalizing on its physical stealth advantages in the name of pursuing true supermaneuverability.

It just drives home the fact that the Russians still can do circles around the Chinese in terms of how advanced and innovative their scientists/R&D folks are, it's just that they can't really afford to really execute on anything that they come up with.

a reply to: Barnalby

The two base designs aren't far apart, but the T-50,at least the later airframes, look more finished.

Russia, if they can get past their production problems, could be a serious powerhouse in the aviation world. But their production is so bad no one wants to risk it.

a reply to: Zaphod58

And with our discussion about the vulnerabilities of modern computer systems, the Russian's involuntary embrace of Fred Flintstone avionics and fire control systems could actually be a huge asset in the 21st century.

But yea, those production problems and the horrid reputation that Russian aircraft have because of them. Just look at the AN-70 or the Sukhoi Superjet 100. They were the A400M and the C-series, but a decade ahead of their western equivalents, and look at where they are now. So much wasted potential.

a reply to: Barnalby

Some of their designs that never got off paper were some of the prettiest designs I've seen, and had huge potential. They'd at least be on par with their Western counterparts.

a reply to: Zaphod58

The Tu-160 is all I needed to see to never doubt their R&D potential. I instantly think of those Sukhoi-Gulfstream concepts for an SSBJ when I think of the stuff that never made it off the drawing board. Ditto for their MAKS spaceplane and the SPIRAL concept.

At least they seem to be doing cool things with their sub fleet. The Borei class and the Yasen's look surprisingly well-built, and seem to indicate that the Russian Navy is starting to get a bit of its 70's-80's Soviet mojo back.

a reply to: Barnalby

Without a doubt the Russians have some very brilliant minds over there.

Certainly our stealth program might not be where it is today if not for Petr Ufimtsev.

a reply to: Barnalby

They've closed the gap between the Akula and 688(I) in a hurry. They're between an LA and Seawolf in terms of noise levels, so they're a hell of a lot closer than a lot of people like.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I thought that the Astutes were the current benchmark for SSN performance. Those things seem to be terrifyingly well designed and built.

Meanwhile, the Chinese navy seems like they're struggling to build an SSN that can match an early Akula or Sturgeon and an SSBN that can match a Delta II or Ben Franklin. At least we know that Electric Boat doesn't leak like some of the other contractors pretty clearly do...

a reply to: Barnalby

The Astute and Virginia are pretty close. Each has the edge in different areas. I used the 688 because the Akula was slightly noisier, and was their top of the line for so long.

Quick another trillion for development to counter the imminent threat!

Cold war jingo, and the band played on.

Damn Stalins cull during his reign and the USA grabbing the cream of the German scientists after WW2..Communism did the rest..