Chengdu J-10 Debuts at Zhuhai Air Show

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For the benefit of anyone who hadn't already heard, China's Zhuhai Air Show was kicked off today - and will be running from 4th thru 9th of November. Among other things, this show marks the air show debut of China's J-10 fighter:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-10...ent_7134832.htm

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=378...c=AIR&s=TOP

 

There have already been at least a couple of videos released:

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTEyMDE4MDQ=.html?full=true

 

. . . and more than a few photos:

http://i37.tinypic.com/307lymx.jpg

http://i33.tinypic.com/23ihukn.jpg

http://i37.tinypic.com/1qqyrm.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/5yzztu.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/j9yqyw.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/29ve88j.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/250hw80.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/1hz4av.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/2115ce9.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/s28d2d.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/2wbrwr9.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/2j3rxi0.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/vcvxjc.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/71ia9k.jpg

 

Hopefully we'll get to see a closer look at this airplane. Pakistan is currently in line to buy a batch of these. China will probably be rolling out their sales presentation for the benefit of other prospective buyers for the first time.

[+Gocad 26]

Good pics.

 

This is probably the armchair aircraft designer speaking, but why the fixed refueling probe?

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This is probably the armchair aircraft designer speaking, but why the fixed refueling probe?

 

Probably for the same reasons that the Mirage 2000 and Rafale have a fixed probe. A retractable probe adds weight - and the performance specs for the airplane were probably written in such a way that the manufacturer wasn't required to include the probe when demonstrating contractual requirements.

[Erwin_Hans 6]

I don't know all.

 

But,we can guess

 

There are two kinda J-10

 

J-10 the old one without refueling probe,limited muti-role air fighter.

 

J-10A the one in Zhuhai airshow,with refueling probe ,ull muti-role air fighter.

[Svetlin 545]

Let's not forget the aircraft should actually have the necessary free space for the retracting probe mechanism.

If the initial design project did not include a retractable probe, it may have been difficult later to rearrange the equipment on bord to fit one in.

What's more, a removable instead of a retractable refuling probe may sometimes be an advantage.

[rovert97 1]

i don't know i still think this looks like the Chinese adopted baby of a F-16 and Typhoon, with a hint of the milkman X-31.

[+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,557]

Why don`t they made the probe retractable or movable or is it so much weight for the mechanisem?

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Another interesting piece of journalism to come out of this Air Show:

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewl...-chinas-j1.html

 

The author of this particular article (posted on Flight International's website) is a Russian-based journalist, with contacts within the Russian aerospace industry (which supplied technical support and engines for the J-10). It would appear that the Russians have now concluded (belatedly) that they have supplied China with the means to close much of the gap between their own, latest technology fighters and the 1960s classics that the Chinese were still building a little more than a decade ago.

 

Two years ago every important source told me, let's wait two years and see what comes of China's new J-10 fighter. Now everyone I trust says the Chinese pulled it off, and the J-10 has proven a tremendously successful program.