Latest news with #ShenyangAircraftCorporation
NDTV
21-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
J-7 Fighter Jet - A Reverse-Engineered MiG-21 But With A Chinese Touch
A China-built F-7 fighter jet, operated by the Bangladesh Air Force, crashed into a college building in Dhaka, killing 19 people - The pilot, 16 students and two teachers. The aircraft, often referred to as 'Grandpa Fighter Jet', was developed in the 1960s by China, initially in partnership with the Soviet Union, but later, when Sino-Soviet relations soured, Beijing reverse-engineered the MiG-21 and built J-7 or F-7 (the export variant). Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, North Korea, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe operate the aircraft, which was designed from the mighty MiG-21F-13 variant. Bangladesh has 36 F-7 aircraft, which is the export variant of J-7. Meanwhile, Pakistan is the biggest operator of F-17 with at least 120 aircraft. Most of the aircraft in China's inventory are copies of American and Russian-made fighter jets. Produced Under Agreement Or Reverse Engineered? In 1961, China's Mao and the Soviet Union's Nikita Krushchev signed an agreement to produce the MiG-21 in China under a licence. The MiG-21, along with some technical documents, were sent to the Shenyang factory in August 1962, but the deteriorating ties between the two powers led to a lapse in the agreement, and China went ahead without Soviet assistance. MiG-21 is the world's most mass-produced fighter jet. At one point, it was one of India's leading fighter jets. The technical documents, according to China, were incomplete; however, the Soviets denied the charge. The engineers at Shenyang began to reverse engineer the MiG-21F-13 variant of the Soviets and ended up identifying and solving 249 problems in the aircraft, and made at least eight technical documents for the aircraft. In 1964, the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation began the production of the first aircraft named J-7I, which looked almost the same as the MiG-21, which has a swept delta wing design and an air inlet in the nose. But internally, the two varied. MiG-21 was designed around a simple airframe. It was inexpensive and went supersonic. The objective in designing the aircraft was for point defence with its air-to-ground attack capabilities. The Chinese wanted to follow the Soviets and suited the PLA's strategy - Having a large number of fighters to challenge the West, especially around Taiwan, their Achilles Heel. China Brings Its Changes The Chinese did not copy-paste MiG-21 but made certain changes that impacted the J-7's aerodynamics. They identified an issue with the hydraulic system of the MiG, because of which 70% of the aircraft were grounded in squadrons, and the location of the fuel tanks, which caused instability. However, it was China's most mass-produced aircraft with several operators in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. It was the backbone of the PLA Air Force at one stage. The mass production of J-7 helped China develop and manufacture aircraft at fast pace to outnumber the US. The first J-7 variant - J-7I was very similar to the MiG-21F-13 version. Credit: The MiG-21 carried most of its fuel in the forward fuselage, and after a flight of about 45 minutes, the aircraft was unstable. The Chinese repositioned the fuel tanks in J-7, and added larger drop tanks to provide longitudinal static stability - A jet's tendency to return to its original pitching altitude after it is moved up and down. However, the 1960s were one of the most tumultuous periods for China. Mao's policies, like the 'Great Leap Forward' and the 'Cultural Revolution', not only impacted industrial growth and manufacturing in the country but also caused famines because of directives like collectivisation of farming etc. The Chinese managed to mass-produce J-7 only in the 1980s under Deng Xiaoping. The first J-7 variant - J-7I was very similar to the MiG-21F-13 version. The Chinese used the WP-7 engine, which was similar to the Russian R-11 Turbojet. The J-7 had a 30mm cannon, just like the Russian NR-30, and it had a PL-2 Air-to-Air Missile (AAM), similar to the Russian AA-2. But it had complications in its ejection seat. The 1980s for J-7 The Chinese developed the J-7II variant later, with improved ejection seat and better engine - WP-7B. Almost 20 years had passed since the inception of the aircraft, and the 1980s saw significant improvements in the jet. The later variants were equipped with the WP-13 engines. In the mid-1980s, Pakistan requested a J-7 variant with greater radar capability. Both the standard Chinese radar and the British Marconi radar were plagued by ground clutter, and China lacked experience with air-to-ground radar. In 1984, Pakistan provided support by assigning American-trained F-16 pilots to train Chinese personnel on ground attack radar usage. This led to the development of the J-7M, aviation website AirVectors said in a report. Pakistan is the largest operator of the J-7 fighter jets. The Pakistan Air Force helped improve the aircraft's radar. Credit: The Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) designed a zero-zero ejection seat - A seat that can eject even on the ground. It was better than the KM-1 ejection seat the Soviets used during that time. However, the Chinese ejection seat, HTY-5, for J-7 or F-7 was similar to Martin Barker's ejection seat on the J-7M variant, which was even exported to Bangladesh MiG-21 had a forward-opening, forward jettison canopy upon ejection. The Chinese repositioned it for J-7 and used a rear-hinged, upward jettison canopy. The J-7 only matched its Soviet MiG-21 capabilities by the mid-1980s. In 1987, J-7E became the first MiG-21 variant to include a helmet-mounted sight, HOTAS (Hands On Throttle-And-Stick), and a multi-purpose display. Many of these components were British-made, such as the gun sight and display. Further improvements turned the aircraft into a fourth-generation short-range interceptor. The Chinese stopped production of the aircraft in 2013, but it still has many operators. MiG-21 is infamously called the "Flying Coffin" because of its flight safety record, but the two aircraft have a varied crash history. The MiG-21 was developed in 1955 and has undergone several changes, but its production stopped several years ago, and scarcity of parts often posed challenges in maintaining the aircraft. The Indian Air Force inducted MiG-21 in 1963, and it still has two squadrons that operate the aircraft; however, they will be phased by most likely by the end of this year with the induction of the Tejas aircraft.
India.com
17-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Coward Pakistan begs US to not help India with..., will Trump agree?
Coward Pakistan begs US to not help India with..., will Trump agree? In a desperate plea, Pakistan has appealed to the US not to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to India which was offered to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by US President Donald Trump during his US visit in February. After this, when US Vice President JD Vance visited India in April, he also offered F-35 to India. Will India take it from US? Even though there has been no official confirmation on this, last week Defense Secretary RK Singh had definitely said, without naming US, that India is seriously considering buying stealth fighter jets from a 'friendly country.' What Pakistan has pleaded? Pakistan Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu who visited US has requested the US not to sell F-35A stealth fighter to India. During this time, he met US Air Force Chief General David Allwine, along with some other US military officials and some MPs. In which he requested the US officials not to give F-35 stealth fighter to India. Expressing his fear, he said that if US gives F-35 to India, then it can dangerously disturb the regional strategic balance. Pakistan, whose air force capability is much weaker and limited than India, believes that if India gets fifth generation stealth fighters like F-35A, then it will seriously affect the balance of air power in South Asia and regional strategic stability will be threatened. Will China help Pakistan with J-35 stealth fighter jet? Pakistan has raised this concern to the US at a time when it has reached the final stage in the process of buying J-35A stealth fighter jet from China. China's Shenyang Aircraft Corporation has built the J-35A, a twin-engine stealth fighter and is considered a competitor to the F-35. According to reports, Pakistan has ordered 40 J-35A aircraft, the delivery of which is expected to be completed in the next two years. China has speeded up production to deliver the first batch in the next 6–8 months. Apart from this, there are also reports of Pakistani pilots training with the J-35. This fighter aircraft will be equipped with long-range PL-15 or PL-17 missiles. Pakistan aims to deploy a full stealth squadron by the year 2026. Reports say that China is selling it the J-35 at a 50 percent discount. Will India buy F-35 fighter jets from the US? To counter the possible acquisition of J-35 stealth fighter by Pakistan and China, India is seriously considering buying advanced fighter jets like F-35A from the US or Su-57E from Russia. However, nothing has been said officially about both the aircraft. The Indian Air Force has already signed several defense agreements with the US, including MQ-9B drones, C-17, P-8I and Apache helicopters. Apart from this, the US is going to supply the engine of Tejas-1 fighter aircraft to India and talks with the US to manufacture the engine of Tejas-2 fighter aircraft have reached the final stage. Now the Donald Trump administration is planning to offer India the F-35A stealth fighter jet specifically according to the needs of the Indian Air Force, which will include software defined radio, advanced IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) system and other custom hardware according to Indian operational needs. This will be a similar customization as has been done in the Israeli F-35I 'Adir' version. This proposal was also mentioned in the talks between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Modi.
AllAfrica
13-07-2025
- Business
- AllAfrica
China unveils carrier power – but global reach remains elusive
China has unveiled its stealth carrier jet program, revealing not only cutting-edge warplanes but a bold bid to redefine naval power in the Indo-Pacific. This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that China publicly revealed the production facilities of its fifth-generation stealth fighter jets for the first time, signaling progress toward deploying these aircraft on its third aircraft carrier. During a broadcast by state-run CCTV, at least two J-35 jets were observed at Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's (SAC) hangar, even though the report focused on the J-15T, an upgraded 4.5-generation carrier-capable fighter. Military analyst Song Zhongping said the J-35s were likely corrosion-resistant, carrier-based variants, marking the first public indication of their mass production. Both aircraft are expected to operate from the Type 003 aircraft carrier Fujian, currently undergoing sea trials and set for commissioning by year-end. Sun Cong, chief J-15 designer, highlighted software-defined functionality as key to faster aircraft development. Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of AVIC, is expanding its facilities, with provincial governor Wang Xinwei inspecting new construction sites this month. The company had earlier announced an 8.6 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) investment in a 4.2 square kilometer production site over five years. The move underscores China's accelerating naval aviation modernization and ambition to become a 'deep blue-water' navy. China's J-35A and J-15T carrier-based fighters mark a significant step in the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN's) ability to project power across the Indo-Pacific. However, persistent technological, operational and strategic constraints continue to limit the effectiveness of China's carrier aviation in high-end maritime conflict scenarios. Kevin Kusumoto states in a February 2025 article for the US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) that China's J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighter represents a leap in stealth, electronic warfare, and multi-domain capabilities. He explains that the J-35A, designed for all-domain operations, employs advanced stealth and networked systems to strike enemy aircraft, cruise missiles, and air defenses while maintaining 'one-way transparency' against prior-generation threats. He adds that its modular design supports carrier-based variants intended for deployment aboard the Type 003 Fujian. Although some observers compare it to the F-35, Kusumoto argues that the J-35A reflects China's tactical priorities, citing its unique aerodynamic structure, bomb bay configuration and engine layout. Writing in November 2024 for The War Zone (TWZ), Thomas Newdick describes the J-15T as a substantial upgrade to the PLAN's carrier aviation. He reports that the aircraft incorporates domestically produced WS-10 engines and is a catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR)-compatible for operations aboard Chinese carriers, including the Fujian. He notes that its reinforced landing gear and integration with the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) allow for heavier payloads and higher sortie rates. Newdick also highlights a revised radome housing an active electronically scanned array radar compatible with PL-10 and PL-15 missiles, along with cockpit enhancements that improve pilot situational awareness. He states that these upgrades, combined with domestic engine production and broad compatibility, establish the J-15T as a multirole naval fighter. Jack Burnham adds in a November 2024 article for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) that, alongside the J-20, the J-35A enables China to field two stealth fighter types – a capability previously exclusive to the US. He further notes that an upgraded carrier-based J-15, likely featuring extended range and improved armaments, demonstrates China's ability to refine existing platforms to enhance force projection. At the operational level, Daniel Rice explains in a July 2024 report for the China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) that Chinese state media emphasizes 'split wave' and 'continuous' air operation patterns, allowing sustained presence or saturation attacks to support amphibious assaults and control contested airspace. He says China could employ its carrier battle groups (CVBGs) to project power well beyond its coastline by organizing layered maritime defense zones. These CVBGs, he notes, are structured into inner, middle, and outer defense layers extending up to 400 kilometers from the carrier and integrate submarines, surface combatants, and carrier-based aircraft to defend the formation and strike targets. Keitaro Ushirogata, in his book Global Maritime Strategy 1980-2023, frames China's aircraft carriers as strategic tools in the PLAN's transition from coastal defense to blue-water operations. He notes that China's carriers are designed to support operations in the Western Pacific and beyond, enabling extended-range air operations, sea control, and deterrence missions far from the Chinese mainland. Ushirogata underscores that these vessels are intended not merely as status symbols but as instruments to enhance China's regional influence, protect overseas interests, and potentially challenge US naval dominance in Asia. Yet this ambition is undercut by enduring constraints. Jonathan Caverley, writing in a 2025 article for the Texas National Review (TNR), observes that the PLAN's carriers lack nuclear propulsion and overseas basing, which limits their endurance and reach. He notes that PLAN vessels remain vulnerable to long-range precision strikes from the US and its allies, supported by satellite-based targeting and resilient kill chains. Caverley also warns that China's reliance on contested space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) networks makes its carriers susceptible to disruptions, further reducing their combat effectiveness. Moreover, he states that deficiencies in integrated air defense and anti-submarine warfare capabilities could undermine PLAN carrier survivability in high-intensity engagements. Aina Turillazzi builds on this analysis in a 2024 article for the SAIS Europe Journal of Global Affairs, noting that Fujian's reliance on conventional propulsion demands support vessels for sustained operations and that the carrier has underperformed in EMALS trials compared to US counterparts. She further cites a shortage of carrier-qualified pilots as a critical bottleneck. While she acknowledges progress in underway replenishment and satellite communications, Turillazzi argues that China's power projection remains limited by logistical depth and lack of combat experience. Rather than matching US global reach, she concludes, China's carriers are better suited to influence operations against weaker regional adversaries. China is pairing stealth aircraft with expanding shipbuilding to reshape its naval presence. But despite rapid gains, persistent logistical and operational constraints continue to tether its ambitions to regional waters.
South China Morning Post
10-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Fifth-generation fighters make cameo appearance as China unveils production facilities
For the first time, China has unveiled the production facilities of its fifth-generation fighters and hinted at its readiness for the aircraft to be catapult-launched on carriers. Advertisement At least two J-35 fighter jets were spotted in a hangar of its developer, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, during an exclusive interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday. The stealth aircraft – covered in green paint – were in the background as the TV anchor introduced the J-15T, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter that is suited for catapult launch. 02:26 China's biggest air show in Zhuhai features new fighter jets and helicopters China's biggest air show in Zhuhai features new fighter jets and helicopters Li Guoen, a test pilot for J-15 fighters of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), said the J-15T had been upgraded from the J-15 with thicker struts, a catapult tow bar and dual-wheel landing gear. The efficiency of energy absorption of the front landing gear remained a major technical challenge, he said in the interview. 'You can see that the landing gear is very thick … we hope to make this structure slimmer and lighter in the future as that would give the aircraft better control.' During a CCTV report on Tuesday, at least two J-35 fighter jets were spotted in a hangar of its developer, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. The stealth aircraft, painted green, can be seen in the background. Photo: CCTV The news package did not mention the J-35, but its shipborne version, as well as the naval fighter J-15T, are expected to be deployed on China's third aircraft carrier.
India.com
07-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Pakistan betray China? denies big deal of major fighter jet…, Is it dragon's strategy or Islamabad's ‘U' turn?
Pakistan has officially denied reports claiming about its deal with China to procure the fifth-generation J-35A stealth fighter jets. There were media reports that Chinese weapons were used by Pakistan against India during Operation Sindoor. While global media suggested Pakistan was set to become the first foreign buyer of China's J-35A stealth jets, Islamabad dismissed these claims as mere speculation. Is It Chinese Strategy? Media reports also claim that these rumors may have been part of a Chinese strategy to promote the J-35A globally and attract potential buyers. The denial comes at a time when there are also reports that China is attempting to discredit France's Rafale fighter jets. Rafales were reportedly used during Operation Sindoor between India and Pakistan in May. According to a French intelligence agency, Chinese defense officials posted in foreign embassies have been instructed to question the Rafale's performance possibly to prevent countries like Indonesia from increasing their orders and to create market space for Chinese aircraft. Pakistan And China Deal According to Bloomberg and other international media outlets report, in June 2025 that Pakistan was ready to purchase the J-35A stealth jets developed by China's Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. The reports claimed Pakistan would be the first foreign buyer. After this, the shares of AVIC (parent company of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation) surged by 10%, indicating anticipated success in Chinese defense exports. Earlier reports suggested Pakistan was planning to buy 40 J-35A jets at a discounted price under a 'flash sale' offer. Delivery was expected to begin by August 2025, with flexible payment terms. The J-35A is equipped with AESA radar and PL-17 long-range missiles, and its capabilities are often compared to the American F-35. Pakistan Denies Deal In a television interview, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif categorically denied any such agreement. He hinted that the entire narrative might be a move to promote China's defense industry. Despite the denial, some reports citing unidentified defense sources previously claimed that the Pakistan Air Force had approved the purchase and pilot training had already begun in China. It was also reported that the J-35A was being considered to counter India's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, which is expected to roll out only after 2035.
