July 3rd，Qingdao local media said that a retired nuclear submarine was going to be exhibited in Qingdao Naval Museum. It means that the type 091 nuclear submarine (NATO called as "Han" class) starts to quit its service in PLA Navy 33 years later and to be replaced by Type 093 submarine.
The report did not say the detail information of the retired submarine. But it is usually believed that the first one is Type 091 SSN-401 submarine, which is called as "Long March No.1" in China. Several years before, some western analyzers have judged that the SSN-401 and SSN-402 submarines have been no longer operational in duty because of technological malfunction and reactor radiation pollution. However PLA never admitted it and the secret-keeping fog on the nuclear submarine fleet close its door to all foreign and domestic civilian news media.
Except the No.401 submarine, the SSN-402 submarine (serviced in 1980) and SSN-403(serviced in 1984) have been operational in PLA navy for over 20 years. The newest one, SSN-405, is over 17 years. Since the years of 2000, the main players in exercises are usually SSN-404 and SSN-405.
There is an unconfirmed event that a Type 091 nuclear submarine collided with a Russian Victor-III nuclear submarine (K-234). According to the service time, SSN-401 and SSN-402 may be the sufferer involved in the accident. Actually after entering 21st century, PLA intentionally decreased the size of the original huge number on submarine superstructure to cover the exact active status of Type 091 nuclear submarine.
Now it can be asserted that SSN 401 has been retired from PLA navy, because 33-year service time is not completely unacceptable. USS Los Angeles SSN-688 is still active for 31 years since its commission in 13 November 1976. Since the SSN-401 has been playing a valuable testing platform of PLA, SSN-402 has possibility of being out.
The limited number of PLA navy nuclear submarine kept a special position of Type 091 submarine. In PLA navy, Type 091 was called as “Strategic” Attack Nuclear submarine. In fact, type 091 submarines often carry strategic tasks, like breaking through the second island chain to show PLA’s power in high seas or executing deterrent to U.S. carrier striking group, although the real aftermath is unclear.
Considering PLA Navy’s strategic position in western pacific, the nuclear submarine amount needs to be expanded. So the total retirement of Han class family can not be seen in next 6-8 years.
One Blog on Chinese Internet one week before appeared an article written by an employee from the Technological Institute of AVIC I Aviation R&D Center. The content is a text record of a visiting in Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC). Now the article has been forced to be deleted just because several hidden projects were uncovered by the online text.
From the blog resource, it can be discovered that SAC is busy on the carrier-borne fighter technologies developing, designing the 5th generation fighter and even jointly developing strategic “anti-stealth” UAV, other than the manufacturing of J-8F/G and J-11 fighter.
SAC now is still improving the J-8II fighter. At present, J-8B/C/H have equipped with PL-11 air missile (a Russian missile copy, range from 20 to 22 km) to archive the look down/shoot down ability. SAC has produced J-8F with new air avionics to attack two objects simultaneously with PL-12 active radar missile (55 km). J-8G, an anti-radar variant, can perform a “wild weasel” task with YJ-91 active anti-radar missile. And JZ-8, the newest one of J-8 family, is modified with optical-electronic reconnaissance pods and surface-air datalink.
The blog said that the J-11B project is initiated in June 2002 and SAC is developing carrier-borne fighter J-15 from J-11B. But the design and production of landing hook, tail centrum shortening and folding wing are technical difficulties blocking J-15’s came out.
“Snowy Owl”, is a China’s fifth generation fighter project name firstly known by outside world. SAC’s fifth generation fighter is not beyond some analyzers’ prediction, such as triplane configuration with canard, low observation (RCS <0.3 square meter), Supersonic cruise and super mobility.
In SAC, the choice of foreplane arouses a drastic dispute. Some points sited the foreplane’s compromise to fighter stealth, which is summarized by U.S. After its research, SAC however accepted the eclectic stealth performance affected by canard configuration, because PLA Air Force has no necessary to keep a global air striking ability like U.S. Air Force.
SAC admitted the superiority of U.S F-22 and F-35, so it is carrying a Sino-Russia joint-project: “Supernal Hawk” strategic high Altitude and Long Endurance (HAE) Anti-Stealth UAV. The so-called anti-stealth UAV actually is an air-based bistatic radar warning system. “Supernal Hawk” UAV will probably coordinate with PLA “KJ-2000” AWACS or establish a warning network by 2-3 UAVs. The typical deployment method is to place one UAV forward on the high altitude above the west pacific to supervise the directions of Japan and Guam. The UAV can hold the height advantage to search F-22 or F-35. The location information of objects will passively transferred to rear AWACS or other UAV and then guide missile attack.
The handicaps of the project however are aeronautic design, long endurance turbofan engine and sensor. So SAC plans to get Russian’s engine technologies and aircraft design experience to satisfy large-scale Drone’s HAE performance. And the sensor of UAV will presumably be china-made large Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar with conformal Antenna.
In 2006 Zhuhai Airshow, SAC demonstrated a concept combat UAV model named “Dark Sword”. Now it has been clear that China is fairly active on UAV research area where the Chinese Aviation Industries can greatly reduce technology gap with western countries.
This article published in Jane's Defense Weekly
Details have emerged of China’s next generation J-11B heavy air superiority fighter aircraft, a further development of Sukhoi’s Su-27SK (Chinese designation J-11) that ended production in 2004 ahead of its planned run.
Shenyang Aviation Corporation (SAC) assembled 95 J-11 fighters from imported Russian components, although the original project had called for 200 aircraft, and it is likely production was stopped in anticipation of the improved J-11B.
Although based on the Su-27SK, the latest incarnation has substantial improvements including a reduced radar cross-section (RCS), strengthened airframe and an improved fire control radar as well as new flight control system, glass cockpit and engine.
The improvements are planned to nake the aircraft to a fourth generation platform; the Yanliang Flight Test Center currently has three J-11B under testing (No 521, No 523 and No 524).
The most significant change for the aircraft is improved stealth; the changes are planned to bring the RCS from the 15 sqm of the Su-27 to under 5 sqm and possible as low as 3 sqm.
The change is not to the dynamic shape of the aircraft but involves the modification of the air intake lip with a radar wave shield and the installation of radar absorbing materials on the intake interior. In addition the RCS will be reduced with Chinese made signature reduction paint.
The strengthening of the airframe, a key aspect since the life expectancy of the aircraft has been criticised by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, has been achieved through wind-tunnel tests of weapons carriage.
Additionally, the empty weight of the aircraft has been reduced by about 700 kg through the use of composite materials.
It is believed a further 10,000 hours has been added to the life of the aircraft compared with the Su-27SK.
The radar installed on the J-11B is believed to be more powerful than the Type 1473 installed on the J-10; it is estimated to be able to track 20 targets and simultaneously lock onto six targets.
J-11B will incorporate a quadruply-redundant digital fly-by-wire flight control system with mechanical back-up. Additionally, the aircraft has a fully glass cockpit but there are two variants - a reflecting head-up display (HUD) with four multi-function displays (MFDs) and a holographic HUD with three MFDs.
It is likely the former cockpit is for ground attack and the latter for air combat. The new cockpits integrate fire control radar, electro-optic countermeasure pods and infra-red search and track.
The improved radar and cockpit have allowed for the integration of newer weapons such as the CATIC PL-12 active radar-guided air-to-air missile.
The J-11 AL-31F engine will be replaced with the WS10A turbofan, providing longer lifespan and reduced fuel consumption.
Beyond J-12, China has plans for a carrier borne J-13, unlikely to be realised before 2015; the J-14, which is planned as a competitor to Lockheed Martin’s F-22, on the distant horizon at 2018; a two-seat J-11BS (2009); a naval J-11J (2010) and two-seat J-11JS (2011); and an improved J-13G and a navalised J-13J (2017).
More aircraft and unmanned combat aerial vehicles are being considered for even further in the future but new aircraft types will need to rise above the financial, political and industrial challenges that are likely to plague the programmes.
