Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2014-09-06
A J-16 fighter climbs during a test flight. (Internet photo) |
After a
satellite image revealed that Shenyang Aircraft Corporation has already
produced eight J-16 multirole fighters, drawing complaints from the Russian
aviation industry that its aircraft have been copied without permission,
according to the Kanwa Defense Review published by Andrei Chang, a Canadian
military analyst also known as Pinkov.
As the eight
J-16 fighters in the image were all painted in yellow markings, the article
said it remains unknown whether the aircraft will be turned over to the PLA Air
Force or Navy. However, it is certain that J-16 multirole fighters will replace
J-11B fighters designed for aerial combat.
China
slowed down the production of fighters such as J-15, J-16 and J-11B because
Russia refuses to sell more AL31F engines to Beijing, and this is the
technology that China had been unable to reverse engineer. Without enough Russian-built
engines, the PLA Air Force and Navy Air Force is unable to field such advanced
fighters in large numbers. However, China has finally able to put its domestic
Taihang engines into J-16 fighters since 2013. The reliability of the Taihang
engine will be put to the ultimate test after the J-16 enters service.
Kanwa
Defense Review also said reports that the J-16 is equipped with active
electronically scanned array radar remain questionable. At the same time, a
source from the Russian aviation industry said Russia is very unhappy about the
development of the J-16 fighter as China did not gain permission from Russia to
design the fighter based on the blueprint of the Russian Su-30MK2.
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