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MtnGoat
11-03-2012, 21:48
Second Chinese stealth fighter makes test flight (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/01/second-chinese-stealth-fighter-test)


Associated Press in Beijing

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 1 November 2012 08.34 EDT

J-31 aircraft photographed near Shenyang appears to be a smaller version of the J-20 prototype tested last year

China has test-flown a second model of a prototype stealth fighter, aviation experts said. Photos posted online on Thursday showed the aircraft airborne with its landing gear down near the north-eastern city of Shenyang.

Two Chinese-made J-11 fighters accompanied it on the flight, which Chinese military enthusiast websites said took place on Wednesday and lasted about 10 minutes.

Ross Babbage, of Australia's Kokoda Foundation, and Greg Waldron, of Flightglobal magazine in Singapore, said the plane, known as the J-31, appeared to be a smaller version of the J-20 prototype that was tested last year in Chengdu.

Both planes feature stealth design features but their true capabilities in terms of sensors, radar-absorbing coatings and other factors remain unknown. It is not known when, or if, either plane will go into production.

"I think it's a fairly straightforward evolution to develop advanced fighters at this time, but you can't read too much into it in terms of capabilities," Waldron said. He said the smaller and nimbler J-31 appeared intended for a fighter-interceptor role similar to the US Joint Strike Fighter, and the heavier J-20 could target airfields, warships and other ground targets.

The technical barriers and development costs for such aircraft are enormous and the US has struggled for years to deliver on their potential. Babbage said another challenge for China was developing engines reliable and capable enough for such cutting-edge aircraft.

MtnGoat
11-03-2012, 22:00
I would not worry about the Chinese. They have one aircraft carrier, an old Russian carrier that was retro-fitted. These so called stealth fighters with Russian turbines are cheap knockoff's. Unless they can get their army to swim across the Pacific I would not worry. LOL

I'm not one to say that they really are not a threat. But with a current administration that borrows.. Ummm what around a billion a day from China? Does NEED an new aircraft? Chinese will continue to prop the U.S. up if current Admin is re-elected!! This current administration is like a son or daughter who is hooked on CRACK. They need more and more money too keep their habit. Rich Daddy please help me=China. 70 million Chinese starved out of existence under Mao, now they have issue inside going on now. But our trade issues with them and their ablility to copy everything on the open market make this - a new Stealth Fighter. I guess :munchin

Well at least it only took them, what 20+ years to make something close to a Stealth Fighter??!!

Well so much for those nut jobs and the the story of a many years ago where one of the stealth fighter jets the US had provided to Israel had been sold to China. LOL Jesse were are you...LMAO

Gold Eagle
11-05-2012, 18:37
Walmart is helping them.;)

Trapper John
01-03-2013, 12:42
I would not worry about the Chinese. They have one aircraft carrier, an old Russian carrier that was retro-fitted. These so called stealth fighters with Russian turbines are cheap knockoff's. Unless they can get their army to swim across the Pacific I would not worry. LOL

IMO you are severely underestimating the Chinese! "Know your enemy" (Sun Tsu) I think the Chinese can put together a Navy capable of projecting more than just regional power faster than any of us think. They already eclipse Japan in Indochina and the latest fracas over the disputed islands is only going to put an exclamation point at the end of that sentence. This has the Aussies attention!

While we are mired in our own economic mess and the conflicts in the Middle East, China is focusing on the new economic frontier - Africa. They will need to project power in that continent to secure their economic interests. God help us if they form an axis of power with a nuclear Iran to accomplish that end.

We underestimated the Japanese in the early part of the last century and look where that got us. Let's not make that mistake again and make sure that someone on watch is awake and paying attention.

As for me, I see storm clouds growing on the horizon.

Richard
01-03-2013, 12:58
IMO you are severely underestimating the Chinese!

Lotta disinformation out there from all sides - typical when there's "capital" to be made of something like this.

I remember when China tangled with Vietnam - in a similar vein, at least their former hammer and sickle brethren spent nearly a decade in A'stan before they were driven out.

Regional land power vs the ability and wherewithal to project trans-regionally are two very different animals - and there are BIG troubles in BIG China w/o adding the external issues they would face with such a move.

Free Tibet! ;)

Richard :munchin

Trapper John
01-03-2013, 15:36
[COLOR="Lime"]Regional land power vs the ability and wherewithal to project trans-regionally are two very different animals - and there are BIG troubles in BIG China w/o adding the external issues they would face with such a move.

Good point, Richard and speaks to what I think is China's weakness. Whereas their centralized government lends itself well to making executive decisions, applying necessary resources, and executing with speed; this form of government also lends itself to corruption from within and potentially foments revolution from outside by the disenfranchised. We have already seen both in China's recent history. IMO this is China's fatal flaw.

Still, I am not one to just dismiss their influence in a fluid geopolitical environment. So, what do you see as the most credible potential threat on the horizon? China? China/Iran? Russia/Iran? Other?

Could be an interesting discussion :D

twistedsquid
01-03-2013, 16:22
In my view the Chinese threat is not a military but a financial one. Over the last decade they have aggressively aquired silver and American debt.

Dusty
01-03-2013, 16:29
So, what do you see as the most credible potential threat on the horizon?

Could be an interesting discussion :D

Democrats

Lan
01-03-2013, 16:45
In my view the Chinese threat is not a military but a financial one. Over the last decade they have aggressively aquired silver and American debt.

China is expected to be the worlds largest economy by 2014. There are talks of China, Russia, and the Middle East using their own monetary systems exclusively in oil trade, rather than trading in the coveted 'petrodollar'. If this happens, we will experience hyper inflation and another depression.

MR2
01-03-2013, 16:58
While Dusty is right, that deserves it's own thread.

The Chinese army remains pretty much untested since Korea. Two minor dustups along the Vietnamese and Soviet/Mongolian borders were mere skirmishes. But is also a far different force today then it ever was. More professionally led, equipped, and manned. And yes their knock-offs look menacing and they are still first gen, but they are getting better with every iteration.

It is not your papasans Buick.

They remain a regional sea power and it will decades for them to achieve true blue water status. But then with the 1340 mile range of the DF-21D ASBM they can be regionally aggressive and keep every carrier out of air strike range.

Their Achilles heel is the POL supply line from the Middle East through the GIO and the Malaccian Straight. If they secure a pipeline that is not easily interdicted, the only thing that would prevent them from taking Taiwan, Philippines, S.Korea, or even Japan would be nukes.

But what keeps China's leaders up at night is figuring out how to create 25 million new jobs every year... That and keeping all those people employed is why they are buying up world debt and devaluating the Yaun.

Of course MOO YMMV

Richard
01-03-2013, 17:28
But what keeps China's leaders up at night is figuring out how to create 25 million new jobs every year... That and keeping all those people employed...

Attempting to create jobs while losing even more jobs than are being created due to the closing of antiquated industries and the West pulling their job ops out of the Red Dragon's lair is a looming nightmare for China's centralized economy and hugely low-tech economic base - watch for it as it comes to an Al-Jazeera news station near you.

Richard :munchin

afchic
01-04-2013, 07:13
China is expected to be the worlds largest economy by 2014. There are talks of China, Russia, and the Middle East using their own monetary systems exclusively in oil trade, rather than trading in the coveted 'petrodollar'. If this happens, we will experience hyper inflation and another depression.

That may be true, but how long will that last? A decade, a decade and a half? China's problem, IMO, is their one child policy. Started to try and contain an out of control population, there are hundreds of millions of marrying age men that will have no partners, therefore no children. They killed off all the girls for the coveted son. So within the next few decades you are going to see their population dwindle, with no means to regenerate for many more decades.

Decisions have consequences.

Dusty
01-04-2013, 07:53
That may be true, but how long will that last? A decade, a decade and a half? China's problem, IMO, is their one child policy. Started to try and contain an out of control population, there are hundreds of millions of marrying age men that will have no partners, therefore no children. They killed off all the girls for the coveted son. So within the next few decades you are going to see their population dwindle, with no means to regenerate for many more decades.

Decisions have consequences.

Ever hear the old adage about the Chinese having enough people to line up in a column of fours, push the foremost into the sea, and walk on the backs of the drowned ones all the way to the US and still have enough people to attack?

They're un-breeding themselves right outta that tactic. :D

That country is starved for resources nearly as bad as NK.

GratefulCitizen
01-04-2013, 08:10
Ever hear the old adage about the Chinese having enough people to line up in a column of fours, push the foremost into the sea, and walk on the backs of the drowned ones all the way to the US and still have enough people to attack?

They're un-breeding themselves right outta that tactic. :D

That country is starved for resources nearly as bad as NK.

Chinese remainder theorem.


Not too worried about the dollar anymore.
The US will be the top oil producer in the world in about a decade.

So much for peak oil.
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=WCRFPUS2&f=W

Trapper John
01-04-2013, 08:22
Democrats

BINGO!!! LMAOROF :D