New Chinese J-15 fighter jet looks ready for faster catapult take-off
- Major changes seen in ‘Flying Shark’ photo suggest capacity for greater acceleration, possibly catapult take-off, and a more advanced radar system
- This also means the PLA Navy’s third aircraft carrier is likely to have catapult decks
China has updated its carrier-based J-15 fighters for catapult take-off, suggesting China’s third aircraft carrier is likely to be equipped with the device.
The photo shows a J-15 fighter jet taxiing on a runway next to a tug truck. The SAC did not indicate the date or location of the picture, which was released on Tuesday. But the formal grey livery of the plane suggested it was close to delivery, no longer a test model that is normally painted yellow.
Among the most noticeable changes in the new J-15, as seen in the photo, were cockpit doors on either side, compared to the previous model which just had one door on the starboard, or right-hand, side.
This was most likely in order to accommodate enhanced landing gears, suggesting this aircraft is designed to endure greater acceleration – possibly take-off by catapult.
However, since the tug truck blocks part of the view in the photo, not enough of the nose landing gear was visible to confirm the enhancement.
Another major change was that the new J-15 uses the same wingtip pylon as the PLA Air Force’s J-16 fighter. This means the new aircraft could also carry China’s most advanced short-range air-to-air combat missile, the PL-10, which has a fast response speed, and advanced guidance and manoeuvrability.