Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

Data for: Pakistan, Xiaolong fighter equipment.

Correspondent Hu Qin

“Fierce Dragon” extravaganza Dubai Air Show, for a time attracted the attention of the world. “Fierce Dragon” in the end is a kind of fighter? Can not be classified into three generations of machines as well? As an export-oriented fighter in the international market What are the advantages? Recently, this reporter interviewed with them Air Force deputy editorial Fu magazine outpost, asked him on the “Fierce Dragon” and highlights the advantages of each of reading to do.

global defense: from your point of view, the “Fierce Dragon” What is evaluation of this aircraft?

Fu outpost: “Fierce Dragon” fighter using edge of the wing, tail pneumatic layout, the large angle of attack with good mobility, integration of tactical and technical indicators, “Xiaolong “is a very good overall performance of the light fighter. Particularly airborne systems and avionics systems deliver high performance, very much in line outside of its “small Jian Shi” position. It can be said, “Fierce Dragon” is a quasi-three generations or even three generations of machines.

“Fierce Dragon” after its first flight several times to improve its operational performance has been significantly improved performance such as the installation of advanced pulse Doppler radar, installed an integrated avionics system, updated edge of the wing, using the new “clam” inlet, modified the shape of the tail stand.

the prototype into a thin edge of the wing side of the arch, there are two advantages, one can increase the wing area, lower wing loading; two sides of the new arch help to improve the vortex lift to the aircraft’s high angle of attack of excitement has been significantly improved. “Fierce Dragon” in the appearance of another obvious change is to use advanced “clam” inlet instead of the original common inlet. The new side of the inlet boundary layer partition removed, and the entrance of the fuselage skin is slightly out muster, adjust its shape a bit like the shock cone.

It is worth mentioning that there are radar, “Fierce Dragon” is equipped with a pulse Doppler radar, light weight, multi-function, anti-jamming, detection and tracking distance, and stable and reliable, can be used for a variety of guided weapons, overall performance is superior to F-16A/B radar system. In addition, the “Fierce Dragon” is also equipped with many modern general-purpose standard equipment such as radar warning systems, missile strikes warning system electronic pod and so on.

global defense: a “clam” inlet What good is it?

Fu outpost: First, supersonic flight more efficient than normal intake inlet is not adjustable. Located in the “clam” inlet in front of the drum kit

can flow into the inlet of the air pre-compression, play similar to other supersonic inlet cone shock regulation, the role of compression ramp , which has a high total pressure recovery coefficient, reducing the high-speed flight at high altitude when the engine thrust loss. Secondly, although there is no boundary layer separated Road, “clam” style is not conducive to the engine inlet was able to work to eliminate the boundary layer. The first swept-lip and body bulge of working together, changing the inlet flow field around, leading to the center of the inlet pressure is high, and both sides of the pressure is low.

“clam” inlet simple, clean, plus a special lip line designed to greatly reduce radar reflectivity. Due to less moving parts, reliability is good, has a simple structure, light weight, large volume, low cost and maintenance advantages. Experimental and flight test results show that the “clam” inlet in the transonic flight stealth and other aspects are satisfactory, maintenance and support is relatively simple, but its precision design and manufacturing processes demanding, making more difficult.

in our own R & D of new combat aircraft, the “Fierce Dragon” is the first use of “clam” type inlet. The success of the aircraft in this area to try and explore some of the models selected for the subsequent intake of these advanced devices, opening the way to the foundation.

global defense: Dubai Air Show this year is amazing the amount of aviation orders, especially in the Middle East is very strong demand for civil-military machine, and this “Fierce Dragon” appearance Dubai also means that the pace of its international acceleration, do you think the “Fierce Dragon” future orders mainly came from?

Fu outpost: “Fierce Dragon” China and Pakistan jointly developed export-oriented fighter, in some Third World countries with a strong competitive edge, this aircraft has a low cost, high-performance features, easy to Some small countries to accept. For some relatively well-off countries, military spending, in order to ensure the fleet size and fighting, a number of cost-effective high-volume equipment, “Fierce Dragon” is very good.

world of the Russian arms trade center’s statistics, from 2006 to 2013, worldwide sales of 1589 will be at least multi-purpose fighters, worth $ 82.586 billion, of which the new aircraft market size of at least 1276. From the existing order, direct supply of intentions, licensed production and tender plan view, the next four years the annual demand of about 200 per annum. For the expected global economic crisis may have some influence in the procurement, ordering some projects may be delayed.

the world with the “Fierce Dragon” aircraft are the same order of magnitude of JAS39 Swedish Gripen, South Korea, India A-50 and LCA and so on. Present, including the United States, Russia, Britain, France no longer major powers, including the development of basic light aircraft, are to take medium-sized machine to use when the light machine. The most typical example is the American F-35, although it is a single aircraft, its engine thrust can be great, more than two “gust” of the engine thrust, and even more significant.

10 tons of light fighter species is relatively small, and JAS39 cost of up to $ 48 million, India’s development progress of the LCA as dragged out for 30 years, priced from $ 13 million originally forecast to rise $ 40 million, but the performance did not improve. South Korea is to take A-50 T-50 improvements come as a trainer might be a good aircraft, but not necessarily as a fighter. So to with the “Fierce Dragon” for the PK model much, even if the performance is pretty, but the price is also much higher than it is, “Fierce Dragon” represent a significant cost advantage, attractive to the third world countries, even in some small European countries also received a lot of attention.

global defense: “Fierce Dragon” can do such a high price depends primarily on what?

Fu outpost: This with the accumulation of China’s aviation industry for many years and has a lot of personnel training. For decades, China has been engaged in the development and production of various models work, rising level of technology, experience gained, a lot of technology is shared, and each other transplants. Take India for the LCA research, they found the beginning of the talent can not meet domestic needs, had to please a lot of foreign technical experts. India did not last for the construction of talent, and now India is not dependent on Western countries, research and development can not be fighters.

This is not just the number of personnel problems, China has a complete training system, especially the major OEMs continue to accumulate over the years. However, if a model can not fully adhere to the process of training can not play, the role of technology accumulation. Years on this issue in China eat a lot of loss, and now we come to realize this problem. Even if a particular project but also to have it finished out hard, so you can train a group of supporting people team, these people will be more high level, a very important aspect of aircraft design experience is, or will in the early development of encounter many problems, it is difficult to not experience such a complex system integrated together.

global defense: “Fierce Dragon” in Pakistan’s position on how the Air Force?

Fu outpost: the first in Pakistan to discuss the “Fierce Dragon” comprehensive applicability and in the Air Force’s position, proposed to the “Fierce Dragon” and the F-16 for high and low, F-16 into a medium-sized machines, “Fierce Dragon” with its use, but made Pakistan’s test pilot, this aircraft features more full, you can take a lot of independent tasks, some of the performance even better than F-16, especially on the radar.

in a simulation exercise, the “Fierce Dragon” can have “bite” F-16, and a number of successful F-16 were on target lock. A few rounds down, are the “Fierce Dragon” before the enemy found, before the enemy attacks. The results pleasantly surprised to Pakistan, they believe, as the “Fierce Dragon” equipped with advanced medium range air to air missiles, part of its comprehensive strength will exceed the F-16A, fully beyond the Indian Air Force used Russian-made MiG-29, close to the U.S. F-16C/D level.

Russian experts have analyzed the “Fierce Dragon” advantage, they think, “Fierce Dragon” is a highly cost-effective multi-function third-generation fighter aircraft, can be used to replace most of the world’s second-generation and second-generation semi-fighters, such as Russia’s MiG-21, the French “Mirage” Ⅲ/Ⅴ, the U.S. F-5 and F-7 produced in China, strong 5. Relative to the function of a single fighter/attack aircraft, since the “Fierce Dragon” using advanced avionics technology, saving weight and space air can hold more equipment, tactics to achieve more performance, “Fierce Dragon” The thrust to weight ratio also greatly improved, more fuel-efficient.

global defense: before the media reported, in the face of tightening domestic demand, the United States may relax export restrictions on high-tech projects, including the export of military products, you think the U.S. will not be dumping him out of the weapons and equipment, if This will not affect China’s export of military products?

Fu outpost: F-16′s later improved as the “Desert Falcon” U.S. Air Force and not equipment, are sold to Saudi Arabia and Israel, but the prices are very expensive, more than $ 50 million. If the United States in the dress out of retirement when his own second-hand aircraft like the F-16C/D Nachulaimai is certainly more expensive, but look at the F-35 development cycle dragged on for several years already behind schedule, even if the formal production will not be as high as originally thought. Lockheed Martin originally wanted to use assembly-line produced F-35, in order to achieve one day one of production efficiency, but ultimately can not be achieved is still unknown. The more complex the more advanced aircraft, the more likely to expose problems, and exposed the problem with the need to continue to improve, which will affect the F-35 column mounted speed. So, expect to sell second-hand F-35 aircraft to help make the fast changing, is unlikely.