J7 Aircraft - The delivery of technical documents to Shenyang Aircraft Factory was, however, not carried out due to deteriorating relations between Beijing and Moscow. This allowed the company to develop its own version of the MiG-21 through a reverse engineering process.
The Chinese-made MiG-21 was developed in March 1964 and initially known as Type 62. It was later redesignated as the J-7 (Jian-7). The J-7 can climb at a rate of 155m/s, while the maximum and cruise speeds of the aircraft are 2,120km/h and 1,200km/h respectively.
J7 Aircraft
Its combat range is 850km. The ferry range of the J-7 is 2,000km and the aircraft can fly to a maximum altitude of 17,800m. Over a hundred JH-7/7A strike fighters have been built to date; it
Performance Of J- Fighter Aircraft
has been offered for export sales as the "FBC-1 Flying Leopard", but there have been no export users. It was assigned the unflattering NATO reporting name of "Flounder", although it is often, at least informally, known by the
"Flying Leopard" I met. Avionics configuration is unclear, evident features being a glass cockpit with a head-up display (HUD) plus "hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS)" controls, plus a planar-array multimode radar and a defensive countermeasures
system. The aircraft is dynamically unstable, with a digital FBW FCS to maintain it in the air. * The JH-7A turned out to be a muscular-looking combat jet made mostly of aircraft aluminum alloys, featuring a slab-sided fuselage;
all-swept flight surfaces with a high wing; twin engines fed by dee-style inlets on the sides of the fuselage behind the cockpit; and tandem seating. Each wing has a sweepback of 45 degrees at quarter-chord, with a small "leading edge root
[] Jh-A Described
extension" featuring greater sweep. The wing arrangement is simple, with ailerons and large one-piece flaps, but no leading-edge control surfaces; the wings have a strong anhedral droop. The tailfin has a prominent forward fillet, and the tailplanes are "all moving".
There are twin fixed ventrals fins under the tail -- the JH-7 only had one ventral fin -- and airbrakes top and bottom just forward of the engine exhausts, for a total of four air brakes.
It can carry a payload of up to 2,000kg. The J-7 is fitted with PL-2, PL-5, PL-7, PL-8, PL-9, Magic R.550 and AIM-9 air-to-air missiles (AAM), unguided bombs weighing 50kg to 500kg, a 55mm rocket pod and a 90mm rocket pod.
Each wing features an inboard and outboard control surface on the trailing edge of the wing -- usually referred to as "elevons" for "elevator-ailerons", but the distinction between flaps, elevators, and ailerons can get confusing in a canard delta machine.
Orders And Deliveries
The wing also has a drooping leading-edge flap on the outer two-thirds of its span. The inboard section of the wing has an anhedral droop while the outboard section is flat, giving the wing a slight
"inverted gull" configuration. * Several hundred J-10s are now in PLAAF service, with the type notably being used as the mount for the PLAAF "August 1" flight-demonstration team, having replaced the J-7 / MiG-21 in that role from 2009. These six machines are
painted in spiffy blue-white-red colors and carry smoke generators to "wow the crowd". Incidentally, the significance of the date is that it is the formal birthday of the PLAAF. It appears that the PLANAF also operates the
type, with the single-seater for the PLANAF being the "J-10AH", and the two-seater being the "J-10SH". An improved "J-10B" is now being introduced, with: There's some puzzling over the specific role intended for the J-20; while
[] Comments Sources Revision History
seemingly well-suited as a stealthy strike asset, the carriage of long-range AAMs suggests it may also be seen as a long-range interceptor to neutralize adversary air assets. There is no higher strategic priority than China the consolidation of Taiwan with the mainland;
to this end, the Chinese have focused on neutralizing Taiwanese and US air power in the region, accordingly investing in interceptors, with each interceptor carrying a heavy AAM load. Offensive weapons include iron bombs, cluster munitions, unguided rockets
pods, guided bombs, anti-radar missiles, and antiship missiles -- with four antiship missiles being more or less a default operational stores configuration. Total external warload is given as a hefty 8 tons (8.8 tons). It can also be configured for the electronic warfare (EW) role,
carrying jamming pods on its underwing pylons, with three different types of jamming pods having been identified. It appears that five JH-7 prototypes were built, the first flight being on the 14th December 1988. They were followed by "Block 1" evaluation machines, and then
Flight Planning Codes For Loa Approval
"Block 2" full-production machines. The JH-7 was formally accepted into service until 1998, although it appears it was in PLANAF squadron service by 1994. It was followed by a "JH-7A", essentially the mature production version of the JH-7, which entered service in 2004. The earlier-production
JH-7s were apparently given partial upgrades to bring them closer to JH-7A spec. * Conjectures about the J-20 are all over the map, some claiming it is substantially bigger than the US F-22A, while estimates of the J-20's are empty
weight shows it to be smaller. Obviously, all conjectures have to be taken with a grain of salt: even if some of the commentators know what they are talking about, it's difficult to sort them out from those who don't.
There have been suggestions that much of the technology was stolen -- possibly -- and that the J-20 is too far ahead of Chinese technological capabilities be practical to produce -- we'll see. Certainly it can be said that, given
[] Chengdu J- Mighty Dragon
the expense of fifth generation fighters, it may never serve in large numbers. In August 2005, the Namibian Air Force ordered 12 F-7NM aircraft. And the Nigerian Air Force acquired 12 F-7NI fighters and three FT-7NI trainers from CAC in 2008;
the first batch of aircraft was delivered in December 2009. Work on the single-engine fighter began in 1983 as "Project 10", with an RFP released specifying a jet fighter comparable to those possessed by potential adversaries -- such as the F-16, F/A-18, Mirage 2000, MiG-29.
The major Chinese aircraft organizations responded with proposals, including the Chengdu organization's proposal selected for further development in 1984. Development was protracted, with engine development problems apparently being a significant cause of delays, but the first prototype of the "J-10A
Meng Long (Vigorous / Energetic / Lively Dragon)" was, according to the official records, rolled out in 1997, with the first flight on March 23, 1998, test pilot Le Qiangjia at the controls. Unfortunately, there are often errors in this section, which end up causing delays in the approval of LOAs.
Item
While flight planning codes may seem like just a bunch of letters and numbers on paper, errors can have real consequences when received by ATC, such as inadvertent flight penalties or the inability to receive an in-flight clearance.
Operators and planning providers must share the responsibility in correctly filing flight planning codes. The J-10 has a twin-barrel Type 23 23-millimeter cannon on the belly, offset to the left. There's a centerline pylon, primarily for a belly tank, and
pairs of small pylons fore and aft of the centerline stores on the belly. Each wing has three store pylons, the innermost being "wet" for an external one tank. As far as other basic elements of the aircraft -- when not actually
specified, they could be assumed: zero-zero ejection seat; glass cockpit with wide-screen color flat-panel displays, HUD, helmet-mounted sight, and HOTAS controls; a flight processor system and multiplex digital FBW FCS system; plus modern countermeasures kit. Production J-20s likely carry a
[] Xian Jh- Origins
multimode AESA radar of Chinese manufacture. There are also windows on the fuselage that has been judged to be for a "distributed aperture" threat-warning system. Avionics systems have been tested on a highly modified Russian Tupolev Tu-204C twinjet airliner -- along the lines of the
Boeing 757, called the "Catfish", used to test systems for the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighter. The Q-5 became an important strike asset for both the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and the People's Liberation Army Naval Air
Force (PLANAF). However, its only real virtues were sturdiness and low cost; it couldn't carry a heavy warload, and lacked range. Following armed squabbles with the Vietnamese in the South China Sea in 1974 that revealed
deficiencies in Chinese combat capabilities, work began on a much improved strike fighter -- a two-seat aircraft with a heavy warload and long range. In 1976, a request for proposals (RFP) was sent out to Chinese aircraft
[] Chengdu J- Lively Dragon
design organizations; in 1977, the proposal submitted by the Xian Aircraft The factory was accepted for further development. At the outset it was seen effectively as a pure bomber, with the aircraft to be designated "Hongzhaji /
Hong (Bomber) Type 7" or "H-7". J-20s flown so far used Russian-built AL-31FN afterburning bypass turbojets, as used by the J-10. With such engines, it is arguable that the J-20 is capable of non-afterburning supersonic cruise.
The production powerplant is envisioned as the more powerful WS-10G with thrust-vectoring nozzles -- although there's been rumors of other powerplants, such as the WS-15J, not expected to be available for some years. Some of the test machines may have
been fitted with alternative engines. Twin cruciform drag chutes can be deployed to reduce landing roll. The the cockpit has a single-piece canopy that hinges up from the rear. The refined third prototype featured alterations to flight surfaces, revised landing gear
door configuration and canopy, plus additional "warts" on the aircraft for combat avionics systems. Estimates of the number of prototypes run to about a half-dozen, with these machines inelegantly taking to the air in yellow primer paint.
Following the end of initial trials in early 2003, a number of aircraft were provided to a PLAAF operational conversion unit, with the J-10A then entering the PLAAF line service in 2004. In the meantime, work had been proceeding on a two-seat
version, the "J-10S", with the initial prototype performing its first flight in late 2003 and the variant introduced to service in 2006. A flight plan is a critical part of a flight and it is essential to ensure that it is properly prepared.
Unfortunately, mistakes are often made when completing them, due to lack of knowledge or confusion about regulations. It's important to ensure your flight plans are going to ATC with the right codes to help you avoid clearance changes and delays.
Errors on sample flight plans are also a frequent reason why Letters of Authorization are either delayed or not approved. More initial production J-20s have appeared. The PLAAF received their first service machines late in 2016, being initially flown for operational test and
training they should be introduced to line service in 2017 or following. The Chinese have made it clear they have no intention of exporting the type. Computer-generated images have circulated of a two-seat J-20 -- including
imagery from AVIC, meaning it seems like a serious project. The J-10B has also been tested with the Shenyang-Limbing WS-10A bypass turbojet, and has performed demonstrations at airshows flying with an engine featuring a tilting "vectored thrust" exhaust;
it appears the intent is to evolve the WS-10A into a WS-15 configuration for the J-10B, or later variant. The PLAAF and the PLANAF had different requirements, and so did Xian engineers designed two different variants -- one with side-by-side seating for the
PLAAF, the other with tandem seating for the PLANAF. However, at that time China was just emerging from the turmoil of the disastrous Cultural Revolution, initiated by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chairman Mao Zedong in 1966, which had done much to reduce the country to chaos for a decade.
Getting things done was difficult enough; the Xian design was also of Chinese origin, not a derivative of a Soviet type, presenting a challenge to the inexperienced Chinese aviation industry. Developing two different variants was simply too much, and the program went nowhere in particular.
The JH-7A has internal armament, in the form of a two-barreled Type 23-III "teeter-totter" 23-millimeter cannon, a variant of the Soviet GSh-23 cannon, on the lower right side of the fuselage, roughly near the wing leading edge
-- a position that no doubt reduced problems with engine gun-gas ingestion. All stores are carried externally. Store attachments include: The J-31 is said to be powered by twin WS-13A/E afterburning bypass turbojets with about 83.4 kN (8,500 kgp / 18,740 lbf) thrust.
Photos of the demonstrator and models suggest it is intended for carrier operations, or at at least could have a carrier version, the aircraft featuring twin-wheel nosegear to handle carrier smackdowns and an arresting hook. Models show it
to have four stores pylons under each wing and dual side-by-side internal weapons bays in the fuselage. Originally the powerplants were Spey Mark 202s obtained from Rolls-Royce in Britain, with the plan being to produce them in China.
Copying the Spey proved difficult, and additional Speys had to be purchased to support the JH-7 program -- most of the engines being refurbished units from retired British Phantom fighters. The locally-produced version, the WS-9, was not
introduced until after the turn of the century; that was an embarrassment but manufacturing the Spey did prove a significant learning experience for the Chinese jet engine industry. The J-10S two-seater is generally similar to the single-seater, except of
course for the tandem-seat cockpit, as well as a noticeable dorsal spine. It appears that the initial use of the two-seater was for conversion training, but it has obvious potential as a multirole aircraft -- indeed, it had been
intended primarily as a trainer, it would have had a designation along the lines of "JJ-10". A photo of a J-10S is available showing it kitted up with targeting pods on the forward fuselage pylons, as well as air-to-surface
stores. The two-seat configuration of the J-10S makes it better suited to the attack role, with a weapons system operator in the back seat targeting and directing weapons. However, it's unclear just how well developed this is
"Strike Dragon" configuration really is. By the early 1980s, it was apparent that both variants could not be implemented, and PLAAF interest in the H-7 gradually faded out. However, the Chinese military took careful notice of the 1982 Falklands War between
Britain and Argentina, paying considerable attention to the Argentine use of French-made Exocet antiship missiles against British vessels. Chinese maritime war planning was revised to focus on antiship missiles, and that implied obtaining an air platform that could carry and launch them.
Accordingly, the PLANAF pushed the development of the H-7, the concept being revised to a multirole configuration and accordingly redesignated "Jian Hong (Fighter Bomber) Type 7" or "JH-7". J-7 is a single-engine, lightweight fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China.
Its design is based on its predecessor, the MiG-21 aircraft. The export version of J-7 has been designated the F-7. While a capable aircraft and certainly a big step forward for the Chinese aircraft industry, the Flying Leopard is a design rooted in the 1960s and
1970s, technologically a contemporary of the Jaguar, and well behind the times for the 21st century. There is interest in keeping the JH-7 up to date, with initial flight of a "JH-7B" upgrade in 2011. Although little
information is available, it appears that the primary elements of the update were a new radar and mission computer, plus an inflight refueling probe. It may also have introduced some composite assemblies, to reduce weight, and an
improved WS-7B engine. Of course such Chinese designs include fighter aircraft, including the Xian "JH-7 Flying Leopard" strike fighter; the "J-10 Lively Dragon" multirole fighter; and the "J-20 Mighty Dragon" stealth fighter prototype. This document provides a history and description of the JH-7, J-10, and J-20.
For some time, it was difficult to see that the J-10 had an air-to-ground capability, beyond unguided rocket pods -- a fairly easy store to handle, since they can be aimed by a gunsight -- but in 2016, the PLAAF announced
that it was qualified with a target designator pod, mounted on an under-intake pylon, the pod having originally been fielded on the JH-7. In 2017, a J-10B was displayed kitted up for the "defense suppression" role,
with twin YJ-91 anti-radar missiles, these being developed from the Russians Kh-31 ramjet-powered air-to-surface missiles; a control pod for the YJ-91s; and an electronic systems pod, clearly for targeting the missiles. All landing gear has twin wheels, presumably for operation off rough
airstrips, the nose gear retracting backward and the main gear retracting up and forward into the fuselage. On the approach, with gear down, the JH-7A has an unmistakeable resemblance to an Anglo-French two-seat SEPECAT Jaguar strike fighter, the resemblance not being so strong from other angles.
The Jaguar was obviously seen as a model of the sort of Chinese aircraft wanted to build, although it would be absurd to call the Flying Leopard a "copy" of the Jaguar in any significant way.
It could be thought of as a "Jaguar on steroids", the JH-7A having an empty weight about twice that of the Jaguar.
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