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If it has a 1300 mile combat radius, that will still cover all the areas I mentioned plus get it down to the straits of Malacca. Why would you need to go around Taiwan? If you are up at 65,000 feet...

It won't have to be in their own littoral. The Chinese said the J-20 can get to Guam (I assume back too). If it can do that it can threaten air routes to Taiwan, northern Philippines, all of...

The Skyknight got more than that, 7 kills and one probable vs. one loss. Most of the kills were MiGs I think. There were special circumstance though.

The Soviets were a mix of old and new...

Ken: I disagree with you at my peril but I must in this case. The FJ-1 never made it into combat, only 31 were produced. The FJ-3 was a Sabre and didn't make it into service prior to the end of...

I think without the F-86, we may have had to do without interdiction, close air support and transport missions close to the front lines. The Communists would have been rather more confident also. ...

Cliff:

If you are still there, how stealthy are these various designs if they are viewed by a radar from above rather than below or from the same altitude?

Cole:

This is fun, alternating deconstruction of arguments



The crux of our differences is the efficacy of the F-35 vs. fighters like the J-20. You believe that it will be close enough to...

That may be true but why would it need to get close? If, if it is designed to stay high, fast and shoot missiles from far away it doesn't have to get close.




The ability to afford something...

The engineers and the fellows in the trade press are pretty good at determining general performance from the configuration and size of the airplanes, not perfect but pretty good. The air molecules...

Just my opinion, but if the Air Force told us that they were lying or so arrogant about our capabilities and so dismissive of others as to be wonderously stupid. I don't know if the J-20 is superior...

That is $190,000 each. It would buy you something that is completely useless against an enemy who can match your numbers and technology. Preds cost a lot more than that and Reapers cost rather more...

I don't believe the mafia state that is Russia will make those things in important numbers, if at all. So I don't include it. Just a personal opinion.

Fuchs:

You are confusing me a little.

You say it is too early to tell if the J-20 will have a performance advantage over any thing but the F-22, but at the same time you say the J-20 was...

Fuchs:

I am getting a little mixed up with all this talk of MiGs and Messerschmitts. I understand the importance of using historical analogies but a lot of things are fundamentally different now...

We won't have anything close to 500 F-22s, just that 187 or so. In light of our history, we won't have anything in 2030 but an artist's concept and a prototype that is confidently expected to make...

That's the rub. There won't be many F-22s.

If the fighter had very long range wouldn't that make up for a missile of somewhat shorter range, especially if it were launched at great speed and from high altitude? The J-20 appears quite large. ...

This is Bill Sweetman on what he thinks the new Chinese superfighter, the J-20 is meant to do.
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The Information Dissemination blog has photos and many links to other photos and blogs regarding what appears to be a new Chinese 4th/5th generation fighter that is about to enter flight test.
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Very interesting discussion.

Combat radius was what I actually meant to say when I asked my question but of course my brain didn't pull it up. Related to that, I have another question. Things...

I would be interested if somebody would comment on the range of each of the airplanes and how they would affect ops, especially in the Pacific. I have read that all the F-18 variants are short...

Do you mean by "smaller F-22" the F-35? If so, they aren't the same airplane.

The F-22 is meant to go out and clear the skies of enemy aircraft, capable formidable enemy aircraft like the big...