The Shenyang J-31, (or "FC-31 fifth Generation Multi-Purpose Medium Fighter")also known as "Gyrfalcon" , or "Falcon Hawk" by some military enthusiasts, is a twin-engine, mid-size fifth-generation jet fighter currently under development by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. The fighter has also been referred to as "F-60" or "J-21 Snowy Owl" in some media reports.
The Shenyang J-31 (F-60) is a fifth-generation, multi-role, twin-engine stealth fighter aircraft being manufactured for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, an affiliate of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). It is the second stealth fighter that China has indigenously developed after the J-20.The J-31 fighter jet is intended to provide advanced defence capabilities in close-air support, aerial bombing and air interdiction operations. It can also perform suppression of enemy air defences and can be used as a carrier-based fighter on aircraft carriers. Initial operational capability of the aircraft is expected in 2020.
A photo of a model labeled F-60 was posted on the Internet in September 2011. In June 2012, photos and camera video clips started to emerge on internet about a heavily overwrapped possible F-60 prototype being road-transferred on a highway, earning the nickname "thezongzi plane" among Chinese netizens, though some suspect it of merely being a L-15 trainer aircraft. Pictures of a possibly fully assembled aircraft parking on an airfield emerged on September 15–16, 2012. The F-60 is reported to be the export version, where the J-31 would be the domestic Chinese version of the same fighter. Chinese aviation expert Xu Yongling has called the J-31 an export-oriented low-end latest generation warplane.
It is unknown if the J-31 is meant to be a competitor to the J-20 stealth fighter or a complement to it. It is also unknown if it will be a land-based fighter for the People's Liberation Army Air Force, or a carrier-based fighter for the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force on the aircraft carrier Liaoning and future Chinese carriers. The J-31's chief designer, Sun Cong, has said that he hoped that the aircraft would follow his J-15 onto China's aircraft carriers. However, industry sources say development of the J-31 was provided entirely by the PLAAF with no input from the PLAN. This would mean the Air Force plans to operate two stealth fighters for different missions, like the U.S. Air Force with the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II; the heavier J-20 would primarily be a high-altitude dogfighter, while the J-31 would perform a multitude of medium and low-altitude missions (in addition to air-to-air) including close air support, air interdiction, aerial bombardment, and suppression of enemy air defenses.
J-31 aircraft design and features
The medium-sized Shenyang J-31 stealth fighter aircraft features diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) design with bumps and forward-swept inlet cowls. The airframe incorporates a pair of low-aspect ratio trapezoidal planform wings with titanium spars. Each wing has a sweep of 35° and the stealthy design offers reduced radar cross-section (RCS).
The chined fuselage of the J-31 incorporates a pair of tailplanes. The rear edge of the fuselage is hinged with two vertical stabilisers. A rudder is installed on each stabiliser to control the aircraft's movement. The aircraft is fitted with a tricycle landing gear. The nose landing gear consists of double wheels, while the main landing gear has a 'dogleg' structure.
The fighter jet has a length of 16.9m, height of about 4.8m, and a wing span of 11.5m. The empty weight is about 17t and the maximum take-off weight is 25t. The aircraft can carry out missions at medium and low-altit
The J-31 appears to be a smaller and more agile aircraft than the Chengdu J-20 that resembles a twin engine F-35C. This may be because it might be used as a fifth generation carrier based fighter.Another feature that the J-31 shares with the F-35C (and most other carrier based fighter jets) is the twin forward wheels.Bill Sweetman has cited several improvements to the F-35C design files the Chinese may have acquired in the J-31.]Like the F-35, the J-31 has two internal weapons bays that can each carry two medium range missiles, along with two heavy hardpoints and one light hardpoint on each wing, but while it seems to have added an additional light hardpoint to each wing over the capacity of the F-35, it seems to lack the capacity of the F-35 to mount a centerline gunnery or jamming pod.
According to Vladimir Barkovsky of Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (formerly known as the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau), the engines on the prototype aircraft are RD-93s.However, China already has an engine similar to the RD-93, the Guizhou WS-13 currently installed on the JF-17 which has the same thrust and size of the Russian RD-93. China is working on an improved variant named WS-13A with 100KN of thrust for use on the J-31. Lin Zuoming, chairman of China's AVIC, has said that he hopes to put domestic engines on the fighter.
As the Chinese build up confidence in newer, more reliable and powerful domestic engines, they may be able to power the J-31 sooner than the larger J-20 and in greater numbers.
Unlike the F-35's "baked in" fiber-mat stealth, the J-31 uses stealth coatings.
The J-31 has a flatter fuselage than the F-35; which suggests a more pronounced air superiority focus for the J-31, since a flatter fuselage results in a smaller weapons bay but improves fuel efficiency and speed by decreasing aerodynamic drag.
Cockpit and avionics
The aircraft is operated by a single pilot. The cockpit is enclosed by a transparent, two-piece canopy to provide increased visibility for the pilot.
Armament of Shenyang J-31
The Shenyang J-31 stealth fighter can be fitted with one internal cannon, two internal weapons bays in the fuselage and three payload hard-points on each of the two wings. Each internal weapons bay can accommodate up to two missiles.
J-31 fighter engines and performance
The aircraft is powered by two RD-93 afterburning turbofan engines developed by Russian company JSC Klimov. Each engine generates an afterburning thrust of 84kN. The propulsion system also features fixed stealthy nozzles.
The aircraft can fly at a speed of approximately 2,200km/h and will offer a maximum range of over 2,000km when fitted with external fuel tanks. The service ceiling of the aircraft is approximately 20,000m.
Future export
A 1/4 scale model of the J-31 was shown at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition 2012, hinting at a desire to offer the aircraft for export, as an alternative for those countries that cannot purchase the F-35.AVIC confirmed at the exhibition that the aircraft was intended for export.In 2013 Admiral Zhang Zhaozhong confirmed that the J-31 was only for export to countries unable to buy the F-35 and would not be used by the PLAN.AVIC president Lin Zuoming confirmed that his company intends to offer the J-31 for export to countries who are not allowed to purchase the F-35,with a long-term goal of offering a competitive fighter.
While the J-31 has been touted as a rival to the American F-35 in the export market, there may not be many countries interested or able to actually buy the advanced Chinese aircraft. The U.S. has been successful in securing international orders for the F-35 from allied European and Asian countries based on their ability to afford it and to ensure continued effective coordination with the U.S. in multilateral combat situations. China, however, has no allies with such close strategic ties or economic strength; although Pakistan has showed an interest, most other potential countries either cannot afford aircraft as advanced, and so presumably expensive, are committed to other suppliers, have contentious relationships with China, or have no need for fifth-generation fighters. Unlike the U.S., China does not have close enough military relationships with another country to pitch a sale on grounds of interoperability with the Chinese military. The F-35's capabilities are enhanced by system add-ons such as sensor and communications systems that work together with other components to give a more accurate vision of the battlespace. There have been no signs of the J-31 having such features, which couldn't be exported with the airframe if they were eventually developed if orders are desired in the near future.
Pakistan has negotiated with China for purchase of FC-31 with other military equipment including naval submarines and attack helicopters. Pakistan Air Force is looking to buy 30 to 40 of these aircraft. Pakistani Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, claimed that the matter was being discussed with Chinese authorities for purchase of J-31. The minister was also quoted as saying that Pakistan was also interested in Chinese attack helicopter CAIC Z-10.
Foreign reactions
The appearance of the J-31 raised concern about a potential arms race in Asia, as some of China's neighbors might again consider purchasing the F-35 or pursuing the development of their own fifth generation aircraft I.e. India with their HAL AMCA and HAL FGFA, Japan with Mitsubishi ATD-X and South Korea with KAI KF-X.
U.S. military and industry officials believe that once the J-31 enters service, it will automatically be a match for existing fourth-generation fighters like the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Falcon, and F/A-18 Super Hornet. They suggest that the capability of the J-31 against the newest fighters, such as the American F-22 and F-35, would depend on factors such as numbers of platforms, quality of pilots, and capabilities of radars and other sensors.
USAF Lieutenant General Charles Davis has said that while the Chinese fifth generation fighter may have used stolen information from the F-35 program, it was unlikely to measure up to the American aircraft.
Stephen Biddle of the Council for Foreign Relations has speculated that the aircraft design was intended for domestic use, but found to be under performing and hence relegated to the export market.
Vladimir Barkovsky of Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (formerly known as the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau) has stated that, despite some design flaws, the J-31 "looks like a good machine." Although it contains features already in use on the U.S. fifth generation fighter designs, it is "not a copy but a well done indigenous design."