Shenyang Completed Another "J-31" Prototype

Terrible quality picture, sorry. When a better one comes out, I'll have that for the forum. The 2nd prototype was repainted in grey for whatever reason.

a reply to: anzha

It looks better in black.

a reply to: Zaphod58

It certainly looks better in focus! Haha. The grey might look good. Can't really tell with that pick. Certainly a better choice for daylight flying.

just a tidbit and still not in focus.

Gun test.

The pictures below are from the oldest of the three prototypes. The aircraft has wildly evolved since it's manufacture over 5 years ago. However, I want to highlight something. Before I do, I want to reiterate that I am definitely NOT amongst those who are the "CHINA MAKES SHBT" crowd: the laws of physics care more for how much money you throw at a problem than the colors of your flag.

That said...

The J-20 is of a very high quality as far as its manufacture goes: we have commented on it for a while now. The original J-31...









The J-31 was/maybe still intended for the export market, so we'd not expect the same quality as the J-20. Additionally, Shengyan might have taken the route of getting something in the air first to test rather than do a full complete aircraft.
However, the gap here between the J-20 and the J-31 is pretty high. At least to my eyes.

It should recognized, just because /one/ company does less than ideal work doesn't mean a country cannot. Unless, of course, that's the ONLY company a country has.

a reply to: anzha

The exposed rivets on the close-up tell me that this prototype was probably far more along the lines of the YF-22 or the X-35 than it was to any combat-ready design.

Supposedly, according to an interview the next naval fighter for China will be unveiled by the end of 2020. Rumors are it is based on the J-31/FC-31.

May be a new bird. Note the engines.

Two types of engine or just different nozzles...??? Possible thrust vectoring on port engine..? a reply to: anzha

New twin fin design too....!! a reply to: Silentvulcan

originally posted by: Slys13
a reply to: grey580

Cause the don't have a single engine in that thrust rage that's reliable!! I could be wroung...also it could be the same reason cdn live twin engine because if the size if there lady mass !!

For the same reason the japanese and British love twin engines, reliability and efficiency on long haul. China wants a plain that can travel from one end of the country to the other, take fire, and then come back again without needing a tanker to refuel it. This means two engines, favoring efficient cruise over raw speed, and a large fuel capacity.

China is looking for a defensive aircraft able to do long patrols, not a multi role attack fighter. Its needs are fundamentally different from America's.

originally posted by: ufoorbhunter
a reply to: grey580

It does look like a slimmed F35 but how do the Chinese get to this stage so quick? There must be some kind of spying going on or someone selling tech to them, it's too similar. You'd think there was a way of sueing the Chinese for blatant copy catting

More mainland Chinese graduate from us universities in the field of engineering than native born american citizens. Chinese don't need to steal us technology, much of it is built by chinese citizens in the first place, they just come to America because america is where the best colleges are and where the research money is.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Chinese don't need to steal us technology, much of it is built by chinese citizens in the first place, they just come to America because america is where the best colleges are and where the research money is.

And we've been having the Chinese come here to our colleges this for thirty plus years.

The laws of physics don't care what color your flag is.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Chinese espionage RE: F-35 is no secret.

I was torn whether to post this in the J-20 or the J-31 threads.



Some interesting, incoming pix of the V2 style bird. Others found them first (slept in), so I'll see if they post them first.

a reply to: anzha




Managed to get the time to post them now the little one is napping for a bit.

I believe this is still "V2" and it still doesn't look carrier ready, no wing fold, front landing gear doesn't look beefed up and the flaps are too small.

a reply to: E92M3

That appears to be correct that this is still V2. There /appears/ to be two of the V2s flying. There are claims a V3 is in the air, but no one has provided pix so far. It may or may not be the J-XY (carrier 5th gen underway).