Chengdu J-10

Read 1 Review

Share |

The Chengdu J-10 is designed for air combat and ground attack, and is capable of launching precision attack weapons. The official government press agency Xinhua News Agency reported on 29 December that the Chinese air force is now equipped with the new-generation Chengdu J-10 fighter. Xinhua also reported that the Chengdu J-10 fighter is capable of launching precision strike weapons and conducting long-distance offensive operations. The J-10 fighter project had remained highly classified since it commenced in the late 1980s.

Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAC) is reportedly keen to market the J-10 fighter worldwide as a cheaper next-generation fighter. Pakistan is reportedly in negotiation with China to purchase up to fifty J-10 fighters. Currently the J-10 fighters in service with the PLA Air Force are powered by a Russian-made Lyulka-Saturn AL-31F turbofan engine. Integration of the engine with the J-10 fighter is believed to be underway at Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.

J-10 Weapons

The J-10‘s defensive capabilities would be formidable, as would its ability to perform all-weather strikes with new precision guided weapons against Israeli or U. It will be equipped with a new low-light targeting pod, developed with Russian assistance, which can mark targets for laser and navigation-satellite guided weapons. New Chinese precision guided weapons include Louyang’s laser-guided LS-2 and CMIEC’s 100kg, 250kg and 500kg nav-sat guided bombs. J-10 is designed for air combat and ground attack, and is capable of launching precision attack weapons.

It is estimated that up to 300 J-10 fighter aircraft will be manufactured. The new J-10 fighter jets have an operational range of about 3,000 kilometers, making Iran’s newly acquired aircraft capable of striking Israel. The regiments that have received J-10 fighters have all had experience using J-11 fighters, for instance the No.

General characteristics

Crew: 1 (basic), 2 (trainer variant)[8]
Length: 15.5 m (50 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in)
Height: 4.78 m ()
Wing area: 39 m² (419.8 ft²)
Empty weight: 8,000–9,730 kg (17,637–21,451 lb[28])
Loaded weight: 18,500 kg (40,785 lb [29])
Useful load: 5,500 kg (9,920 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 19,277 kg (42,500 lb[8])
Powerplant: 1× Saturn-Lyulka AL-31FN or Woshan WS-10A "Taihang"
turbofan
Dry thrust: 79.43 kN / 89.17 kN (17,860 lbf / 20,050 lbf)
Thrust with afterburner: 122.5 kN[8] / 129.4 kN (27,557 lbf / 29,101 lbf)

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2.2 at altitude[8], Mach 1.2 at sea level[5]
g-limits: +9/-3 g (+88/-29 m/s², +290/-97 ft/s²[5])
Combat radius:

On hi-lo-hi mission: 2,540 km (1,370 nautical miles) with 4,000lb/1,814kg bombload
and two air-to-air missiles [30]
On lo-lo-lo mission: 1,310 km (710 nautical miles with 4,000lb/1,814kg bombload
and two air-to-air missiles [31]
Maximum range (without refueling): 3,400 km (1,864 mi[8] ()
Service ceiling 20,000 m (65,600 ft[5])
Wing loading: 335 kg/m² (64 lb/ft²)
Minimum thrust/weight:
With afterburner: 0.98

Armament

Guns: 1× 23mm twin barrel cannon
Hardpoints: 11, 3 under each wing and 5 under the fuselage
Missiles:
Air-to-air: PL-8, PL-9, PL-11, PL-12
Air-to-surface: PJ-9, YJ-9K, 90 mm unguided rocket launcher pods
Bombs: laser-guided bombs (LT-2), glide bombs (LS-6) and unguided bombs