Armée Chinoise / People's Liberation Army (PLA)

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Wolf 4x4 light armoured vehicle personnel carrier Datasheet

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Chinese Navy Fifth Type 052C Destroyer Commissioned (plus update on Type 052D Destroyers)


The Chinese Navy (PLAN) commissioned its fifth Type 052C Destroyer (Luyang II class) Jinan (hull number 152) on December 22nd according to the Chinese military official daily publication PLA Daily. Jinan is the fifth of six Type 052C Destroyers ordered by the PLAN. Meanwhile, the Type 052D Destroyer (Luyang III class) programme continues.


It took the PLAN a while to commission Jinan: 1105 days as the vessel was launched on December 15 2011. For comparision, it took "only" 800 days to commission the first 3 Type 052D Lanzhou, Haikou and Changchun. The reason for the delay is not clear at this time.

The commissioning ceremony took place at the PLAN East China Sea Fleet's port in Zhoushan.

The sixth (expected to be the last ship of the class) Type 052C Destroyer received its hull number 153 in early December 2014. Delivery to the PLAN could happen in 2015.
The sixth (expected to be the last ship of the class) Type 052C Destroyer received its hull number 153 in early December 2014. Delivery to the PLAN could happen in 2015.

It took the PLAN a while to commission Jinan: 1105 days as the vessel was launched on December 15 2011. For comparision, it took "only" 800 days to commission the first 3 Type 052D Lanzhou, Haikou and Changchun. The reason for the delay is not clear at this time.

According to the PLAN: "Type 052C vessels are new-generation guided missile destroyers independently researched, developed, designed and manufactured by China. With a maximum length of 155 meters, width of 17 meters, and a full load displacement of 6,000-plus tons, this new-type destroyer is equipped with multiple sets of new-type weapons and equipment independently researched and developed by China. With advanced performance and state-of-the-art equipment, it is able to attack surface ships and submarines either independently or in coordination with other naval forces, and has stronger combat capabilities of long-distance alerting and detection as well as area air-defense."

The second Type 052D Destroyer in final system outfitting at the Changxing Jiangnan shipyard in Shanghai. Picture taken in December 2014.
The second Type 052D Destroyer in final system outfitting at the Changxing Jiangnan shipyard in Shanghai. Picture taken in December 2014.

The third and fifth Type 052D Destroyers still inside the construction docks in Shanghai.
The third and fifth Type 052D Destroyers still inside the construction docks in Shanghai.
Picture taken in December 2014.


Type 052D programme update
Meanwhile the second Type 052D Destroyer is in final system outfitting stage at the Changxing Jiangnan shipyard in Shanghai and should start sea trials in 2015. Also at the Shanghai shipyard are the third and fifth hulls still under construction in the docks. According to the Chinese spotters who took the above pictures in Shanghai, the sixth hull should be launched in early 2015, blocks of the seventh hull are already in the construction block (laid down) and blocks of the eighth hull are already being produced.

Kunming (hull number 172), the first Type 052D destroyer (Luyang III class) was commissioned in March 2014. At least 12 vessel of this class are expected to be inducted in the PLAN.

The Type 052D "Kunming" class (Nato designation: Luyang III) is the latest generation of guided-missile destroyer (DDG) of the Chinese Navy. It is based on its predecessor, the Type 052C DDG and likely shares the same hull. However the Type 052D incorporates many improvements in terms of design as well as sensors and weapons fit. This new class of vessel is considered as the Chinese equivalent to the American AEGIS destroyers.

http://www.navyrecognition.com

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China’s Military Plane Crashes In Weinan City, Kills 2 Pilots




A Chinese military plane crashed Monday in northwestern Shaanxi province claiming the lives of at least two people, local media reports said. The plane reportedly crashed near the city of Weinan, about 600 miles west of capital Beijing.

Local media reports suggest that the two people killed in the accident were pilots. Initial investigation suggested that the pilots tried to steer the jet to avoid crashing into a village, according to a local media report.

The debris of the plane’s main body had been reportedly recovered at an uninhabited area. Local media reports said that no villagers were hurt in the incident.

Local fire department said that 10 fire trucks were sent to the site of the crash, The Associated Press reported. Photos that surfaced online showed wreckage spread across an area of 500 meters, including a tail bearing the markings of the People's Liberation Army.

http://www.ibtimes.com

Changhe Z-18 in service with PLA Army Aviation

Photos published by Xinhua news agency suggests the Changhe Z-18 helicopter is also in service with the PLA Army Aviation.

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Pékin va déployer un bataillon d'infanterie au Soudan du Sud




Ils porteront le casque bleu certes, mais il sera intéressant d'observer le déploiement et les activités du bataillon d'infanterie que la Chine va déployer dans le cadre de la mission onusienne de maintien de la paix  (OMP) au Soudan du Sud (photos Ministry of National Defense).

Le bataillon de 700 casques bleus chinois (2 027 soldats chinois servent actuellement dans des OMP onusiennes) est commandé par Wang Zhen; cette unité compte 121 officiers et 579 sous-officiers et MDR venus d'une brigade motorisée du 26e Corps et d'unités du 54e Corps. 43 de ces soldats ont déjà participé à une OMP. Selon les services de communication de l'armée de terre chinoise, les soldats seront équipés comme tous les soldats chinois; leur paquetage de 40kg comportera 108 pièces.



Une première. Une escouade de 13 "féminines" sera spécialement déployée pour faciliter les contacts avec les Soudanaises.



Ils seront équipés de 185 véhicules dont des blindés à roues, des VTT, des véhicules de commandement et de soutien.



Le déploiement commencera en janvier avec le départ de 180 militaires, le reste du bataillon les rejoignant en mars.


http://lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr/archive/2014/12/29/pekin-deploie-un-bataillon-d-infanterie-au-sud-soudan-13189.html

China unveils cloned edition of Russia's Tor M1, the HQ-17 surface-to-air missile system

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According to pictures recently issued, the Chinese edition of the Tor M1 surface-to-air missile (SAM) system has been officially unveiled. This air defense missile system, dubbed HQ-17 (Hongqi-17), is a cloned edition of the Russian Tor M1 SAM. When a designer from the Russian Kupol factory seeing the photos of HQ17, he said that this confirmed Russia’s long-term suspicion that China had cloned Tor-M1, reported DefenceBlog.



Chinese HQ-17 "Hongqi-17" surface-to-air missile system with new radar systems during live-firing tests

The Tor M1 “SA-15 Gauntlet” is a 12km ranged Russian air defense missile system specifically designed to attack enemy jet fighters, helicopters, smart bombs and cruise missile. China is reported to have bought at least 25 vehicles.

Its Chinese license production is designated HQ-17 with key differences including an indigenous all terrain tracked launcher, a new Identify Friend Foe (IFF) antenna on top the search radar, electronically scanned radars for better performance against enemy jamming, and ability to datalink with other Chinese systems.

The HQ-17 is rugged enough to keep up with frontline units like tank battalions, as seen here with the 41st Group Army in Guangzhou Province, and protect them from helicopter and drone attacks.

Its vertically launched missiles allows the Tor M1/HQ-17 to simultaneously engage multiple cruise missiles like the American Tomahawk or Taiwanese HF-IIE aimed at Chinese command and control infrastructure.

http://www.armyrecognition.com/weapons_defence_industry_military_technology_uk/china_officially_unveils_cloned_edition_of_russias_tor_m1_the_hq-17_surface-to-air_missile_system.html

"La discipline est la meilleure des armes"

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J-10B fighter may be close to entering service: Kanwa

A photo posted on the internet indicates that the J-10B, the upgraded version of China's's J-10 fighter is almost ready for service, reports Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language military magazine based in Canada.

The photo shows more than 10 J-10B fighters parked on an unidentified airfield in China. After the J-10A went out of production last year, the first J-10B is likely to be commissioned in 2015, the magazine said.

The plane was originally designed for use with the domestically developed WS-10 Taihang turbofan engine but will use the Russian AL31FN engine as the Taihang engine is not yet ready. Due to its reliance on the engines provided by Russia, China is still unable to produce the J-10B in large numbers, the report said.

The first J-10B to enter service will be with the PLA Air Force units that currently deploy the J-10A. After that, it is likely to serve the PLA Navy's East Sea Fleet as an ground attack aircraft. The Russian-built Su-30MKK was originally earmarked for this role, but PLA Navy believes the fighter is better suited to taking on Taiwan's F-16 fighters in aerial combat.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com

link to fullsize

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PLA's Tian Yi drone modified with smaller engines



China has recently modified its Tian Yi unmanned aerial vehicle with two smaller engines and a redesigned nose, according to information revealed by the aircraft's designer, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, reports American expert in Chinese military development Richard D Fisher Jr in the UK's IHS Jane's Defence Weekly.

The Tian Yi was first displayed in model form to the public at the Zhuhai Air Show of 2006. The drone then appeared at the airfield of the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation in mid-2008 as a medium-sized single turbofan-powered UAV with V-shaped vertical stabilizers. With a similar look to the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, the Tian Yi is closer in size to the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper. Fisher said that a small number of Tian Yi drones had entered service with the People's Liberation Army.

Photos on the internet showed that the new modified version of the Tian Yi is about the same size as the original. However, it has a redesigned fuselage. "The most prominent difference is a wider empennage that incorporates two smaller turbofan engines plus a wider air intake," Fisher wrote. Such modifications are intended to suppress Tian Yi's infrared signature, which would stand out at high cruise altitudes.

Fisher believes that the Tian Yi can either serve with front line units of the PLA or as a technology demonstrator for Chengdu's larger Long Haul Eagle. The Long Haul Eagle has a similar shape and size to the Global Hawk. In addition, Guizhou Aircraft Corporation, a Chengdu Aircraft Corporation subsidiary, has produced Soar Dragon UAVs in both a larger and smaller version. The larger version is designed to have a weight of 7,500 kilograms and a wingspan of 25 meters. As for the smaller version, its size is similar to the Tian Yi.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com

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La Chine envisage d'installer une base navale en Namibie (presse)
     

Windhoek, 20 jan 2015 (AFP) -

La Namibie et la Chine discutent de l'installation d'une base navale chinoise dans ce pays d'Afrique australe, a rapporté mardi le quotidien The Namibian, provoquant des démentis immédiats de Pékin et Windhoek.

Le journal cite une lettre confidentielle de l'ambassadeur de Namibie à Pékin envoyée à son ministère, indiquant qu'une délégation chinoise se rendrait prochainement à Windhoek pour des discussions "sur la suite à donner au projet d'une base navale à Walvis Bay" (ouest), le principal port namibien.

Dans sa lettre adressée le 22 décembre à la secrétaire permanente du ministère namibien des Affaires étrangères, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, l'ambassadeur Ringo Abed fait état d'une réunion avec Geng Yansheng, un responsable du ministère chinois de la Défense.

L'ambassadeur y ajoute que la délégation chinoise doit comprendre du personnel technique et des architectes chargés d'une étude de faisabilité, selon The Namibian.

Le ministère chinois de la Défense a assuré à l'AFP que "l'échange entre les responsables de la Défense chinois et des fonctionnaires de l'ambassade de Namibie tels que rapporté par The Namibian est une pure fabrication".

"Je ne sais rien à propos de la base navale, je vais devoir suivre cela et mener une enquête pour en savoir plus", a renchéri la ministre namibienne des Affaires étrangères, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

Selon la lettre de l'ambassadeur, une présence navale chinoise dissuaderait les pêcheurs illégaux dans les eaux namibiennes, note The Namibian.

"D'autres considérations pour la base navale seraient qu'elle puisse servir à former la marine namibienne, non seulement pour être prête au combat mais aussi pour des tâches civiles", ajoute-t-elle.

C'est la deuxième fois en deux mois que la Chine, de plus en plus présente en Namibie, dément vouloir installer une base navale à Walvis Bay.

http://www.marine-oceans.com/actualites-afp/9604-la-chine-envisage-dinstaller-une-base-navale-en-namibie-presse

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Révélations sur la construction du premier porte-avions chinois
     

Pékin, 20 jan 2015 (AFP) -

Le premier porte-avions chinois n'a pas été construit à partir d'une coque vide vendue en 1998 par l'Ukraine, comme l'a toujours affirmé Pékin, mais à partir d'un bâtiment déjà équipé de moteurs, acheté grâce à un intermédiaire jamais remboursé, a divulgué un journal de Hong Kong.

Admis au service actif en septembre 2012, le "Liaoning" est devenu le navire-amiral incarnant les ambitions maritimes de l'armée chinoise. Il a connu un long chantier de rénovation dans le port de Dalian (nord-est), dans l'opacité la plus totale.

Dans une grande enquête publiée de dimanche à mardi, le journal South China Morning Post livre des révélations sur les manoeuvres en coulisse qui ont permis à la Chine de s'approprier ce navire, à l'origine baptisé "Varyag" et commandé par la marine soviétique.

Sa construction, débutée en 1985 sur un chantier naval ukrainien, avait été interrompue après la chute de l'URSS en 1991. Dès 1992, la Chine a discrètement envoyé une délégation visiter le navire inachevé.

Le quotidien, basé à Hong Kong a interviewé Xu Zengping, ancien capitaine d'une équipe de basket-ball de l'Armée populaire de libération devenu homme d'affaires, qui fut secrètement chargé d'acheter le porte-avions, grâce à une société écran, au prétexte d'en faire un casino flottant à Macao.

"Quand l'ingénieur-en-chef du chantier naval (ukrainien) m'a conduit dans la salle des machines, j'y ai trouvé quatre moteurs flambant neufs et soigneusement lubrifiés", a relaté au South China Morning Post le businessman chinois.

Pékin a toujours affirmé avoir acquis une coque blindée, dépourvue d'électronique, de moteur et d'hélice.

En mars 1998, M. Xu a acheté aux enchères le bâtiment pour 20 millions de dollars.

Le remorquage du Varyag de l'Ukraine vers la Chine a tenu de l'odyssée. La Turquie s'opposa durant de longs mois à son passage dans ses détroits et, à deux reprises, l'immense bateau s'est retrouvé à la dérive à la suite de la rupture des câbles de traction. Il n'arriva à son port chinois qu'en mars 2002, après plus de 600 jours de mer.

M. Xu affirme que l'opération totale lui a finalement coûté 120 millions de dollars, une somme que Pékin ne lui a jamais remboursée.

La finalité militaire du navire de 300 mètres de long, de la classe du porte-avions "Amiral Kouznetsov", devint ensuite évidente.

Selon Xu Zengping, les turbines d'origine de l'ex-Varyag, rebaptisé Liaoning, ont été rénovées et modernisées.

Interrogé mardi, le ministère chinois des Affaires étrangères a indiqué ne "pas être au courant" des révélations du South China Morning Post.

La Chine, qui veut parvenir à terme à rivaliser avec la puissante US Navy, travaille à l'édification de groupes aéronavals autour de plusieurs porte-avions, un programme phare de centaines de milliards d'euros.


http://www.marine-oceans.com/actualites-afp/9601-revelations-sur-la-construction-du-premier-porte-avions-chinois

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China's First Crew of Female Jet Fighter Pilots Ready for Service


China's first crew of 10 female jet fighter pilots are ready to enter service after four new female pilots graduated at an airbase on January 15 in Jinan — capital city of east China's Shandong Province — and six others finished their courses at an airbase in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The four pilots joined the front line of combat troops on January 16.

In September 2008, 33 female fighter jet pilots were selected out of 150,000 candidates who had a minimum of a high school education. In the following four years, the 33 selected candidates finished nearly 100 courses, ranging from aviation theory of flight to parachuting and field survival. They then received one year of training on how to fly advanced trainer aircrafts; and at the end of the year, 16 members received a dual bachelor's degree in engineering and military.

Subsequently, the 16 female graduated members underwent tactical training and fighter modification training — with the same requirements as their male counterparts — for one and a half years at the airbases in Jinan and Shenyang. In the end, 10 out of the 16 members passed the final assessments with outstanding marks. They will be flying advanced domestic fighter planes.

When interviewed, the female pilots expressed that upon coming into contact with the supersonic fighter jets for the first time after entering flight school, they faced numerous challenges in their training techniques, morale and overall health, even experiencing symptoms such as dizziness and nausea. However, after a month of keeping with the program, they were able to overcome the difficulties that plagued them at the beginning.

In 2005, China's air force began to recruit female combat pilots, following the global trend to enable women to enter military air services. Liu Yang, China's first woman in space, also served as a female pilot in the air force before being selected as an astronaut.

Data shows China has put nine batches of female pilots — 545 individuals — though air force training since women were first permitted to enroll in flight schools in 1951, with 328 of them having graduated and 52 currently serving. These female pilots have completed various missions, ranging from flying transport planes and conducting air detection to military fighting exercises and providing rescue and relief work in emergencies.

http://www.womenofchina.cn

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Model of aircraft carrier in Central China raises questions


The photo of the Chinese aircraft carrier model taken by Google Maps. (Internet photo)

Satellite images provided by Google Maps indicated that China is apparently building a model aircraft carrier on land at an unknown place in Central China, according to China's nationalistic tabloid Global Times on Jan. 22.

The model of the aircraft carrier is 300 meters long and 80 meters wide. Aboard its flight deck, there is a large helicopter and a carrier-based fighter which looks to be a J-15. Models of an unknown type of surface combat vessel can be seen right next to the aircraft carrier. By looking at the bridge of that model warship, military experts from China said that the vessel is very likely a Type 055 guided-missile destroyer designed to compete against US Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

Whether the model aircraft carrier is to resemble the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier purchased from Ukraine, or the nation's future domestic carrier, the model from the photo is necessary for the People's Liberation Army Navy to test equipment designed for future operation. An unnamed expert told the Global Times that it is a waste of time to overread the satellite picture since the Liaoning was put into service several years ago.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com

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PLA to build amphibious assault ships: report




Taipei, Jan. 25 (CNA) Hong Kong's Ming Pao (明報) newspaper reported on Friday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is building large amphibious assault ships to bolster gaps in its naval strategic doctrine.

Written by Liang Kuo-liang (梁國樑), the story said that the PLA Navy considers large amphibious assault ships to be the ideal vehicle to fill the void between its aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines.

According to the report, in 2004 the push towards the adoption of amphibious assault ships garnered consensus across China's military.

The report further said that the PLA's inabilities in maintaining regional security was exposed during recent flare-ups of civil war in South Sudan, where the state-run China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has tremendous investments, while its fleet of aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines were sidelined and unable to project military force.

The PLA quickly became aware of the many inadequacies of its Type 071 Kunlun Shan-class (崑崙山艦) amphibious transport dock during conflicts in Africa. Despite its ability to carry two Russian-designed Zubr-class air cushion landing crafts (LCAC), currently the largest military hovercraft of its kind, the Type 071 vessel is plagued by a lack of firepower and inability to fill command and air support roles in combat.

The same inadequacies in military humanitarian missions were repeated during the subsequent armed conflicts in Libya, which hastened the adoption of amphibious crafts by the PLA, the report said.

In addition, the report said that the PLA might be motivated to match the capabilities of the U.S. Navy's America amphibious class landing crafts.

In response, China's dockyards are scrambling to build its own home-grown amphibious assault craft, with a displacement of 50,000 long tons, said the report, and the Shanghai Jiangnan-Changxing Shipbuilding Company Limited (上海江南長興造船廠) has been commissioned to build at least four amphibious assault ships.

The report also implied that the PLA Air Force is developing a variant of the J-10 fighter jet, equipped with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities.

Of note, diagrams released by Xinhuanet (新華網) revealed a design for China's amphibious assault vessel that stands 265 meters in length and is capable of launching jet fighters, helicopters, and LCACs.

(By Stanley Cheung and Ted Chen)

http://focustaiwan.tw

Russia has sold six battalions of S-400 surface-to-air defense missile systems to China.

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According to internet sources , Russia had sold to China six battalions of S-400 air defense missile systems. In November 2014, Russia state-arms-exporter Rosoboronexport and the Chinese Defence Ministry signed a $3 billion contract for the delivery of six S-400 battalions.

http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.fr/2015/01/russia-has-sold-six-battalions-of-s-400.html

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PLA to commission more third-generation warships this year

China is looking to replace more of its obsolete warships by putting more third-generation surface combat vessels into service in the year of 2015, according to the country's Global Times on Jan. 26.

After commissioning three Type 052C guided-missile destroyers — Changchun, Zhengzhou and Jinan — between 2013 and 2014, a destroyer division of the PLA Navy's East Sea Fleet based in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province is expected to soon get its fourth destroyer, Xian, equipped with the Zhonghuashendun system also known as the Chinese Aegis.

This will make the division the first PLA Navy unit to fully deploy the third-generation destroyers. Among the country's six Type 052C guided-missile destroyers, four are assigned to the East Sea Fleet, which also has the Type 054A guided-missile frigates Yiyang, Changzhou and Huanggang in service.

The division will commission a fourth Type 054A frigate, Yangzhou, later this year. After that, units from the North and South fleets are also expected to commission new warships. A destroyer division in the South Sea Fleet has transferred its two Type 052B destroyers Guangzhou and Wuhan to other units after getting two brand new Type 052D guided-missile destroyers, Kunming and Changsha.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com

Chinois chars de Type 99A sur les enseignements de l'hiver

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PLA commissions sixth Type 052C destroyer



A photo of the destroyer Xian taken in late 2014. (Internet photo)

China now has more destroyers with Aegis Combat System equivalent capability than Japan after the Xian, the country's sixth Type 052C destroyer entered service on Feb. 9, reports the People's Navy Daily, a paper published by the People's Liberation Army Navy.

In addition to the six Type 052C destroyers, the PLA also has the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer or Kunming class, which uses Active Phased Array Radar.

Xian is the fourth Type 052C destroyer in the PLA's East Sea Fleet after Changchun, Zhengzhou and Jinan. The 6,000-ton vessel carries 48 HHQ-9 air defense missiles and eight YJ-62 anti-ship missiles, according to the newspaper.

The report said China plans to build a total of 12 Type 052D guided-missile destroyers. Together with the six Type 052C, the PLA Navy will eventually have 18 Zhonghua Shendun or "Chinese Aegis" destroyers.

While the ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force may have the better American-built Aegis, Japan has far fewer vessels with Active Phased Array Radar than the PLA Navy. Japan at present has four Kongo-class and two Atago-class destroyers.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com

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High resolution photos of KJ-500 AEW&C

http://www.janes.com/article/48984/imagery-shows-progress-of-chinese-land-building-across-spratlys

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Chine, deux régiments dotés du bombardier H-6K !



Pekin, les autorités chinoises ont profité de du Nouvel An chinois pour révéler de nouveaux détails, concernant la dernière version du bombardier stratégique Xian Aircraft Corporation (XAC) H-6K, qui est entré discrètement en service l’année depuis deux ans.

Selon les dernières informations disponibles, la dernière variante du bombardier H-6K est en service dans deux régiments de l’aviation militaire chinoise (PLAAF). L’ancienne version, le H-6M est entré en service en 2007 et reprenait les grandes lignes du H-6H qui était entré en service en 1990. Le H-6M peut tirer des missiles de croisière guidé optique YJ-63 / KD-63 anis que des KD-20 / K-AKD-20. Il est également doté d’un nouveau système d'alerte de guerre électronique et d'approche de missile.



Le Xian Aircraft Corporation (XAC) H-6K :

Le Xian H-6K est la variante la plus radicalement modifiée. En effet, les ingénieurs chinois ont remplacé son nez en verre d’origine, avec un grand nez solide qui abrite un grand radar et nouveau système de ciblage électro-optique. Le H-6K est également re-motorisé avec des moteurs russes Soloviev D-30-KP2 de 12 tonnes de poussée, permettant d’élargie le rayon d’action du bombardier à 3500 km.

Le plus remarquable, cependant, vient de la couverture médiatique chinoise qui pour la première fois fourni une large vue sur le cockpit  du H-6K. Celui-ci démontre la mise en  place d’une avionique nouvelle avec écrans multifonctions (MFD), de plus contrairement aux deux anciennes versions, le H-6K dispose de sièges éjectables pour ses trois ou quatre membres d'équipage.

Le H-6K emporte six missiles KD-20 LACM sur les pylônes d’ailes, plus un ou plusieurs, dans sa soute à bombes. Il peut également transporter un large éventail de nouvelles munitions à guidage de précision de fabrication chinoise.

L’origine du Xian H-6 :

Le Xian H-6 (Hōng-6) est une copie sous licence du bombardier soviétique Tupolev 162 construite pour l’aviation militaire chinoise. Le premier Tu-16 est livré à la chine en 1958. La compagnie Xian signe un contrat de construction sous licence du bombardier à la fin des années 50. Le premier Tu-16 chinois, désigné localement « H-6 » effectue son premier vol en 1959. Sur les 150 appareils construits dans les usines de Xian, on estime qu'environ 120 sont encore en service en Chine en 2008.

Les premiers bombardiers H-6 produits par Xian sont terminés en 1968. Les premières preuves d'entraînement au bombardement sont enregistrées par des satellites espions américains le 18 août 1973.


Photos : 1 & 3 Le Xian H-6K 2 le H-6M @ ChineNouvelle

http://psk.blog.24heures.ch/archive/2015/02/21/chine-deux-regiments-dotes-du-bombardier-h-6k-858245.html

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New fighter jet appears ready for PLA




China's air force will soon commission the J-10B fighter jet, the most advanced military aircraft the country has ever developed on its own, information released by military observers show.

Several pictures showing 14 of the planes lined up outside an unidentified aircraft factory have been circulating on military websites. Experts said their gray paint scheme indicates that they will soon be delivered to the People's Liberation Army air force.

Though no one has claimed ownership of the pictures, they are believed to have been taken by Chinese aviation enthusiasts in late December or early January.

"Considering that the paint scheme is being used by the PLA air force and recent leaks that the aircraft has concluded its tests," Wang Ya'nan, deputy editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said on Wednesday. "I think these J-10Bs will join the air force within a short period and will pair with the heavy-duty twin-engine J-11, and with our fifth-generation stealth fighter, the J-20, which is expected to enter service within a few years," he said.

"It is also possible and feasible that the J-10B's upgraded version will be chosen by the navy to serve on an aircraft carrier or amphibious assault ship," he added.

Du Wenlong, a senior researcher at the PLA Academy of Military Science, said the J-10 family will be developed into a multitask platform that can perform air-to-ground strikes and also can be used in sea-based operations.

The J-10B is an improved variant of the J-10A, which is manufactured by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, a subsidiary of the State-owned giant Aviation Industry Corp of China.

Western military sources said the jet had its first flight in December 2008, and mass production started in 2013.

A publicity officer at Aviation Industry Corp's Beijing headquarters who asked not to be named said he could not confirm information about the J-10B, citing corporate policy.

Zhang Zhaozhong, a military expert at the PLA's National Defense University, said the new fighter has "an increase of at least 30 percent in overall capability" compared with its predecessor. He added that the warplane can compete with any fourth-generation fighter jet in Asia.

The aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 19 metric tons and can carry a payload of up to 8 tons. Its combat radius can reach to about 1,000 kilometers, Zhang said.

http://www.ecns.cn

Citation :

Official PLAAF recruitment video includes footage of J-20

The Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter has appeared in an official video for the first time. The footage can be found at the 4:20 spot of a recruitment video.