- Yes
- Yes, but… (state in comments)
- No
Meet the J-10S - The Chinese operational conversion trainer/multirole interceptor made for aspiring J-10 pilots!
As much of the information has been covered by the passed-to-developers post, this post will focus down on the specifics of J-10S (and subsequently, J-10A) during its early service. And, specifically, we will list out the specs as seen in year 2009. This posts involves a lot of digging among historical internet archives, so I really appreciate any support from anyone of you here, for this specific suggestion.
Before you read further. J-10A/S, despite being the earliest variants to come in Chinese service, are still being fielded by the PLAAF. There had been minor upgrades in capability to carry more missiles, advanced targeting pods and guided munitions. There’s potential for even more small upgrades to come in the future (Including PL-10 full integration), so these aircrafts can still gain the performance to stand to this day.
Introduction
In 2005, China introduced its newest airframe into service - The J-10A jet fighter. In order to accommodate previous pilots to get familiarised with J-10A’s general performance, China ordered a specialised, two-seat variant of the jet aircraft, known as the J-10S. It is manned by two pilots, which includes one as an instructor. This jet allows China to train newer pilots in different kinds of performance and weapons systems J-10 has to offer, and introduces Chinese pilots to the instruments of the all-new glass cockpit.
In 2009, as mainline J-10A are often shown flying with PL-8 and PL-12 AAMs, new images surfaced in the internet regarding the J-10 carrying PL-11 missiles during its flight training for China’s 60th anniversary airshow.
It is likely that these aircraft were equipped with these older missiles due to as China need to dispose of these older missiles in their inventory, as the more advanced PL-12 missiles becomes readily available for their jets (including J-10S).
Suggestion
I am suggesting this aircraft (J-10S) to be a specialised, inferior version of the future J-10A in a lower battle rating in the tech tree, specifically without the PL-12 armament. This allows Chinese players to have more room to choose between different variants of J-10 without compromising the real J-10A’s full capacities.
As it is shown with the Jaguar E from previous events, J-10S with nerfed armaments can be a perfect candidate for a Chinese Rank VIII event jet. It also sports the opportunity to wear the iconic Chinese aerobatics camouflage which serves well as an event camouflage reward. It is a good opportunity to introduce PLAAF to fourth-generation fighters by having a specialised event jet to appear first, like how the German F-4F and MiG-23 is introduced.
Design and History
Yang Wei (杨伟), then executive of CAC, was in charge of as the main engineer in designing this aircraft. It was his craft to convert the iconic J-10 into a twin-seater.
In 1998, at the first flight of J-10, Yang Wei was tasked with checking the integrity of J-10’s fly-by-wire system. He ensured the safety of the prototype, and gave the test pilot a go to try the jet out.
3 years later, in 2001. Yang Wei was tasked with designing the twin-seat variant of the J-10. Compared to the single seater, the twin seater still had a number of complex issues that needed to be sorted out before being put to production. At the same time, the timeframe for completing J-10S’s design was short - He had to sort out the issues all within two years. As he experimented more and more with the design, in nine months he had successfully completed three different design stages for the J-10S’s development.
In 2003, the first J-10S (known to the west as “J-10B”) was flown for the first time. By 2005, the development of J-10S was completed, and the twin-seater was put into production. Soon after, J-10S went into the PLAAF as a successful conversion trainer for Chinese pilots, as more and more pilots gets familiar with an indigenous Chinese jet design and its electronics. Pilots trained in J-10S eventually gets placed to the single seat J-10A varaint, which is produced in a higher number along with its subsequent variants. Pilots flying the J-10S can also be converted to J-11B, J-15 and J-16 jets due to the nature fly by wire systems, or continue their training in J-11BS and J-15S trainer variants of said aircraft.
Meanwhile, the legendary engineer for Chengdu Aircraft Corporation was highly regarded by the Chinese as a successful engineer in the Chinese aviation industry. Not only he was the reason why J-10 was so successful, he had also accomplished another great feat - Succeeding in designing and engineering two aircrafts at the same time.
Back to 2001, Yang Wei not only did received missions for a twin-seat J-10 - He had also been tasked with another great project on his hand. At 2003, the same year the first J-10S prototype was flown, his another creation had also taken off to the skies. The jet is entirely different from the J-10, and its name was called
Which we all now know as,
JF-17 Thunder.
Specifications
Crew: 2 (Pilot and co-pilot/weapons officer)
Length: 16.43m (without pitot tube) / 16.7m (J-10C data)
Wingspan: 9.75m
Height: 5.43m
Wing area: 33.1m2 (Estimate) / 37m2 (J-10C data)
Empty weight: 8,840kg
Takeoff weight (norminal): 12,400kg
Maximum takeoff weight: 19,277kg
Fuel: 3900kg (Internal) [Around 5,000L]
Powerplant: 1x Salyut AL-31FN (Mil power: 74kN; Full afterburner: 123kN)
Max speed: Mach 2.2 / 1350km/h IAS (J-10C data)
Avionics
Type 1473 (KLJ-10) PD radar
K/PZS01H targeting pod (As shown in Beijing Air and Space Museum)
Hongguang-I IRST pod (Prototype; Never went past that stage)
KZ600 Jamming Pod
KZ900 ELINT Pod
K/JDC01A targeting pod (After 2016)
Armaments
Unlike the other suggestion, I had cross referenced the images between what’s real and fake. A lot of the images online about J-10 appears to be artwork, CG renders or photoshopped, which fails to authenticate as credible sources. This are the best images I can use to represent a J-10S under full load, but remember several things.
- Some images are taken after 2009
- Some images are taken with a subsequent variants (J-10B/C)
- There’s still an odd chance it might be photoshops, but official media coverage made it credible enough to get through
- When the pictures were taken on grounded planes, netizens had questioned whether the jet can actually take off (It should, by the way)
- I don’t intend to include PL-12 in this suggestion (read above) and you can instead refer to the J-10A suggestion for it
I will also use the image from the passed suggestion for showing hardpoints. Thanks, CaID.
A
- 1x PL-8 or
- 1x PL-9C air to air missile
B
- 1x PL-11 air to air missile or
- 1x 90-1 rocket pod or
- 2x 250kg bombs or
- 1x 500kg bomb (No image proof)
C
- 1x 90-1 rocket pod or
- 1x 500kg LT-2(LS-500J) laser guided bomb (requires pod) or
- 1x 500kg LS-6 GPS/BeiDou guided bomb or
- 1x 500kg bomb or
- 1x Fuel Tank or
- 2x 250kg bombs (No image proof)
D
- 1x Targeting/Rangefinding pod or
- 1x 250kg bomb
E
- 1x 250kg bomb
F
- 2x 250kg bombs or
- 1x Fuel Tank (Medium) or
- 1x 500kg bomb (No image proof) or
- 1x 500kg guided bomb (LT-2/LS-6) (No image proof)
Internal
- 1x 23mm Type 23-3 cannon
Sources
English
Chinese J-10 'benefited from the Lavi project'
PLA Guided Bombs
Chengdu J-10
http://www.military-today.com/aircraft/j10.htm
Chengdu (AVIC) J-10 (Vigorous Dragon) Multirole 4th Generation Fighter Aircraft
Chengdu J-10 "Vigorous Dragon" fighter | Secret Projects Forum
Aviation Photo Search | Airliners.net
Chinese
http://cctvenchiridion.cctv.com/special/special/hangkong/20091111/102327.shtml
空军双座型歼10战机全副武装亮相航博新馆_高清图集_新浪网
座舱内部清晰可见！飞行员驾驶歼10S超低空穿越山谷_高清图集_新浪网
http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/p/2007-11-30/0908474256.html
https://news.ifeng.com/mil/jsdg/200907/0728_6242_1272204_4.shtml
歼-10战斗机（J-10）_中国网
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If link is dead, try to find it in web archive thanks
J-10SY Aerobatic variant
J-10SY is a simpler variant of J-10S, with its 23mm gun removed for airshows.
For true, peaceful pilot who just want to do airshows, I suggest Gaijin to treat all the 23-3 cannons in J-10 as a gunpod by default. Players will gain the option to de-equip it in order to gain the aerodynamic beauty of an unarmed J-10.
