On April 14, 2024, the U.S. Navy placed the last order for the FA18E/F fighter jet with Boeing. In other words, there will be no new models of the FA18 series fighters. According to media reports in the United States, the FA18 series fighter will be discontinued in 2025. A question arises, as a benchmark fighter, after the FA18 is discontinued, how many J-15 series fighters will be produced on the mainland? Today, we will talk about this problem. In fact, the situation in the two countries is completely different.
American F14 carrier-based aircraft, decommissioned in 2006
First of all, let's talk about the FA18 series fighters in the United States. The FA18 fighter is a fourth-generation fighter-attack aircraft developed in the 80s in the United States, and at first, the FA18 was mainly designed to replace the A7 attack aircraft and operate in conjunction with the F14 carrier-based aircraft. However, after entering the 21st century, in 2006, with the retirement of the F14 carrier-based aircraft, the FA18 became the main carrier-based aircraft of the US Navy. With the development of science and technology, FA18 fighters have appeared A, B, C, D, E, F and other models.
Subsequently, on the basis of the FA18, the EA18G electronic warfare aircraft also appeared. At present, FA18A/B and other models have been basically retired. The models used at this stage are mainly C/E/F and other models. Please note that the FA18E/F fighter, compared with the previous model, is a fully improved version, with comprehensive changes in terms of fuselage frame, radar equipment, avionics system, etc., and the comprehensive indicators have reached the level of four and a half generations of fighters.
The FA18 series of fighters may be discontinued in 2025
In recent years, the United States has devoted its main efforts to the production of the F35 family of fighters. For example, the F35C fighter belongs to the carrier-based model of the US Navy. With the mass production of F35 fighters, the production of American FA18 series fighters has decreased significantly. On April 14, 2024, the U.S. Navy placed the last order for the FA18E/F fighter jet with Boeing. In other words, there will be no new models of the FA18 series fighters. According to media reports in the United States, the FA18 series fighter will be discontinued in 2025.
Of course, even if the FA18 series fighters are discontinued in 2025, it does not mean that they will be retired immediately. According to the calculation of the service life of the fighter from 25 to 30 years, the later batch of the American FA18 series fighters is still a long time away from retirement. According to the original plan of the US Navy, the FA18 series of fighters is planned to be retired in 2046. As it stands, this retirement is likely to be further delayed.
The FA18E/F fighter is the main carrier-based aircraft of the United States
Taking the FA18E/FBlock3 as an example, it will only be delivered in batches in 2021 and is still the main carrier-based aircraft of the US Navy. There are at least 20 years left before retirement. Therefore, even if the FA18 series fighters are discontinued, there are still more than 20 years before they are decommissioned. Of course, the mid-term model of the FA18 series of fighters will begin to be retired one after another in the next few years. The number of F35C fighters will increase, and for the aircraft carriers of other countries, they will face new challenges.
Next, let's talk about the continental J-15 series fighters. The J-15 series carrier-based aircraft is a naval carrier-based aircraft developed step by step on the basis of the T-10K-3 prototype and J-11B fighters. During the research and development period, in order to pursue rapid finalization, a series of mature technologies of the J-11B fighter were adopted, such as radar systems, avionics equipment, etc. In the face of the challenges of the 20s of the 21st century, many aspects of technology have lagged behind.
The more F35 fighters there are, the more they are, and they are fierce rivals
Due to the use of glide jump take-off, the J-15 fighter was unable to take off with a large load, which further limited its combat capability. According to the speculation of foreign media, the basic model of the J-15 fighter has a maximum payload capacity of about 7.5 tons. However, in the aircraft carrier glide jump take-off operation, the J-15 fighter was simply unable to take off with a large load. This is the problem of the aircraft carrier platform itself, therefore, after the Liaoning and Shandong, the third aircraft carrier of the mainland, the Fujian, adopts all-through deck and electromagnetic catapult technology, which greatly improves the take-off and landing frequency and loading capacity of carrier-based aircraft.
Using the catapult take-off mode, the J-15 fighter is able to take off with a large load and perform a variety of complex combat missions. At the same time, according to the J-15 basic model performance lag and other issues. In recent years, the mainland has further developed the J-15B fighter on the basis of the J-15 fighter. The J-15B fighter uses the avionics system, active phased array radar and a series of other equipment of the J-16, J-11D and other fighters. Extensive upgrades and improvements have been made to wingtip pylons, nose IRST, radomes, and leading edge wings.
The basic model of the J-15 fighter has lagged behind
Distributed atmospheric sensing equipment was installed, a large amount of stealth paint was used to reduce the reflection cross-section area of the RCS frontal radar. At the same time, the entire airframe was strengthened and redesigned. After a thorough upgrade, the comprehensive performance of the J-15B fighter has reached the standard of a four-and-a-half-generation fighter, which is infinitely close to the J-16 fighter in many aspects, especially the comprehensive improvement of multi-purpose combat capabilities.
The maximum bomb capacity of the J-16 fighter is about 12 tons, and after a comprehensive upgrade, the maximum load capacity of the J-15B fighter will definitely be further improved, and the specific load capacity is still absolutely secret. In the author's opinion, it is highly likely to reach about 10 tons. At the same time, on the basis of the J-15B, the mainland also launched the J-15D electronic warfare aircraft. In terms of the positioning of J-15B and J-15D fighters, it is very close to the FA18E/F, EA18G and other models of the United States.
The J-15D electronic warfare aircraft has greatly improved its overall effectiveness
With the FA18E/F fighter about to be discontinued, how will the mainland's Jian-15 series fighters develop? First of all, the mainland navy is still in its infancy in the field of carrier-based aircraft, and it needs to develop step by step. However, unlike the situation in the United States, the mainland has adopted the model of simultaneous development of J-15B and J-35. According to Hong Kong media reports, the J-35 fighter uses two turbofan 19 engines, with a maximum take-off weight of 35 tons, a combat radius of 1,350 kilometers, and a maximum payload capacity of about 8 tons.
At present, the J-35 fighter has canceled the airspeed tube and installed the tail landing hook, which has entered the advanced testing stage. It is very close to finalization and mass production delivery. In the development of aircraft carriers of the mainland navy, J-35, J-15B, J-15D and other models belong to the common use mode. The J-35 fighter is responsible for suppressing the opponent's fifth-generation aircraft and other fighters and seizing air supremacy on the battlefield. The J-15B fighter is responsible for ground-to-sea operations, and the J-15D fighter is responsible for operations in complex electromagnetic environments.
The J-35 fighter has entered the advanced testing stage
Unlike the American FA18 fighter, which has been in production for 40 years, it is expected that the mainland's J-15 fighter will be produced for a long time. Because, the mainland's aircraft carrier development is still in its infancy, and at present, only 3 aircraft carriers have been developed. In future planning, the mainland needs to have at least 6 to 8 aircraft carriers, and the demand for J-15 series carrier-based aircraft is still very urgent.
The mount mode of the J-7 fighter
In the future ocean, there will be frequent "meetings" between J-15B and FA18E/F fighters. Since they are all fourth-and-a-half-generation carrier-based aircraft, all kinds of "exchanges" will definitely appear. Of course, in the carrier-based aircraft configuration of the continental aircraft carrier, the number of J-35 fighters may be significantly more than that of J-15B, for example, there are 36 J-35, 12 J-15B, and 4 J-15D. Of course, it needs to be adjusted according to the total number of aircraft on the aircraft carrier and the actual needs of the mission.
Conceptual diagram of the development of the continental aircraft carrier
A series of stories about the development of aircraft types in the PLA troops, and many more. The author will talk to you slowly in future articles.