If the U.S. wants to know what China has they should ask Israel what they sold to the Chinese. #msg-6622858
-Am
June 3, 2005: China is developing an aircraft designed to match, or at least approach, the performance of the American F-22. Models are undergoing wind tunnel tests in preparation of the construction of a prototype. The aircraft will use warplane technology China has developed, bought or stolen in the last decade. The Chinese plan to use two of their own WS10A engines in the new aircraft, referred to as the J13. In fact, all of the technology going into the aircraft is expected to be Chinese. For that reason, the J13 won’t enter service for another decade, at least. This project demonstrates the Chinese resolve to develop a world class military aircraft industry, something they have been working on energetically since the 1980s. The J13 won't be a match for the F-22, but it will be the closest the Chinese have ever come, and an example of how they are closing the technology gap.
June 1, 2005: China has had a squadron of J10 fighter bombers in service for six months now. The J10 was designed and built in China, in an attempt to create a modern fighter-bomber that could compete with foreign designs. The experiment was not completely successful. Work on the J10 began twenty years ago, in an attempt to develop an aircraft that could compete with the Russian MiG-29s and Su-27s, and the American F-16.
But the first prototype did not fly until 1998. There were problems, and it wasn’t until 2000 that the basic design flaws were fixed. By 2002, nine prototypes had been built, and flight testing was going forward to find, and fix, hundreds of smaller problems. It was a great learning experience for Chinese engineers, but it was becoming apparent that the J10 was not going to be competitive with the Su-27s/30s China was buying from Russia.
The J10 looks something like the American F-16, and weighs about the same (19 tons). Like the F-16, and unlike the Su-27, the J10 has only one engine. Originally, the J10 used a Russian AL-31FN engine, but China has been working for a decade to manufacture their own version of this, the WS10A. China has been striving for decades to develop the ability to manufacture high-performance jet engines. The WS10A is something of an acid test for them, as it is a powerful military engine, and a complex piece of work. Russia refused to license China to produce the AL-31FN, so the Chinese stole as much of the technology as they could and designed the WS10A. This engine has been tested, but apparently still has quality control and performance problems.
It’s no accident that the J10 resembles the F-16, because Israel apparently sold them technology for the Israeli Lavi jet fighter. Israel abandoned the Lavi project, because of the high cost and availability of cheaper alternatives (the F-16 and F-15 from the United States.) But the Lavi was meant to be a “super F-16,” and incorporated a lot of design ideas from the F-16 (which the Israelis were very familiar with, as they used them, and had developed new components for them.)
It appears that the J10 does not perform as well as the Su-27 for air combat, so the Chinese are reconfiguring the aircraft as a fighter-bomber. The J10 can carry over four tons of bombs and missiles and has been equipped with a fire control system for delivering missiles and smart bombs. The Chinese designed targeting pod similar to the Israeli Litening, and were showing it off as early as 1998. American warplanes use a later version of the Litening.
* Washington demands details of 60 recent Israeli security deals with China * A senior Israeli defence official confirms sanctions are in place
JERUSALEM: The United States has imposed a series of sanctions on the Israeli arms industry in recent months, Israeli officials and media reports said on Sunday, escalating tensions between the two allies over Israeli military sales to China.
The Haaretz daily reported the United States has halted cooperation on several projects, frozen delivery of sensitive equipment, and is even refusing to answer telephone calls from Israeli defence officials.
Washington also has frozen Israel out of the development of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35, a next-generation warplane being developed with several foreign participants. It is demanding that Israel agree to a host of concessions, including US supervision over some arms sales, as a condition for repairing the relationship, the report said. The Israel Defence Ministry issued a statement saying it is “holding quiet and specific talks with the United States with the goal of resolving the misunderstanding that has developed.”
A senior Israeli defence official confirmed that sanctions were in place, and described the situation as a “serious crisis.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
US officials could not immediately be reached for comment. The dispute stems from the Israeli sale of unmanned drone aircraft technology to China. State-owned Israel Aircraft Industries sold Harpy drones to China in the early 1990s. Harpy parts were shipped to Israel last year for what American defence officials said was an upgrade. Israel has denied the American contention, saying the Harpy units were undergoing routine maintenance. Israeli military officials have said work on the Harpy deal has been frozen.
The US fears the Harpy technology could threaten Taiwan or endanger US forces in case of war with China. In 2000, Washington torpedoed a US$2 billion Israeli sale of PHALCON reconnaissance planes to China. The botched deal caused ill will between Israel and China that was resolved only after Israel paid hundreds of millions of dollars in reparations. According to Haaretz, this time the United States has suspended cooperation on development of an advanced imaging system for Israeli forces, frozen collaboration on Hunter 2 unmanned attack aircraft, and suspended the delivery of parts of night-vision equipment to the Israeli army. The report said the United States is demanding details on 60 recent Israeli security deals with China. It also wants Israel to reevalauate its system for supervising arms deals, and wants to sign a joint understanding with Israel regulating future arms sales. Israeli defence officials said Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz already has appointed a retired general, Herzl Bodinger, to negotiate a memorandum of understanding with the Americans.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the memo would force Israel to receive US approval on arms exports to countries defined by the Americans as “sensitive.” The officials described the memorandum as a “humiliating step,” but said Israel would have no choice but to sign the document. ap
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