Many have been waiting for the two-seater J-20A or the on-board J-35 to star at the upcoming Zhuhai airshow, to be held next week in southern China. No information concerning the presence of these new devices has yet filtered. On the other hand, a J-16D electronic warfare aircraft, in the colors of the Air Force of the People's Liberation Army, did land on Zhuhai airport on Tuesday, to participate in the show. Therefore, there is no doubt that the new device, which is the equivalent of the EA-18G American Growler, or indeed in service with the Chinese air force, bringing a new leading capability to Beijing's military arsenal.
Like the American Growler, the J-16D is a revised and deeply modified version of a multipurpose fighter-bomber, the J-16, entered service in 2012, and of which it is estimated that more than 200 units are now in service with the Chinese air force. Derived from the Su-30, the J-16 is a two-seater heavy bomber entirely Chinese made, designed for precision strikes and air superiority. In its conventional version, it has an AESA active electronic antenna radar, an IRST frontal infrared detection system, and an electronic warfare and self-protection suite, making it a perfectly capable device facing the most western devices. Note that the IRST has been deleted on version D (see main illustration photo), which is not strictly speaking a device intended for air-to-air combat, but whose main mission is in the electro spectrum. -magnetic.
It can also implement a wide range of munitions, including the new short-range PL-10 air-to-air missiles, the long-range PL-15 and PL-21 missiles, as well as numerous air-to-ground and anti-aircraft ammunition. precision vessels. The aircraft has an estimated maximum takeoff weight of 77.000 pounds (35 tons), and is powered by two WS-10A turbojets with a maximum unit thrust of 15 tons each, giving it a maximum speed of Mach 2, and excellent thrust-to-weight ratio. Its combat range is estimated at over 2000 km, and the device has been used many times to carry out Beijing's demonstrations of force around Taiwan in recent months, including escorting H-6 bombers. In its J-16D version, the aircraft received two important jamming pods that equip the main supports of each of the wings, as well as a modified cockpit to control this equipment. It will also likely receive anti-radiation missiles, which can already be deployed by the J-16, and will undoubtedly have self-protection air-to-air missiles.
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[…] several exclusive presentations have already been announced, in particular that of the J-16D electronic warplane, the specifics of which we have already covered, and the 5th generation J-20A fighter, the first evolution of the J-20 endowed, among other […]