The J-15 belongs to the 4th generation of conventional shipboard aircraft, which also includes the U.S. navy’s F/A-18C/D “Hornet” and F/A-18E/F “Super Hornet”, the French “Rafale M”, and the Russian Mig-29K that’s extensively utilized by the Indian navy.
According to Zheng Wenhao, military expert of Xinhua News Agency, the J-15 has the precise supersonic performance a number of the fighters mentioned above, and is particularly strong in air control and air-to-air intercept; its low-altitude and occasional-speed performances are slightly not as good as those of the “Hornet” family, but are better than those of the opposite models.
With its roots within the excellent genes of the “Flanker” family, the J-15′s flight performance is comparatively comprehensive. A heavy shipboard aircraft with a bare weight of about 18 tons, the J-15 is ready to carry greater than 9 a whole bunch fuel internally, giving more than a few over 3,000 km without the necessity to carry an auxiliary fuel tank. In step with Zheng Wenhao, this enables it as much as 12 mount points, that could all be used for quite a number precision guided weapons, thereby creating high combat flexibility.
The extensive attack radius, generous bomb load, and lengthy patrol duration give the J-15 powerful single aircraft combat effectiveness.
However, consistent with Andrei Pinkov, chief editor of the “Kanwa Information Center”, a comparison between the “Flying Shark” at the Aircraft Carrier Liaoning and the “Super Hornet” at the aircraft carriers of the U.S. Navy indicates that the F/A-18E/F of the U.S. navy is more mature, and has certain advantages over the J-15.
“The orientation of F/A-18E/F is a fighter attacker, in order that its maneuvering shouldn’t be so good because the J-15, which derives from an air control fighter. Which means the J-15 is likely to shoot down F/A-18E/F in close combat,” says Pinkov. “However, the ‘Super Hornet’ is ready to take off with the help of catapult, in order that its real payload is probably going to exceed that of J-15, which takes to the air through ski-jump. Thus the U.S. fighter has advantages when it comes to attack and combat radius.”
The larger frame of the J-15 also reduces the selection of aircraft at the aircraft carrier, and makes its radar cross-section bigger than the “Hornet”, offering the benefits of stealth and primary sight to the enemy.
“The J-15 represents a prime transition in China’s Navy”, says Zheng Wenhao. As China’s first shipboard fighter, its capabilities in takeoff, landing and rapid combat-readiness are a main leap forward.
Related Topic Tags