Looks like China has gone from crawling, to standing to now walking. Anybody who's familiar with these complex machines knows there's a lot left for them to learn, not to mention how to use but, there's no denying they're chugging along
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has demonstrated its ability to launch and recover aircraft from its first catapult-equipped aircraft carrier, the Fujian. Official imagery released by the PLAN today confirms that the new J-35 naval stealth fighters and KJ-600 airborne early warning and control aircraft are carrying out carrier trials, something that had not been seen until now. Meanwhile, we’ve also got a much better view of the J-15T single-seat carrier-based fighter launching and recovering aboard Fujian, having previously seen it in position for a catapult launch with its afterburners engaged. The sudden appearance of video of all three aircraft operating from the ship for the first time is something of a stunning revelation, one of many that has come this year from China’s air power portfolio.
The undated videos and photos showing flight operations aboard Fujian reveal examples of all three aircraft being prepared for catapult launch, taking off, and then making arrested recoveries. The aircraft are also shown in flight, including in formation with a J-15D series electronic warfare aircraft, and Fujian is shown from above, with the J-35, KJ-600, and J-15T arranged on its deck. ....
Posts: 16087 | Location: Wine Country | Registered: September 20, 2000
Only a few dozen problems with the design, such as it cannot perform simultaneous launch and recovery using both of the foredeck catapults (port cat sticks into the run out area of the AFD).
Nice is overrated
"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government." Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
Posts: 33884 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: May 17, 2006
I do not in fact know shit from shinola on this topic, but there did not appear to be that many guys on the carrier doing support, seems like my Top Gun memories had way more crew involved.
Also they need the guy to do the kick when the hook grabs the wire, very important.
Well, the flight deck looked REALLY empty, like maybe they were cycling just a few planes (one of each type) through the move/launch/recover/park cycle.
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Posts: 16495 | Location: Harrison, AR | Registered: February 05, 2004
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Posts: 18658 | Location: New Mexico | Registered: October 14, 2005
I have no idea why people keep underestimating the Chinese. Where do you think all their brightest people go to school. Sure some stay in the U.S. but not like it used to be. They can become millionaires in China now.
They invited tons of auto manufacturers to China with the promise of cheap labor. The CEO’s saw big profits which brings massive bonuses so they couldn’t resist. Once China got caught up on how to build and manufacture by massively shortening the learning curve they booted most of them out with a big thank you. Now within 5 years they have surpassed everyone in the world with EV’s and have learned an immeasurable amount about manufacturing in general. You may not like EV’s but the rest of the world is on board and even in the U.S. they are gaining market share every year.
Without Trump putting tariffs in place they would have destroyed our entire automotive sector in a lot shorter timeframe than most people could imagine. It’s not 1980 anymore.
Everything they know they learned from watching our Navy - even the colored shirts. When I see them doing sustained night ops in a rainstorm with launch and recovery every 45 seconds I may MAY think they are marginally better than amateurs.
Regardless where they got the technology, the effective use of said technology is a different matter
Great so they copied us down to the different color jerseys worn by the crew.
But they have zero experience in actual real world carrier operations like we do.
All this BS that the Chinese are so “innovative“ is just that, it’s BS. They are the world’s premier copycats.
How do we know this? Because when they copy our design, they actually copy all the flaws right along with it and we can detect that. They don’t even know they’re flaws
Posts: 37102 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: November 12, 2007