Chengdu J-10

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J-10 Vigorous Dragon
F-10 Vanguard
J-10A seen at Zhuhai airshow.
Role Multi-role combat aircraft
National origin People's Republic of China
Manufacturer Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation
Designer Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute
First flight 23 March 1998[1]
Introduction 2005[2]
Status In service
Primary user People's Liberation Army Air Force, Pakistan Air Force
Produced 2002–Present[3]
Number built 210 (As of October 2011)[4]
Program cost 500 million RMB allocated in 1982[1] (Project #10)
Unit cost 190 million RMB (27.84 million USD; 2010)[5]
Developed from Chengdu J-9[6]

The Chengdu J-10 (Jian-10; simplified Chinese: 歼-十; traditional Chinese: 殲-十; pinyin: Jiān shí, export designation F-10 Vanguard) is a multirole fighter aircraft designed and produced by the People's Republic of China's Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAC) for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). Known in the West as the "Vigorous Dragon",[7] the J-10 is a multirole combat aircraft capable of all-weather operation.

Contents

[edit] Development

The program was authorized by Deng Xiaoping who allocated ¥ 0.5 billion to develop an indigenous aircraft. Work on Project #10[1] started several years later in January 1988,[8] as a response to the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 then being introduced by the USSR. Development was delegated to the 611th Institute, also known as the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute and Song Wencong was nominated as the chief designer, he had previously been the chief designer of the J-7III. The aircraft was initially designed as a specialized fighter, but later became a multirole aircraft capable of both air to air combat and ground attack missions.

The J-10 was officially unveiled by the Chinese government in January 2007, when photographs were published by Xinhua News Agency. The aircraft's existence was known long before the announcement, although concrete details remained scarce due to secrecy. In the official announcement Xinhua News Agency and the PLA Daily denied rumours that one of the prototypes had crashed during testing, and listed this is one of the test pilots' accomplishments. Later rumor blames the discrepancy on cover-up.[9]

The prototype "J-10 01" was rolled out in November 1997 and first flown on 23 March 1998[1][10] in a twenty minute flight. Aerodynamic performance trials were carried out until early December 2003; aerial refuelling tests were also completed during this time. During the trials the aircraft exceeded several design requirements.[vague] The last part of the test flight programme, the live firing of air-to-air missiles, was carried out from 21 December 2003 to 25 December 2003.

AVIC plans to market an upgraded J-10 for export, most likely the J-10B, once development is complete. Several countries have shown an interest in the type.[11]

[edit] IAI Lavi

Drawing of the canceled Chengdu J-9
The canceled Israeli IAI Lavi

Although the J-10 bears resemblance to three prior fighters, the Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-8, the Chengdu J-9 and the Israeli IAI Lavi,[12] all of which were cancelled. The Lavi had a similar canard-configuration to the J-10, while the J-9 preceded the Lavi.[13] The general designer Song Wencong has denied the J-10 was a copy of the Lavi, and said that it was a development of the indigenous J-9[14]

News articles have claimed that some of the Lavi's technology had been sold to China by the Israelis,[15] despite Israeli claims to the contrary.[16] In 2006, the Russian Siberian Aeronautical Research Institute (SibNIA) confirmed its participation in the J-10 program; SibNIA claimed to have only observed and instructed as "scientific guides", while its engineers also believed the J-10 was not only based on the Lavi, but also incorporated significant foreign technology and expertise.[17]

[edit] Operational history

The first aircraft were delivered to the 13th Test Regiment on 23 February 2003. The aircraft was declared 'operational' in December of the same year, after 18 years in development.[1][12] The first operational regiment was the 131st Regiment of the 44th Division.

[edit] Pakistan

In late-February 2006, the President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, toured the J-10 and JF-17 production facilities during which the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was offered the J-10,[18] and the purchase of 36 J-10s was approved on 12 April 2006. The J-10s would be modified to Pakistani requirements, and would equip two PAF squadrons from 2014–2015 and be known as the FC-20.[19][20][21]

[edit] Design

 This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2010)

J-10 was designed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute (CADI), a subordinate research institute of Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAIC). In a rather unusual agreement, the single seat version of the J-10 and the twin seat version of J-10 were designed by two different general designers; Song Wencong for the single seat version and Yang Wei for the twin seat version, who was also the general designer of the JF-17 light-weight fighter.[citation needed]

[edit] Airframe

Some US analysts believe that the J-10 could pose a serious challenge to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in terms of maneuverability.[22] In simulated dogfights, the J-10 defeated the Shenyang J-11A with a score of 13:1.[23]

The airframe is constructed from metal alloys and composite materials for high strength and low weight, the airframe's aerodynamic layout adopts a "tail-less canard delta" wing configuration. A large delta wing is mid-mounted towards the rear of the fuselage, while a pair of canards (or foreplanes) are mounted higher up and towards the front of the fuselage, behind and below the cockpit. This configuration provides very high agility, especially at high speed. A large vertical tail is present on top of the fuselage and small ventral fins underneath the fuselage provide further stability.

A rectangular air intake is located underneath the fuselage, providing the air supply to the engine. Also under the fuselage and wings are 11 hardpoints, used for carrying various types of weaponry and drop-tanks containing extra fuel.

The retractable undercarriage comprises a steerable pair of nose-wheels underneath the air intake and two main gear wheels towards the rear of the fuselage.

The cockpit is covered by a two-piece bubble canopy providing 360 degrees of visual coverage for the pilot. The canopy lifts upwards to permit cockpit entry and exit. The Controls take the form of a conventional centre stick and a throttle stick located to the left of the pilot. These also incorporate "hands on throttle and stick" (HOTAS) controls. A zero-zero ejection seat is provided for the pilot, permitting safe ejection in an emergency even at zero altitude and zero speed.

Due to the J-10's aerodynamically unstable design, a digital quadruplex-redundant fly-by-wire flight control system aids the pilot in flying the aircraft.

The cockpit had three liquid crystal (LCD) Multi-function displays (MFD) in the cockpit along with a Chinese developed holographic head-up display (HUD).

A Chinese infra-red search and track (IRST) system developed by the Sichuan Changhong Electric Appliance Corporation, the Type Hongguang-I (Rainbow Light-I) Electro-Optical Radar is fitted to the J-10. Based on the limited information released, Type Hongguang-I has a maximum range of 75 km. Although the Type Hongguang-I was designed to be lighter and more compact than similar Russian systems so that it could be fitted in the nose of J-10 while leaving enough space for a suitable radar, the current production model J-10 does not have enough space and must carry a podded version externally on one of the aircraft's hardpoints. However, recently released images show a modified variant of the J-10 with what is believed to be an IRST device fitted to the upper starboard side of the nose (see Variants).

[edit] Radar

According to Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation officials the J-10 uses a multi-mode fire-control radar designed in China. The radar has a mechanically scanned planar array antenna and is capable of tracking 10 targets. Of the 10 targets tracked, 2 can be engaged simultaneously with semi-active radar homing missiles or 4 can be engaged with active radar homing missiles.[24]

The radar is believed to be designed by the Nanjing Research Institute of Electronic Technology (NRIET), designated KLJ-10 and a smaller variant is claimed to be installed on the JF-17 light-weight fighter.[25] Believed to be based on technologies from Russia, Israel or a combination of both, the radar should be comparable to Western fighter radar designs of the 1990s. It may also be replaced by more advanced radars of other origin on export versions of the J-10. The Italian FIAR (now SELEX Galileo) Grifo 2000/16, has been offered to the Pakistan Air Force for installation on the J-10, should the PAF induct the aircraft.[24]

[edit] Propulsion

a J-10 powered by an AL-31FN turbofan engine

The J-10 is powered by a single Russian Lyulka-Saturn AL-31FN turbofan engine giving a maximum static power output of 11,700 kgf. The AL-31FN is based on the AL-31F which was designed for a twin engine aircraft such as the Su-27, to fit the smaller J-10 the engine parts have been moved and re-designed to fit the smaller engine bay in the J-10.

The AL-31FN was initially expected to be replaced by a domestic powerplant developed and manufactured in China, the WS-10A (WoShan-10A) Taihang turbofan, giving a thrust of 129 kN (13,200 kgf or 29,101 lbf); however, the PLAAF delayed integration of the WS-10 onto the aircraft given development difficulties with the engine.[26][27]

Russia has offered to provide China with a version of the AL-31FN that provides 12,500 kgf thrust and a 2,000-hour service life.[28]

[edit] Weaponry and external loads

The aircraft's internal armament consists of a 23 mm twin-barrel cannon, located underneath the port side of the intake. Other weaponry and equipment is mounted externally on 11 hardpoints, to which 6,000 kg (13,228 lb)[29] of either missiles and bombs, drop-tanks containing fuel and other equipment such as avionics pods can be attached.

Air-to-air missiles deployed may include short range air-to-air missiles such as the PL-8 and PL-9, medium-range radar-guided air-to-air missiles such as the PL-11 and PL-12, unguided and precision guided munitions such as laser-guided bombs, anti-ship missiles such as the YJ-9K and anti-radiation missiles such as the PJ-9.

[edit] Variants

  • J-10A: Single seat multi-role variant. The export designation is F-10A.[30]
  • J-10S: Twin-seat fighter-trainer variant of the J-10A. The forward fuselage of the aircraft is stretched to accommodate an additional pilot seat, two pilots sit in tandem with a single large bubble canopy. Also incorporates an enlarged dorsal spine which may accommodate additional avionics equipment or fuel. As well as serving as training aircraft, the J-10S may also be used for the ground attack role where the rear seat pilot would act as the weapon systems operator.[31]
  • J-10AH: Naval version of the J-10A.[22]
  • J-10B: An upgraded variant of the J-10 with new technologies, also known as the "Super-10."[32] The existence of the J-10B is not confirmed by official Chinese sources, but numerous images of a new J-10 variant have surfaced, showing a prototype J-10 modified with increased radar absorbent material, increased composites, new generation avionics, MAW, a diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI), an infra-red search and track (IRST) sensor, modified vertical stabiliser and wings, ventral fins, housings fitted under the wings, upgraded WS-10B engine, next generation of solid-state integrated electronics, and a modified nose with an AESA radar.[33][34][35] It had its first flight in December 2008.

[edit] Operators

 People's Republic of China
 Pakistan

[edit] Accidents and incidents

There have been four known crashes of the J-10 to date, the first crash was of a prototype combat aircraft during testing in 1998 with the most likely cause cited as failure of the fly-by-wire flight control system.[9]

[edit] Specifications (J-10A)

Chengdu J-10

General characteristics

Performance


Armament

Avionics

[edit] See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wang Jieqing. "J-10 Fighter Test Flight Process Secret Revealed". Southern Weekend. http://jczs.news.sina.com.cn/p/2007-01-04/1154424536.html. 
  2. ^ "China's J10C Ground Attack Aircraft". Strategypage.com. 2006-10-15. http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles2006/20061015201536.asp. Retrieved 2011-05-23. 
  3. ^ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/j-10.htm Chengdu J-10 (Jian-10, Fighter aircraft-10 / F-10)
  4. ^ a b c Richard Fisher Jr. (October 2011). "China's Maturing Fighter Force". Strategy Center. http://www.strategycenter.net/research/pubID.265/pub_detail.asp. Retrieved 28 January 2012. 
  5. ^ Hornby, Lucy (2010-04-13). "reuters, China J-10". In.reuters.com. http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-47657420100413?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0. Retrieved 2011-05-23. 
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  8. ^ John Pike (2002-06-28). "Chinese Aircraft – J-10". Globalsecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/j-10.htm. Retrieved 2011-05-23. 
  9. ^ a b "China tries to hide J-10 fighter crashes". Defense. Professionals. http://www.defpro.com/news/details/15125/. 
  10. ^ Zhang Baoxin (2007-01-01). "CAC J-10 External Design Did Not Receive Foreign Assistance". Aerospace World magazine. http://jczs.news.sina.com.cn/p/2007-01-01/1120423919.html. 
  11. ^ Siva Govindasamy, "China's AVIC steps up sales push for FC-1, J-10 fighters", Flight International, Retrieved: 02 October 2009
  12. ^ a b c d e "Sinodefence.com: J-10 Multirole Fighter Aircraft". http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/fighter/j10.asp. Retrieved 2007-04-09. 
  13. ^ "J-9 Head Engineer Talks About J-10". Aerospace Files. 2007. 
  14. ^ "Exclusive Interview with J-10 General Designer Song Wencong". 2007. http://military.china.com/zh_cn/news/568/20070105/13858504.html. 
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  17. ^ "SibNIA remains center of Russian innovation". 2007. http://www.ainonline.com/airshow-convention-news/farnborough-air-show/single-publication-story/browse/0/article/sibnia-remains-center-of-russian-innovation/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Bstory_pointer%5D=2&tx_ttnews%5Bmode%5D=1. 
  18. ^ "Leading News Resource of Pakistan". Daily Times. 2006-02-23. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006/02/23/story_23-2-2006_pg7_50. Retrieved 2010-03-21. 
  19. ^ Mushtaq Ghumman (2006-04-13). "Pakistan to buy 98 hi-tech aircraft from US and China". Business Recorder. http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=409827&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=. Retrieved 2007-03-21. 
  20. ^ "Pakistan to buy American F-16s, Chinese FC-10 fighter jets – minister". AFX News Limited. 2006-04-13. http://www.forbes.com/work/feeds/afx/2006/04/13/afx2667882.html. Retrieved 2007-03-21. 
  21. ^ "PAF to induct high-tech aircraft soon; aging fleet to be replaced till 2015 – ACM Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed". Associated Press of Pakistan / Aaj Tv News. http://www.aaj.tv/news/news.php?pg=3&show=detail&nid=61769. Retrieved 2007-03-31. [dead link]
  22. ^ a b c d e f "Chinese Military Aviation | China Air Force". Cnair.top81.cn. http://cnair.top81.cn/J-10_J-11_FC-1.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-17. 
  23. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCWat8ceqLw
  24. ^ a b "Jian-10 (J-10, F-10) Multirole Fighter Aircraft". SinoDefence.com. http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/fighter/j10.asp. Retrieved 2010-03-21. 
  25. ^ [1][dead link]
  26. ^ a b c d "Chinese Chengdu J-10 Emerges". Aviation Week. 2010-01-14. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/dti/2010/01/01/DT_01_01_2010_p65-188015.xml&headline=Chinese%20Chengdu%20J-10%20Emerges. Retrieved 2011-05-23. 
  27. ^ "J-10 fighter enters international market at $40 million – People's Daily Online". English.peopledaily.com.cn. 2010-01-21. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90786/6875587.html. Retrieved 2011-05-23. 
  28. ^ "China signs deal for 150 Russian fighter jet engines: Report." The Economic Times, 22 September 2011.
  29. ^ a b New generation of fighter jets on horizon, Global Times, 10 November 2009, p. 2, http://www.globaltimes.cn/www/english/military/china/2009-11/483864_2.html, retrieved 10 November 2009 
  30. ^ "Pakistan approves purchase of Lockheed Martin F-16s and Chengdu J-10 fighters-13 April 2006-Washington DC-Flight International". Flightglobal.com. 2006-04-13. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2006/04/13/205968/pakistan-approves-purchase-of-lockheed-martin-f-16s-and-chengdu-j-10.html. Retrieved 2010-03-21. 
  31. ^ SinoDefence (2006-04-14). "J-10B Fighter-Trainer". SinoDefense. http://www.electronicaviation.com/aircraft/Chengdu_J-10/1018. 
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  33. ^ http://cnair.top81.cn/J-10_J-11_FC-1.htm
  34. ^ "New J-10 Variant sighted". Janes Defence News. 2009-03-23. http://www.janes.com/news/defence/jdw/jdw090323_1_n.shtml. Retrieved 2011-05-23. 
  35. ^ "Jian-10B (J-10B) Multirole Fighter Aircraft". SinoDefence.com. 2009-03-28. http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/fighter/j10b.asp. Retrieved 2010-03-21. 
  36. ^ "PAF to start serial production of JF-17 fighter aircraft soon". Associated Press Of Pakistan. http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=70263&Itemid=1. Retrieved 2010-03-21. 
  37. ^ 23-Nov-2009 07:02 EST (2009-11-23). "Pakistan’s JF-17 Fighter Program". Defenseindustrydaily.com. http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/stuck-in-sichuan-pakistani-jf17-program-grounded-02984/. Retrieved 2010-03-21. 
  38. ^ "Specifications: J-10 (Jian 10) – Vigorous Dragon Multi-Role Tactical Fighter – Air Force Technology". Airforce-technology.com. http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/j-10/specs.html. Retrieved 2011-05-23. 
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  40. ^ "Chengdu J-10". Fighter-planes.com. http://www.fighter-planes.com/info/j10.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-01. 
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  42. ^ "Specifications: J-10 (Jian 10) – Vigorous Dragon Multi-Role Tactical Fighter". Air Force Technology. http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/j-10/specs.html. Retrieved 2010-03-21. 

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