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| Claimed Capable of Matching the US F-15E, This is the capability of China's Shenyang J-16 Fighter Jet |
In 2022, China's Shenyang J-16 had stolen the attention because it was one of the planes that had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, and made the conflict between the two countries even more heated.
The Chinese J-16 is a multi-role, twin-engine, twin-seat fighter capable of flying in all weather conditions. The plane, nicknamed the Red Eagle, is an evolution of the J-11 jet, which was previously one of Beijing's superior aircraft.
Production of the J-16 started in 1012 and only entered service for the PLAN in 2013. For the China Shenyang J-16 runway, it has been equipped with two WS-10B turbofan engines. Making this iron bird capable of racing with a maximum speed of 2,963 km/hour with a range of 3,000 km. It is understood that the engine onboard the aircraft is a locally made one, which is based on the General Electric GE F101 turbofan engine used in the Chengdu J-10, Shenyang J-11 and Shenyang J-15.
The manufacture of this aircraft began with China, which wanted to have a jet capable of attacking and defending, and capable of playing various roles. Because of this, Beijing, which had obtained 76 Su-30MKK aircraft from Russia and 24 Su-30MK2, began to use these two types of aircraft as a reference for making the J-16.
This fighter jet is equipped with a modern self-designed and developed Active Electronically-Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Infrared Search and Track (IRST) and a state-of-the-art electronic countermeasures system. The aircraft is armed with a built-in 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon with 150 rounds of ammunition. In addition, there is also a container that can be filled with up to 8.00 kg of weapons.
The weapons that this aircraft can carry include anti-ship missiles, anti-radiation missiles, cruise missiles, as well as several types of bombs and rockets that can be guided by satellites and laser beams. With maneuverability that exceeds drones or unmanned aircraft, making this aircraft difficult for enemies to detect.
Even though China now has the J-20 which is considered more sophisticated in terms of maneuverability than the J-16, these two jets can be considered complementary. Because China's J-20 cannot carry as many weapons as the J-16. That's what makes the J-16 more useful in terms of attack bombardments.
The Shenyang J-16 is a multirole fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). It is an advanced variant of the J-11B fighter, which is a Chinese licensed version of the Russian Sukhoi Su-27. Following are the complete specifications of the Chinese Shenyang J-16 Fighter Jet.
1. Dimensions:
- Length: About 22.2 meters (72.8 feet)
- Wingspan: Approximately 14.7 meters (48.2 feet)
- Height: About 5.9 meters (19.4 feet)
- Wing area: Approximately 62 square meters (667 square feet)
2. Weight:
- Empty weight: Approximately 17,500 kilograms (38,600 pounds)
- Maximum take-off weight: Approximately 36,000 kilograms (79,400 pounds)
3. Machine:
- Two engines: WS-10A Taihang turbofan engine
- Each engine produces a maximum thrust of approximately 13,600 kilograms (29,980 pounds)
4. Performance:
- Maximum speed: Approx. Mach 2.2 (2,685 kilometers per hour or 1,670 miles per hour)
- Range: Approximately 3,000 kilometers (1,860 miles)
- Combat radius: Approximately 1,500 kilometers (930 mi)
- Service ceiling: Approximately 20,000 meters (65,600 feet)
- Rate of ascent: Approximately 300 meters per second (59,000 feet per minute)
5. Armament:
- Hardpoints: The J-16 has multiple hardpoints for carrying various combinations of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, including missiles, bombs and rockets.
- Air-to-air missiles: The aircraft is capable of carrying medium and long-range air-to-air missiles, such as the PL-12, PL-15, and PL-21.
- Air-to-ground weapons: Can carry a wide variety of precision-guided munitions, including anti-ship missiles, anti-radiation missiles, guided bombs and standoff missiles.
- It also has an internal 30mm cannon for close combat.
6. Avionics and Features:
- The J-16 features a modern glass cockpit with advanced avionics and a variety of sensors.
- It has an advanced radar system, believed to be an AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, offering enhanced detection and tracking capabilities.
- The aircraft is equipped with various electronic warfare (EW) and electronic countermeasures (ECM) systems for self-protection and survivability.
- It has in-flight refueling capability, which extends its operational range and endurance.
The J-16 is a versatile aircraft designed to perform a variety of missions, including air superiority, ground attack and maritime attack. It combines advanced avionics, weapons systems, and performance characteristics to provide the PLAAF with a capable multi-role platform.