FC-20 / Future PAF J-10

[Solid Beast]

News and developments related to FC-20 please post here. Currently the closest designation is J-10B which is still in trial phase with PLAAF.

[Solid Beast]

Ladies and gentlemen, please feast your eyes on J-10B, a precursor to FC-20.

Here is some background on the project...

Daily News:

According to the Russian aviation website in Hong Kong, China's Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAC) has started production of the 2 seater version of F-10A (J-10A) called F-10S (J-10S).

Export version to Pakistan will be called FC-20 (J-10B).

Pakistan Air Force:

PAF plans to purchase 36 to 100 FC-20 aircraft. China's will start exporting FC-20s to Pakistan starting from 2014 to 2015 period.

Compared to PLAAF F-10A (J-10A), F-10B (J-10B or FC-20) will be equipped with:

1) Thrust vectored engines,

2) Conformal Fuel Tanks,

3) extra antennas on both sides of the fuselage for a new radio and electronic equipment (as seen in new photos),

4) AESA Radar (as speculated by experts),

5) DSI inlets (also reduces RCS and weight),

6) Electro-optical tracking system (passive sensors),

7) Infrared search and tracking sensor (passive sensors),

8) LASER range finder,

9) Electronic Warfare and Counter Measure Equipment (on top of vertical stabilizer), and

10) more fuselage and wing hard-points to carry extra weapons and pods.

F-10B's (FC-20) development began in 2004 - 2005 period and completed in December 2008 with its first flight.

F-10B (FC-20) program has active Russian MiG Aircraft Manufacturing Company’s technical support.

[Solid Beast]

[Araz]

Originally Posted by Kharian_Beast

Ladies and gentlemen, please feast your eyes on J-10B, a precursor to FC-20.

Here is some background on the project...

Daily News:

According to the Russian aviation website in Hong Kong, China's Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAC) has started production of the 2 seater version of F-10A (J-10A) called F-10S (J-10S).

Export version to Pakistan will be called FC-20 (J-10B).

Pakistan Air Force:

PAF plans to purchase 36 to 100 FC-20 aircraft. China's will start exporting FC-20s to Pakistan starting from 2014 to 2015 period.

Compared to PLAAF F-10A (J-10A), F-10B (J-10B or FC-20) will be equipped with:

1) Thrust vectored engines,

2) Conformal Fuel Tanks,

3) extra antennas on both sides of the fuselage for a new radio and electronic equipment (as seen in new photos),

4) AESA Radar (as speculated by experts),

5) DSI inlets (also reduces RCS and weight),

6) Electro-optical tracking system (passive sensors),

7) Infrared search and tracking sensor (passive sensors),

8) LASER range finder,

9) Electronic Warfare and Counter Measure Equipment (on top of vertical stabilizer), and

10) more fuselage and wing hard-points to carry extra weapons and pods.

F-10B's (FC-20) development began in 2004 - 2005 period and completed in December 2008 with its first flight.

F-10B (FC-20) program has active Russian MiG Aircraft Manufacturing Company’s technical support.

I have been made to understand that the Chinese J10 A is what has been promised to us and the J10 B is presently not for sale. Could some one please clarify this.
Araz

[Solid Beast]

Originally Posted by Araz

I have been made to understand that the Chinese J10 A is what has been promised to us and the J10 B is presently not for sale. Could some one please clarify this.
Araz

From what I am aware of PAF has not explicitly acknowledged an upgraded J-10. J-10B is not for sale but FC-20 delivery is expected to take place in 5 years+ time. I do suspect PAF helped the Chinese in further modernizing the J-10A.

[Solid Beast]

I have had some input from various source, 2 of them being defense enthusiast related and one being a defense correspondent with a local news organization here. This is what I have gathered so far and made notes on the data that was overlapping. Do not take it to be official please as my sources are not working in the PAF or PLAAF.



FC-20 prototype J-10B has passed all of it's technical and aerial trials, proven it's IFR capabilities and will be coming to the PAF with an advanced Chinese engine which will undergo serial production in 2013.There are only minor delays in a supposed variant of WS-10 which has been tossed, is currently being tested.. Airframe is made with more composite materials and the payload has increased. Also CFT's have been successfully tested and will also be a part of the initial 36 FC-20 package which will come with A-2-G and A-2-A munitions such as a new PLAAF ramjet bvr missile and of course SD-10.

Here is the best part... FC-20 is coming with ToT and there will be maintenance facilities and also some production capabilities which will keep this bird in service for at least 30 years.

It is also confirmed baat that FC-20 is not J-10A and China will be undertaking a MLU close to FC-20 standards in about 10 years when the PLAAF will have seriously ramped up J-10 production as they want in ideal terms at least 600 J-10B flying and all their old J-10A will have undergone the same upgrade as PAF's FC-20's except for certain western components which the PAF will supposedly obtain.

Also the radar was decided to be a high performing PESA radar rather than AESA which makes sense, as these would increase the cost of each fighter by at least 20-25%. There will already be Chinese awacs providing long range coverage, Pakistan is not the size of the US or Russia so the PAF will 99% not get AESA in FC-20.

It is supposedly going to be marketed against Rafale, Typhoon and other Western 4.5 gen fighters in a way which China says it has not done before and many air forces who would have bought MiG or Lockheed will get J-10A export variants. PAF and PLAAF will be the only nations flying the J-10B for foreseeable future.

[Zob]

Originally Posted by Solid Beast

I have had some input from various source, 2 of them being defense enthusiast related and one being a defense correspondent with a local news organization here. This is what I have gathered so far and made notes on the data that was overlapping. Do not take it to be official please as my sources are not working in the PAF or PLAAF.



FC-20 prototype J-10B has passed all of it's technical and aerial trials, proven it's IFR capabilities and will be coming to the PAF with an advanced Chinese engine which will undergo serial production in 2013.There are only minor delays in a supposed variant of WS-10 which has been tossed, is currently being tested.. Airframe is made with more composite materials and the payload has increased. Also CFT's have been successfully tested and will also be a part of the initial 36 FC-20 package which will come with A-2-G and A-2-A munitions such as a new PLAAF ramjet bvr missile and of course SD-10.

Here is the best part... FC-20 is coming with ToT and there will be maintenance facilities and also some production capabilities which will keep this bird in service for at least 30 years.

It is also confirmed baat that FC-20 is not J-10A and China will be undertaking a MLU close to FC-20 standards in about 10 years when the PLAAF will have seriously ramped up J-10 production as they want in ideal terms at least 600 J-10B flying and all their old J-10A will have undergone the same upgrade as PAF's FC-20's except for certain western components which the PAF will supposedly obtain.

Also the radar was decided to be a high performing PESA radar rather than AESA which makes sense, as these would increase the cost of each fighter by at least 20-25%. There will already be Chinese awacs providing long range coverage, Pakistan is not the size of the US or Russia so the PAF will 99% not get AESA in FC-20.

It is supposedly going to be marketed against Rafale, Typhoon and other Western 4.5 gen fighters in a way which China says it has not done before and many air forces who would have bought MiG or Lockheed will get J-10A export variants. PAF and PLAAF will be the only nations flying the J-10B for foreseeable future.

very interesting....but without sources everything seems like a rumor...anywaz playing along with the rumor let me ask what advanced EW suite will it have & will it be able to carry western AMRAAM...or the advanced targeting pods of western make?

& when will the fighter get its IOC any date line you can give us....and if you can then also please i know i am pushing it can you please tell me when will it start getting inducted in the PLAAF or better when will THE WORLD SEE it flying......& not live off rumours or photshopped images all over the web!

[Solid Beast]

Originally Posted by Zob

very interesting....but without sources everything seems like a rumor...anywaz playing along with the rumor let me ask what advanced EW suite will it have & will it be able to carry western AMRAAM...or the advanced targeting pods of western make?

& when will the fighter get its IOC any date line you can give us....and if you can then also please i know i am pushing it can you please tell me when will it start getting inducted in the PLAAF or better when will THE WORLD SEE it flying......& not live off rumours or photshopped images all over the web!

At this stage there are people deciphering some leaked information from the PLAAF as the J-10B is coming to reality. FC-20 is actually a special request made by the PAF in Musharraf's time as the Chinese had promised an equivalent Sino fighter to F-16C/D models as their industry progressed (don't know how valid this comparison is yet). As for the advanced suites and targeting pods, these are most likely going to be optional for the PAF to use the Chinese or incorporate one from a 3rd party, the bird is coming with zero strings attached (as long as the engines are not Russian) and China will not care if PAF decides to customize FC-20 in any arena as we have done similar things with F-7. One of PAF's top priority in this case is to make sure FC-20 is as compatible with western systems as possible, but with regards to AMRAAM capability that is not known at this time. The Chinese are currently testing a new bvr aam which has me thinking about R-77. FC-20 is already a capable platform now but is only waiting on a Chinese engine to be mass produced.

[keysersoze]

A few newer pictures...... And please not there is now a number on the aircraft.....It is reality now.....

[keysersoze]

One last one...credit should go to a Zunshi blog that posted them.