Chinese SAC - FC-31/J-35 5th Gen Stealth Aircraft

Now a technical question. How without the prototype they choose j20? Unlike in F22 case we have prototypes. And how they get to knew snowy owl will be less stealth?
 
Now a technical question. How without the prototype they choose j20? Unlike in F22 case we have prototypes. And how they get to knew snowy owl will be less stealth?
Even for the YF-22 and YF-23 - they had computer simulations to show the YF-23 had a lower RCS.

So it’s not the need anymore for prototypes to show RCS - sure, there is fine tuning to “prove” it - but maths is maths.

Keep in mind in the ATF contest stealth was not the only consideration as in my read also for XXJ
 
Now a technical question. How without the prototype they choose j20? Unlike in F22 case we have prototypes. And how they get to knew snowy owl will be less stealth?

At the very least the Snowy Owl project developed many computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models and wind tunnel models.

It's possible it also produced concept demonstrators even if scaled down ones. I wouldn't expect them to have produced any full prototypes though since apparently the J-20 won the competition at the concept demonstrator stage. Similar to YF-22 and YF-23 concept demonstrators established F-22 program win and F-22 had prototypes following on from the concept shoot off. The difference is that the initial YF-22 demonstrator was closer to a prototype.

There is a continuum spectrum between concept demonstrator and you have ones like YF-22 with internal weapons bays and you have ones like YF-23 which is less hashed out and you have ones like X-36 scaled down model plane.

Usually demonstrator and all tender design materials is enough to choose winner.

This is why I consider FC-31 to be a concept demonstrator just one that is closer to prototype but Michael has his own personal definition.

I mean lots of Americans think their concept demonstrator 6th generation fighter is a prototype but it's not. It's just demonstrator to select program winner and then they develop a full prototype followed by other prototypes and then LRIP first operational fighters.

Snowy Owl may have been considered less stealthy due to having one more set of control surfaces compared to J-20.

J-20 has canards and wings in the horizontal plane where Snowy Owl had canards, wings and horizontal stabilisers.
 
At the very least the Snowy Owl project developed many computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models and wind tunnel models.

It's possible it also produced concept demonstrators even if scaled down ones. I wouldn't expect them to have produced any full prototypes though since apparently the J-20 won the competition at the concept demonstrator stage. Similar to YF-22 and YF-23 concept demonstrators established F-22 program win and F-22 had prototypes following on from the concept shoot off. The difference is that the initial YF-22 demonstrator was closer to a prototype.

There is a continuum spectrum between concept demonstrator and you have ones like YF-22 with internal weapons bays and you have ones like YF-23 which is less hashed out and you have ones like X-36 scaled down model plane.

Usually demonstrator and all tender design materials is enough to choose winner.

This is why I consider FC-31 to be a concept demonstrator just one that is closer to prototype but Michael has his own personal definition.

I mean lots of Americans think their concept demonstrator 6th generation fighter is a prototype but it's not. It's just demonstrator to select program winner and then they develop a full prototype followed by other prototypes and then LRIP first operational fighters.

Snowy Owl may have been considered less stealthy due to having one more set of control surfaces compared to J-20.

J-20 has canards and wings in the horizontal plane where Snowy Owl had canards, wings and horizontal stabilisers.
Thank you .
 
It's rare to see the J-20, J-35, and J-10 fighter jets appearing together in the same frame. If the J-16 were to appear as well, it would be a gathering of the PLAAF's four main fighter jets.
Yes, we have seen the J-16D, J-20, J-20S, and J-35A appear together.
 

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