All aircrafts made by china so far are pathetic copies. Here's a list of all of China's aircrafts:

1. J-7 Interceptor Fighter Aircraft
copy of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F-13


2. J-7C Interceptor Fighter Aircraft
made by reverse engineering of the Soviet/Rusian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21MF


3. J-7E Interceptor Fighter Aircraft
aircraft is based on the airframe of the J-7/MiG-21 Fishebed, but with improved aerodynamics performance and avionics from the Mig-29(purchased from russia).


4. J-8 Interceptor Fighter Aircraft
borrowed lots of designs from the Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-152A experimental aeroplane about which the Chinese had received data in the late 1950s.

5. J-8B/D Interceptor Fighter Aircraft
J-8 with larger fire-control radar and various other avionics equipment.
Some parts were taken from the or Sukhoi Su-15 Flagon.

During their temporary coalition in the 1980s, China and the USA reached an agreement of upgrading the J-8B fighter with modern avionics. As part of the "Peace Pearl" Project, in 1986 the George Bush (senior) administration approved to sell 52 sets of US-made APG-66 fire-control radar together with other avionics worth US$200 million in total to China to upgrade her J-8B fleet. Grumman (now Northrop Grumman) was chosen to co-operate with the SAC in this project. However, this project was halted after June 1989 and then completely terminated in 1990.

Following the end of the Cold War, China turned to Russia for helps to upgrade the J-8B fighter. In 1996 SAC revealed its F-8IIM fighter, which is fitted with the Russian Phazotron Zhuk-8II coherent pulse Doppler radar and R-27R1 (AA-10 Alamo-A) semi-active radar homing medium-range AAM, the F-8IIM is the most capable variant of the J-8B series. Its domestic variant is said to be the J-8C (or J-8III).


6. J-10 Multirole Fighter Aircraft

Essentially copied from Israel's LAVI aircraft programme and made by reverse engineering a Pakistani F-16A.

Collaboration between China and Israel on fighter technology began in the early 1980's and full-scale co-operation was underway by 1984. After the 1987 cancellation of the Lavi programme, its design was taken over by CAC, and IAI carried on with the development of avionic equipment.


It is powered by Russian Lyulka-Saturn AL-31F turbofan, the same power plant also being used by Chinese air force Sukhoi Su-27s and Su-30s.

Radar :Russian Phazotron Zhuk-10PD, a version of the system in later Su-27s, with 160 km search range and ability to track up to six targets. Israel has offered its Elta EL/M-2035 radar for competition.

Cockpit parts : basic Ukrainian Arsenel HMS copied by China's Luoyang Avionics

Weapons :J-10 could also carry Russian Vympel R-73 (AA-11) short-range and R-77 (AA-12) medium-range missiles equipped by Chinese Flankers


7. Su-27SK/UBK (J-11) Fighter Aircraft
The PLA Air Force has acquired three batches of 76 Su-27SK/UBK fighters from Russia since 1992. The aircraft is also built under license in China as the Jian-11 (J-11).


8. Su-30MKK Multirole Fighter Aircraft

The PLA Air Force has acquired two batches of 76 aircraft from Russia and 2000 and 2003 respectively. The third batch, which is reported to be the improved variant Su-30MKK2, is currently being delivered to the PLA Naval Air Corps.

9. FC-1/JF-17 Multirole Fighter Aircraft
upgraded Mig-21 they try to sell to Pakistan

Ignoring the fact that aircraft built under license cannot be 'pathetic copies' (B-57, Harrier?) the basic question is, so what? will they fly? Turn? Shoot? The answer to all those questions is yes. If they use this method to equip their Air Force with credible caopability quickly and cheaply then good for them. There comes a time when the copyists take the initiative and end up being the copied. look at America.

I have to say im amazed at the amount of copies that come out of China. The rip off of the GM Hummer took the cake im my book. I can understand stealing a planes design but a Truck Its not really hard to design a military truck its not rocket science.

I guess its just cheaper to copy something then to design it.

1. H-5 Bomber Aircraft

The Hong-5 (H-5) is a licensed copy of the Ilyushin IL-28 (NATO codename: Beagle) twin-engine daylight bomber aircraft produced by Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (HAMC). Several hundred H-5 bomber variants and HJ-5 bomber-trainer variants were delivered to the PLA Air Force and PLA Naval Air Corps in the 1960s/70s

2.H-6 Bomber Aircraft

The Hong-6 (H-6) is the twin-engine intermediate-range jet bomber developed and built by Xi’an Aircraft Industry Co. (XAC). The aircraft is a Chinese copy of the Soviet Tu-16 (NATO codename: Badger) with some modifications.

3.H-6D Anti-Ship Missile Bomber Aircraft

The Xi'an H-6D is derived from the H-6 (Chinese copy of the Russian Tu-16 Badger) bomber for the maritime reconnaissance and anti-ship roles, the latter with the aid of a target acquisition/illumination radar with its antenna in a larger undernose radome, and with single hardpoints (under the wings outboard of the main landing gear units) for two YJ-6 (C-601) anti-ship missiles with a range of 120 km and a speed of Mach 0.8.

Q-5 Attack Aircraft

The Qiang-5 (Q-5, NATO codename: Fantan) attack aircraft is a twin-engine, single-seat attack aircraft for close air support and interdiction of enemy targets roles. Developed by Hongdu (Nanchang) Aircraft Industry Group, the aircraft was based on, and derived from, the Shenyang J-6 (Chinese copy of the MiG-19 Farmer)

All the best things come from copies and reverse engineering.

You can see the flaws.

Originally posted by SpittinCobra
All the best things come from copies and reverse engineering.

You can see the flaws.

That's qxymoron How could the copy be the "best thing" if it's not much different from original?

The best aircrafts produced were, in my opinion : Spitfire, Mustang, Me-262, Sabre, Mig-21, Phantom, Harrier, F-15, f-16, Su-27, Mig-29, Mig-31, F-22. Which one of these was a copy of something else?
Can you name 1 dominant(=great) aircraft developed by reverse engeneering?

Originally posted by longbow

Originally posted by SpittinCobra
All the best things come from copies and reverse engineering.

You can see the flaws.

That's qxymoron How could the copy be the "best thing" if it's not much different from original?

Even the BEST has flaws. If you take it apart, you can see where the problems are. Then you can put it back together better.

Can you name 1 dominant(=great) aircraft developed by reverse engeneering?

Well, I never said anything about planes, I was making a general statement.

[edit on 3-10-2004 by SpittinCobra]

oh wow theyre pathetic copies.....will you guys put this to rest who cares if they copy......nobody really cares.....its not like the planes theyre copying are designed by you.....you ignorant fools.....what makes you think america is all powerful....other countries could be powerful too but just hiding it......look who the "f" cares if they copy american planes.......people copy everything.......they photocopy things from copyright textbooks does any1 care? noooooooo they photocopy copyrighted photos......does any1 care?......they copy copyrighted toys....does any1 care nooooo!

you people are just prejudice

Originally posted by CookieMonster000


you people are just prejudice

When you say, "you people", it sounds like it has Prejudice in it. Funny how that works. I was not one of those people. Please do not make general statements about PEOPLE, if you cant read the words in front of you.

[edit on 3-10-2004 by SpittinCobra]

Originally posted by SpittinCobra

Originally posted by CookieMonster000


you people are just prejudice

When you say, "you people", it sounds like it has Prejudice in it. Funny how that works. I was not one of those people. Please do not make general statements about PEOPLE, if you cant read the words in front of you.

[edit on 3-10-2004 by SpittinCobra]

your stinky......

ok fine.......some of you people MIGHT be prejedice

Chinese aircraft right? Let's keep to the topic please.

You don't have to invent something to build it well. My beef isn't with the word "copy" it's with the word "pathetic". The Chinese airforce, as even you admit, is moving towards designs based on Su-27 and Su-30, which are formidable aircraft.
I hate to say this, but I am convinced that it is true: Americans are generally presented with an arrogant, racist view of the world which simply assumes that African, Arab, and Asian enemies are a bunch of arse-backwards cave dwellers who can't threaten us. I have tried to and again to caution people like the author of this post that the minute you lose respect for your rivals is the minute they start to grow stronger than you.

Here are a few dominant weapons which rely on borrowed technology: The M1A1 Abrams (German cannon, British Armor), the P-51D Mustang (British Engine), and i'm pretty sure the the harrier is entirely british.

Iraq's Al-Hussien missiles, while hardly "dominant" were an improvement on purchased SCUDs. Iraq also managed to improve on artillery they were sold (i'm pretty sure it was G-5s, but i read about that a while back and i'm not sure).

So tell me, what law is there that says China can't improve on designs they get from others?

Yeah I really don't understand what's with all the whining about aircraft that look alike. Their are no copyrights on aircraft designs. Perhaps some of you don't realize that it takes time and money to do research and development, if you can get rid of that or at least shorten the R&D time, you'll save lots of money. If a Country sees a design they know that works well and would work well for their needs, then why not copy it and save yourself some money? It seems like the most logical thing to do.

People have always copied other peoples designs. Not always directly, sometimes just influenced, but it always happens. It seems like some of you have nothing better to do than to belittle China, and other countries efforts to catch up to the rest of the world.

It is funny that people say that the US started out copying designs for our aircraft, but we didnt. Sure after WW2 we tested German fighters and missiles, bu instead of outright copying it we modified our fighters with the tech( air plane engines, swept wings) but the airframe was new. Now China on the other hand essentially copys the airframe and improves some of the electronics based on the ones they have. Also while they are making advanced fighters, most of their fighters are over 50 years old and eligible for a classical aircraft standing in most US plane clubs.

back in the day the russians did the same thing with our superfortress...

Well, there's no use in whinging about it. We all know China copies stuff, China knows they copy stuff, all their fighter jets are just Russian jets built under license with different names. I don't see the big deal.

I hate to say this, but I am convinced that it is true: Americans are generally presented with an arrogant, racist view of the world which simply assumes that African, Arab, and Asian enemies are a bunch of arse-backwards cave dwellers who can't threaten us. I have tried to and again to caution people like the author of this post that the minute you lose respect for your rivals is the minute they start to grow stronger than you.

Well that was a pretty racist comment in and of itself. I as an American do know that they present a significant threat, but I am kind of steamed that all they do is copy instead of comming up with an indiginous airframe and then adding components from other planes. THis means that they only basically photocopy someone else's work and dont bother how to learn to do it on their own. May I also ask why you think that America is racist since we have the largest population diversity of most of the world, but we are proud not arrogant of our strength.

Originally posted by roniii259
...but I am kind of steamed that all they do is copy instead of comming up with an indiginous airframe and then adding components from other planes. THis means that they only basically photocopy someone else's work and dont bother how to learn to do it on their own.

Ummm did you not see the part about the Chinese getting the licensing rights off the Russians? Thus they arn't copies of Russian aircraft, they are Russian aircraft, just in made China. Also isn't there that saying, "Learn by imitating others"? Just give them time and i'm sure they will begin coming up with there own original designs. They have a lot of catching up to do in many areas first though.

[edit on 4-10-2004 by jra]

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
I guess its just cheaper to copy something then to design it.

Very true. they can save lots as a pre existant design does not require the costly,tedious, and prolonging testing, certification, quality, etc