J-35A is slimmer compared to the F-35 and has a higher degree of wing sweep, prioritizing more supersonic performance, F-35 in general is well adapted for subsonic agility and is still high AOA capable
That’s exactly what my thought process was when I first saw the J-35A being unveiled, basically a slimmed down F-35. The F-35 looks morbidly obese due to commonality and Americas addiction to it, they wanted a sense of commonality between all F-35 variants including the VTOL capable ones making it from the looks of it morbidly obese.
While the F-35 is more than capable of doing high AOA manoeuvres like most modern fighters I doubt it would be anything of note and especially when compared to something like the F-22 or JAS 39 unfortunately.
I’d probably would be eyeing down the F-35B and how it performs in-game however, it may be capable of doing funny things mid fight with its VTOL capabilities like what we’ve got with the SHAR FA.2 or AV-8B+.
Why is the JAS-39 mentioned here, especially with the F-22? The J-20 beats the pants off the Gripen and it is regarded as inferior to the F-22, Su-57, etc… so why is Gripen in the mix?
Regarding the F-35 vs J-35, they look similar because stealth aircraft require a specific shape depending on configuration to maximize stealth. The lower the RCS, the more similar the final shape will be. For the J-20 the canard configuration gave them a chance to be unique. With the F-35 it looks a bit larger due to the extensive use of radar absorbent materials on the exterior of the airframe… we can expect the J-35 to utilize a older stealth technology likely similar to the J-20 and F-22 (since that is where they derived their technical information and know-how)… it can’t use as many rounded edges due to the older style stealth coating and airframe design.
Of course, the VTOL F-35 is going to be less maneuverable… that doesn’t need explained. The whole discussion regarding maneuverability bores me anyway because it is not even remotely relevant to the roles or performance of stealth fighters in any real world scenario.
No, there are very few similarities. The J-20 uses a proper delta-canard config and far superior AESA vs mechanical scan. Design goals for the two aircraft are quite different
Don’t take it as literal, the fact I’m even comparing something like the J-20 to the likes of a Eurofighter should hint to that. I said that mostly for simplicity and was going to add more depth into it since some people on the forums are excessively picky about things like this.
This is not the thread for this debate, regardless claims that the Su-57 isn’t stealth are baseless and have already been discussed to great lengths in other threads
I was talking about the future of War Thunder and how the J-20 and other 5th generation aircraft could effect it, unless I’m crazy that’s pretty accurate to the topic of discussion.
I was concerned about how the J-20 could leave other nations behind which is very true
No nation will be behind, they will just copy and paste the F-35 for everyone and it will be no different than it is now with every nation having an F-15 and F-16.
Regarding the F-35 vs J-35, they look similar because stealth aircraft require a specific shape depending on configuration to maximize stealth. The lower the RCS, the more similar the final shape will be. For the J-20 the canard configuration gave them a chance to be unique
I wasn’t questioning why the J-35A and F-35 looked similar at all, I compared the both due to their similar size and capabilities which most people would find easy to comprehend - I don’t want to be typing paragraphs when things can be simplified preferably.
The J-20 is also a pretty unique vehicle yeah and I do also agree with you on the fact that the canard design did play a big role in that.
it is not even remotely relevant to the roles or performance of stealth fighters in any real world scenario
Nearly everything I’m saying is for application in War Thunder and I’m not really referring to how it performs in real life but in a virtual game. With the current state of War Thunder we won’t be able to have long range stealthy BVR engagements unless something is done.
It needs to be noted that these jets are still using WS-10 engines and not WS-15 that is intended for J-20. WS-15 will provide much, much more thrust. And it is likely that the J-20 isn’t showing off all of its capabilities just yet.
J-20 pilots need to sustain 9Gs for more than 10 seconds as per interviews. So I don’t see how maximum overload is lacking here.
And yes, I agree that discussions of maneuverability aren’t indicative of how they will actual perform. The idea that the J-20 is an unmaneuverable interceptor though isn’t true. As I’ve said before, J-20 pilots that have flown J-10s in the past regard them as being comparable in WVR.
No nation will be behind, they will just copy and paste the F-35 for everyone
The difference between now and then is that whenever we do reach the limit for top tier additions like the SU-57, F-22 or J-20 then there won’t be anything to add (hard emphasis on top tier, or the highest BR).
And it wouldn’t really be nice to see foreign vehicles being the best a nation has to offer, sure you can fill in gaps and even if they’re plenty but the best of the best a nation can offer being foreign would be pretty odd.
Even though this is currently what’s happening things could change but whenever we do reach the limit the same can’t be said for then.
Haven’t some J-20s been fitted with thrust vectoring engines or am I tripping? If so we could receive that as a top tier vehicle for China or a special event vehicle.
No J-20 has ever been fitted with TVC. It is simply not needed. Anything the J-20 cannot outmaneuver in a merge, a PL-10 will be able to kill it anyway.
Anyways, moving away from the topic of maneuverability, here is the J-20A with WS-15 engines, showing changes such as a rear cockpit hump for reducing transonic drag, new radome, and changes in the DSI intake bumps. There are likely to be other modifications such as avionics that we can’t see from the outside.
Yeah looking back at the old rear cockpit “thing” if you can even call that gross thing a hump, the new one looks significantly better whilst the old one looks like something straight out of the depths of hell.
The nozzles look longer on the new J-20 fitted with the WS-15 engines, another visual difference which comes with the addition of the new engines.
There are likely to be other modifications such as avionics that we can’t see from the outside
Also quick question, is the ARH variant of the PL-10 an actual thing or 🧢
Because if so then a close range thrust vectoring ARH missile would go crazy for dogfights
Chengdu Aviation Corporation have had ambitions to design a fighter of similar configuration to the J-20 for decades. Back in the 1970s, 611th institute proposed the J-9-VI-II design that was ultimately canceled as China was lacking in both funds and engine technology, and of course the ongoing cultural revolution. The J-20 can be seen as a spiritual successor incorporating the ideas of the modern era, such as the need to reduce radar cross section and advanced sensor fit.
AVIC claiming that PL15 has a AESA seeker ,if that’s true,how does it performs in warthunder ?
Does the folded wing PL15 actually make J20’s AAMs to 6+2?
Well, PL-15 is not the only Fox 3 missile with miniature AESA radar. There are other missiles like AAM-4B which also use it. For gameplay reasons, there probably won’t be a substantial benefit ingame.
PL-15 with folding wings is confirmed to increase the capacity of the J-35 series from 4 missiles to 6 in the weapons bay. It is not known for the J-20 yet, but I say it is likely.
Especially given that at the rate we are progressing in-game, the FCAS/GCAP/ Tempest likely won’t even have an examples yet by the time we reach that point. The only actual other indigenous 5th generations outside of US, China and Russia are the KF-21 and KAAN, neither of which are tech tree nations yet
