With its unique posture, the "Thunder Dragon" fighter has emerged on the world stage. However, in the 13 years since 2011, this fighter with a total of more than 100 fighters has unfortunately lost 5 of them, which is slightly higher than the legendary American-made F-22A fighter. Could it be that the "Thunder Dragon" is really so vulnerable?
In fact, we cannot judge the merits of a fighter based solely on the accident rate. After all, behind every accident, there are countless complex reasons hidden. For the "Thunder", as a single-engine fighter, it is destined to face more challenges than the twin-engine fighter in terms of design. In terms of the redundancy and safety of the power system, the single-engine fighter naturally cannot be compared with the twin-engine fighter. But it is precisely this design that makes the "Thunder" show unique advantages in terms of cost, maintenance and mobility.
However, superiority does not mean perfection. During the flight, the "Thunder" also encountered various challenges. The low-altitude flight collision accident in 2020 is a profound lesson. In that accident, the fighter plane's engine was damaged and it lost power, which was undoubtedly a severe test for the "Thunder." But it is precisely this kind of test that makes us realize more clearly that no matter how advanced the fighter is, it cannot completely avoid the occurrence of accidents.
In contrast, the domestic J-15 fighter has shown amazing survivability in the face of similar bird collision accidents. The engine caught fire and the situation was critical, but the pilot, with the help of another engine, managed to drive the fighter back to the airfield. Such a feat not only demonstrates the excellent performance of the J-15 fighter, but also reflects the superb skills of the pilot.
In the early years, the US Navy insisted on developing twin-engine carrier-based aircraft, precisely out of consideration for the safety and reliability of fighters. In terms of the redundancy and safety of the power system, the twin-engine fighter is undoubtedly superior to the single-engine fighter. That's why twin-engine fighters are often the first choice on many important occasions.
However, we cannot deny the value of the "Thunder" fighter because of this. As a cost-effective fighter, the "Thunder" has been widely welcomed in many countries. Its appearance not only fills the gap in the fighter equipment of some countries, but also wins a reputation for the development of China's aviation industry.
In general, although the accident rate of the "Thunder" fighter is slightly higher than that of the F-22A, this does not hide its excellent performance in other aspects. We should look at this fighter with an objective and comprehensive attitude, and we should not only see its advantages, but also face up to its shortcomings. Only in this way can we continue to move forward and make progress in the future aviation industry.
In this era full of challenges and opportunities, let us look forward to the "Thunder Dragon" fighter in the future sky, blooming more dazzling light!