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J-16 multirole aircraft turns defense into offense for PLA

China’s J-16 multirole aircraft. (Internet photo)

China’s domestic J-16 multirole fighter/bomber is the key in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s transformation from a from a defense-oriented unit into an offensive power, says the Beijing-based Sina Military Network.

Typically speaking, fighters are fighters and bombers and bombers, but improving technology, automation of avionics, more precise weapons and lighter weights have led to the development of multi-role aircraft.

Manufactured by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, the J-16 is based on the domestic J-11BS with features absorbed from Russia’s Su-20MKK. With comprehensive electronic system upgrades, a new phased array radar and infrared sighting system, the J-16 is said to boast superior avionics to even that of Russia’s latest Su-35.

After the end of the Gulf War, the PLA Air Force began investing in multi-role fighters. China later began purchasing Su-27SK aircraft from Russia because it did not believe the Su-30 series was sufficiently mature, though its high performance indicators eventually led the PLA to acquire a fleet of around 100 Su-30MKKs and its later variant Su-30MK2.

The Su-30MKK is a powerful fighter jet, but its avionics and weapons systems still lagged behind some of its Western counterparts. As a result, China decided to develop its own aircraft based on the technology and stopped importing the Su-30MMK/MK2 after the creation of the J-16.

Judging from available photos, the J-16 should have added a pylon under its wings like the Su-30MKK to equip heavy ground-attack weapons. The J-16 is also capable of equipping domestic stealth defense systems and earth-penetrating guided bombs, and has added an in-flight refueling system that will boost its flying time.

The J-16 avionics system has an active phased array radar that can track objects in the air and on the ground at the same time. In terms of beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles, the J-16 may equip a variant of the PL-12 radar-guided air-to-air missile that would allow it to hold its own against the likes of the French-made Dassault Rafale multirole fighter selected for purchase by the Indian Air Force.

As for close combat weapons, the J-16 has new wingtip pylons that can equip the domestic PL-10 air-to-air missile that can be paired with a sighting system to boost the angle of off-axis attacks.

Additionally, the J-16 appears to have added what should be towed decoy system as a further countermeasure against missile attacks.

The J-16 should be equipped with a domestic WS-10 turbofan engine that is superior to the Soviet AL-31F developed originally for the Su-27. However, the WS-10’s thrust with afterburner will likely need to be increased from its current 12-13 ton range to more than 14 tonnes given that it has a significantly higher maximum weight and take-off weight than the J-11 series.

The J-16 was officially introduced in 2013 and reportedly 24 of the aircraft have been manufactured thus far.

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