China's aviation industry has begun testing a small aircraft for short-range vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. PLA Navy's power projection ambitions are lofty, so there may be development of its vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL ) or vertical and short landing (V / STOL) aircraft.
Taiwan is currently in beta stage of a VTOL aircraft of the United States interested in the PLA Navy fighter R & D similar move may be a response to this. PLA Navy's vertical takeoff and landing aircraft projects, but also may indicate that it has developed a shipbuilding plan unknown, but this is unlikely.
The new aircraft was named "J -18", "and the Russian Su -33 fighter similar to the carrier." However, this does not seem possible, because the Soviet -33 weight 66,000 pounds fully loaded, the world's only VTOL aircraft - U.S. AV-8 "Harrier" aircraft - three times the weight.
Currently, the United States is also actively promote the F-35B fighter project. The aircraft weight 50,000 pounds is a vertical landing stealth fighter, in service as early as in 2016. However, the current project of the aircraft suffered a weight, engine overheating, lack of spare parts and software failure and other serious problems. Marine Corps plans to purchase hundreds of F-35B fighter aircraft, these aircraft will be deployed 11 ships in the Navy's assault on the 800 feet long. In addition to the implementation of amphibious assault missions, these ships or the Navy 11 super carrier - can take a conventional takeoff and landing aircraft - the back-equipped models. Italy, Spain and several other countries with small aircraft carriers, may be the F-35B buyers.
From a historical point of view, "Harrier" vertical takeoff and landing aircraft type, and so has become a tasteless but wasteful to discard the "tasteless", and only in small assault, light aircraft and limiting the large aircraft carrier fleet operating costs, etc. existence value. "Harrier" type aircraft from service in the 60s of last century, the first 40 years in service, its prone to accidents, and in many details to be conventional aircraft beyond. Until recently, associated with aircraft maintenance, training and development of smart weapons light, only a certain extent, improve the competitiveness of VTOL aircraft.
Similarly, the only other fighter who filled out - the Soviet Navy seventies and eighties of last century did not exist already driven Yak-38 aircraft - due to limited range and payload, almost unable to play a role. China can better fulfill its own design is still not known, especially in the Soviet Union -33 30 tons of words as a starting point.
Su-80s of last century with -33 are common in many vector on the plane to promote the engine, can operate on a smaller carrier. In fact, J -18 may be the misnomer of J -15 (Chinese copy machine of Su-33 recently), while rumors of J -18, the Navy also carried out painting work on the J -15.
J -18 to Taiwan may be on the F-35B fighters interested in response to the production of a propaganda. Ge Xi was the Air Force would bear on the legislature that only the road from the base camouflage VTOL jet will take off from the mainland People's Liberation Army missile attacks.
Russia, China has almost completed a light aircraft carrier - renamed to "Shi Lang" number - the renovation work. The carrier may be in service this year or next year, the implementation of the limited training mission, most likely to carry J -10 or J -15 fighter improved version. "Shi Lang" was space enough to use conventional aircraft do not need to VTOL aircraft.
In fact, China is neither owned nor has publicly admitted to benefit from the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft from the assault plan. If the PLA Navy is developing a small aircraft carrier design, and take off from this aircraft carrier aircraft vertical takeoff and landing, then the construction of aircraft carrier construction ahead of a lot better than it seems - even though the aircraft carrier may be easier to build. In any case, the rumors J -18 proved at least the prosperous future of military aviation industry - though not all true, at least it can make the topic of credibility of the new fighter.
J -18 fighter
J -18: China's new 4.5 generation heavy fighter (Chinese name "Red Eagle"). August 2008 has been officially off the assembly line in Shenyang Aircraft Factory, in October 2008 in Beijing, an Air Force base in the outskirts of the first flight, October 12, 2009 conducted a second test, a complete success.
J -18 is the 4.5 generation fighter aircraft are air superiority fighter heavy. Forward-swept wing fighter design using ultra-stealth characteristics, and install a laser active phased array radar, built-in weapons bay and two large thrust-vectoring engines. Service time is expected around 2015. So far there is no any official information about the machine, nor any information to prove the real existence of the aircraft. Only some information from some people speculate, and speculation of official news. Figure J -18 idea