Chengdu J-10 Combat Aircraft

 

Chengdu J-10 

The Chengdu J-10 multi-role fighter is the first Chinese-developed combat aircraft that approaches Western fighters in terms of performance and capabilities. It is known as Meng Long or Vigorous Dragon in China and as Firebird in the   West. Development of the J-10 began in 1988. It was intended to counter the threat posed by the Soviet fourth-generation fighters - the MiG-29 and Su-27. The J-10 was initially planned as an air-superiority fighter, however collapse of the Soviet Union and changing requirements shifted the development towards a multi-role fighter. The aircraft made its maiden flight in 1998. The whole project was kept under high secrecy. It is worth mentioning, that the first photos of the J-10 came out only 3-4 years after the first flight. Some sources claim that it was influenced by the IAI Lavi. The J-10 multi-role fighter entered service with the Chinese air force in 2004, however, it was first publicly revealed only in 2006. Currently, around 240 of these aircraft are in service. It is estimated that 300 fighters of this type are required for the Chinese air force and possibly naval aviation too. Several countries, including Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, and Thailand expressed interest in purchasing this aircraft.

   Even though the J-10 is a rather advanced warplane, it can not match the performance of similar Western multi-role fighters, such as a US F-16 and Eurofighter Typhoon.

  The J-10 has a single engine. The first batch of about 50 aircraft is powered by Russian AL-31FN turbofan engines. This batch was delivered to the Chinese air force between 2004 and 2006. An indigenous turbofan was under development.

   The J-10 has beyond-visual-range air combat and surface attack capabilities. Aircraft has 11 external hardpoints for a range of weapons. Alternatively, it can carry target acquisition, navigation pods, or auxiliary fuel tanks. It is worth mentioning that the J-10 has an in-flight refueling capability.

   The main armament on the air-superiority missions is the PL-12 medium-range active radar-homing air-to-air missiles. For close ranges it carries the PL-8 infrared-homing missiles. For the surface attack role, the J-10 carries up to six 500-kg laser-guided bombs, free-fall bombs, or pods with 90 mm unguided rockets. The aircraft also has a single-barrel 23 mm cannon.

   The J-10 is fitted with an indigenously designed pulse-doppler fire control radar. It is capable of tracking 10 targets simultaneously and attacking 4 of them. The estimated maximum detection range is 100 km. The aircraft is fitted with a fly-by-wire system.

Variants

A two-seat variant, the J-10S fighter trainer, is available. It is identical to the single-seat variant but has a stretched fuselage to accommodate a second pilot seat. The J-10S can be used for pilot training or as a standard fighter. This aircraft made its maiden flight in 2003.

  J-10B multi-role fighter, with improved airframe and avionics. It is powered by a Chinese WS-10 turbofan engine. The first J-10 aircraft had Russian engines. The J-10 B entered service with China's air force in 2014. At least 14 aircraft were delivered during the same year. The J-10B is likely to become a standard production model.

 specification

• Crew:          1
• Length:       16.9 m (55 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan:  9.8 m (32 ft 2 in)
• Height:        5.7 m (18 ft 8 in)
• Wing area:  37 m2 (400 sq ft)
• Empty weight:  9,750 kg (21,495 lb) [unreliable source?]
• Gross weight:  14,000 kg (30,865 lb)
• Max takeoff weight:  19,227 kg (42,388 lb)
• Fuel capacity:      4950 L (3860 Kg) internal. 4000 L (3120 Kg) external with 3 drop tanks (2x1600L + 1x800L)
• Powerplant:     1 × WS-10B afterburning turbofan engines, 89.17 kN (20,050 lbf) thrust dry, 144 kN (32,000 lbf) with afterburner

Performance 

• Maximum speed: Mach 1.8
• Stall speed:         200 km/h (120 mph, 110 kn)
• Range:                 1,850 km (1,150 mi, 1,000 nmi)
• Combat range:    1,240 or 2,600 km (770 or 1,620 mi, 670 or 1,400 nmi) 
• Ferry range:         4,600 km (2,900 mi, 2,500 nmi)
• Service ceiling:   18,000 m (59,000 ft) 
• g limits:                +9/-3
• Rate of climb:      300 m/s (59,000 ft/min)
• Wing loading:      381 kg/m2 (78 lb/sq ft)
• Thrust/weight:     1.04

weapon system

• Guns: 1× Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23
• Hardpoints: 11 in total (6× under-wing, 2× under-intake and 3× under-fuselage) with a capacity of 5600 kg of external fuel and ordnance
• Rockets: 90 mm unguided rocket pods

Missiles:

Air-to-air missiles:

• PL-8
• PL-10 (J-10C)
• PL-12
• PL-15 (J-10C)
• Air-to-surface missiles:
• KD-88  standoff land attack missile
• YJ-91 anti-radiation missile

Bombs:

• Laser-guided bombs: (LS-500J, LT-2)
• Glide bombs: (LS-6, GB3, GB2A, GB3A)
• Satellite-guided bombs: (FT-1)
• Unguided bombs: 250 kg, 500 kg

Others:

• Up to 3 external fuel drop-tanks (1× under-fuselage, 2× under-wing) for extended range and loitering time

Avionics

• Type 1473H pulse-doppler fire-control radar (J-10A)
• Externally mounted avionics pods:
• K/JDC01A targeting pod (on J-10A)
• Type Hongguang-I infra-red search and track pod (on J-10A)
• CM-802AKG targeting pod for KD-88 and YJ-91 (on J-10C)
• KG600 electronic countermeasure pod
• Blue Sky navigation/attack pod

The Chengdu J-10, also known as the Vigorous Dragon, is a multi-role fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG). This fourth-generation, single-engine, lightweight fighter is designed to fulfill both air superiority and ground attack roles. It features a delta wing and canard design, along with fly-by-wire flight controls. The J-10 is produced by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) and serves the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF). 

maximum speed of J-10

The Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon, a versatile multirole combat aircraft, boasts impressive speed and altitude capabilities. It can achieve a top speed of approximately Mach 2.2 (around 2,715 km/h or 1,685 mph) and operate at altitudes of up to 18,000 meters (approximately 59,000 feet) . This remarkable performance allows the J-10 to excel in both air-to-air combat and strike missions.