Basic Information

Name

J-10S (Firebird) Chinese Combat Trainer Aircraft

Designation

J-10S

Alternate Designation

—

Equipment Type

—

Manufacturer

Chengdu Aircraft Corporation

Date of Introduction

2006

Description

J-10S: Tandem-seated trainer variant of J-10A. The Chengdu J-10 (NATO reporting name: Firebird, also known as Vigorous Dragon, is a single-engine, lightweight multirole fighter aircraft capable of all-weather operation, configured with a delta wing and canard design, with fly-by-wire flight controls, and produced by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). J-10 was designed and developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute (CADI), a subsidiary of Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. The airframe is constructed from metal alloys and composite materials for high strength and low weight, the airframe aerodynamic layout adopts a "tail-less canard delta" wing configuration. A large delta wing is mid-mounted towards the rear of the fuselage, while a pair of canards (or foreplans) are mounted higher up and towards the front of the fuselage, behind and below the cockpit. This configuration provides very high agility, especially at low speeds, and also reduces stall speed, allowing for a lower airspeed during instrument approaches. A large vertical tail is present on top of the fuselage and small ventral fins underneath the fuselage provide further stability. A rectangular air intake ramp and a Splitter plate (only on J-10A) are located underneath the fuselage, providing the air supply to the engine. Newer variants use a diverter less intake that does not require a splitter plate, and may reduce radar cross signature. Also under the fuselage and wings are 11 hardpoints, used for carrying various types of weaponry and drop-tanks containing extra fuel. The retractable undercarriage comprises a steerable pair of nose-wheels underneath the air intake and two main gear wheels towards the rear of the fuselage. The cockpit is covered by a two-piece bubble canopy providing 360 degrees of visual coverage for the pilot. The canopy lifts upwards to permit cockpit entry and exit. The Controls take the form of a conventional centre stick and a throttle stick located to the left of the pilot. These also incorporate "hands on throttle and stick" (HOTAS) controls. A zero-zero ejection seat is provided for the pilot, permitting safe ejection in an emergency even at zero altitude and zero speed. Due to the J-10's aerodynamically unstable design, a digital quadruplex-redundant fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system (FCS) aids the pilot in flying the aircraft. The FCS typically monitors pilot control inputs, preventing the pilot from accidentally exiting the flight envelope from applying too much control input during high performance flight situations. This is critical in canard wing aircraft, as they are capable of turning in a much tighter radius than conventional aircraft. The massive control surfaces are capable of moving so far that they can completely destroy the aircraft in flight at high airspeeds if not kept in check by the FCS.

Air & Air Defense Specifications

Crew 2

Max Speed 1.9 km/h

Range 1853.0 km

Service Ceiling 18000 m

Variants

J-10A Single seat multi-role variant. The export designation is F-10A.

J-10S Tandem-seated trainer variant of J-10A.

J-10B An upgraded J-10, initially identified as "Super-10". It features a lighter and stealthier diverterless supersonic inlet, a longer nose radome possibly housing an active electronically scanned array radar, an electro-optic targeting sensor (IRST, and laser rangefinder,) and a new electronic warning or countermeasures pod atop the vertical stabiliser. The aircraft is powered by the AL-31FN M1; one unit was flown with a WS-10A in July 2011 but that engine was not selected for the initial production batch. The aircraft's first flight occurred no later than December 2008.

J-10C An upgraded version of J-10B, it is equipped with an indigenous Active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire-control radar and is equipped with infrared-homing PL-10 and new long range PL-15 air-to-air missile (AAM).

FC-20 Single seat multi-role fighter jet, the export version of the J-10.

J-10B TVC Demonstrator A prototype fighter based on J-10B that is equipped with WS-10B thrust-vectoring control engine. The fighter has supermaneuverability, capable of performing Pugachev's Cobra.

System

Alternate Designation(s) Chengdu J-10S; NATO: Firebird

Primary Function / Type Combat Trainer Aircraft

Manufacturer Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group

Crew 2

Number of Engines 1

Number of Hard Points 11 in total (6× under-wing, 2× under-intake and 3× under-fuselage) with a capacity of 7,000 kg (15,400 lb) external fuel and ordnance

Dimensions

Length 16.43 m

Height 5.43 m

Width (Wing Span) 11.30 m

Wing Area 45.5 m sq

Canard Span 5.30 m

Canard Area 4.7 m sq

Empty Weight 9,730 kg

Maximum Takeoff Weight 24,650 kg

Payload 9,500 kg

Automotive

Engine Name 1 x Saturn Lyulka AL-31F

Number of Engines 1

Engine Power 27,558 lb (12,500 kg) static thrust

Maximum Range 1,853 km

Maximum Speed Mach 1.85-2.0 max

Service Ceiling 18,000 m

Fuel Capacity, Internal 4,470 kg

Fuel Capacity, External 5,650 kg

Radius, Hi-Lo-Hi 2,540 km

Radius, Lo-Lo-Lo 1,310 km

Main Gun System

System

Name Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23

Type Autocannon

Caliber 23mm

Length 1,387 mm

Barrel Length 1,000 mm

Weight 49.2 kg

Barrels 2

Action Gast principle

Rate of Fire 3,400–3,600 rounds/min

Muzzle Velocity 715 m/s

Ammunition

Type Autocannon

Caliber 23mm

Cartridge 23x115 mm

Basic Load 1,500 Rounds

Missile Weapon System

Missile System #1

Name PL-10 (ASR)

Type Air-to-Air Missile

Manufacturer Luoyang Electro-Optics Technology Development Centre (EOTDC)

Length 3.0 m

Weight 89 kg

Diameter INA

Warhead Blast-frag, or expanding rod (RF-fuse)

Detonation Mechanism Laser proximity fuse and impact

Engine Solid-propellant rocket

Guidance System Multi-element imaging infrared

Maximum Range 60 km

Note The missile is fitted with a multi-element IIR seeker capable of +/-90 degree off boresight angles. The missile seeker can be slaved to a helmet-mounted display (HMD),allowing the pilot to track a target beyond the aircraft's radar scan envelope using the missile's high off-boresight capability, achieved by the pilot turning his head towards the target to lock-on, better known as "look and shoot". Flight is controlled by a thrust-vector controlled solid rocket motor and free-moving type control wings on the missile's tail. The central portion of the missile has long, thin strakes, which help maintain missile maneuverability in the terminal homing stage after the rocket motor stops firing.

Missile System #2

Name PL-11

Type Air-to-Air Missile

Manufacturer Shanghai Aerospace Bureau

Length 3.89 m

Diameter 0.286 m

Wingspan 0.68 m

Weight 310 kg (Some sources claim 220 kg)

Speed Mach 4

Maximum Range 40 – 75 km, depending on the size, speed, and heading of the target

Note PL-11 did not enter Chinese service in very large numbers because it was only used as a stopgap measure until the more advanced PL-12 became available, and there is no confirmed export either.

Missile System #3

Name PL-12

Type Air-to-Air Missile

Manufacturer People's Republic of China

Length INA

Diameter INA

Wingspan INA

Weight 180 kg

Operational Range 100 km

Guidance System Active Radar

Rocket Weapon System

Note 90 mm unguided rocket pods

Fire Control / Avionics

Fire Control Radar Type 1473H pulse-doppler fire control radar

Laser Desingator INA

Externally Mounted Avionic Pods *Type Hongguang-I infra-red search and track pod *BM/KG300G self-protection jamming pod *KZ900 electronic reconnaissance pod *Blue Sky navigation/attack pod *FILAT (Forward-looking Infra-red Laser Attack Targeting) pod

Protection

Stealth Properties INA

Heat Signature Reduction INA

Add on Armor No

NBC Protection Yes

EW Counter Measures INA

Chaffs/Flares INA

Image Sources

Notes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%D0%97%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B5_%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%8B_%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BA%D1%83%D1%80%D1%81%D0%B0_%C2%AB%D0%90%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D1%81%C2%BB_(%D0%BF._%D0%A7%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%87%D1%83%D0%BD%D1%8C,_%D0%9A%D0%9D%D0%A0)_(5).jpg; https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/death-f-35-chinas-prized-j-10-fighter-now-hopelessly-out-date-83916;