The J-10B engine nozzle that will be on display is equipped with a jagged vector/Internet picture

The six-day China International Aerospace Expo (Zhuhai Air Show) will officially kick off tomorrow (6th). Ta Kung Pao reporters were lucky enough to find out before the exhibition was closed. The large transport aircraft Y-20 has been steadily parked in the static display area, and multiple J-20s continue to conduct difficult flight demonstration training. On the day of the air show, these new Air Force fighter jets and active main battle equipment will collectively provide a visual feast to the audience. Among them, the Chinese Air Force’s J-10B equipped with a vector engine will make its debut, attracting widespread attention from the outside world. Experts revealed that the J-10B is expected to replace the Russian fighter this time and become the first domestic fighter capable of demonstrating Cobra maneuvers, proving the strength of domestic fighters and domestic aviation.

In previous Zhuhai Air Shows, the Russian Su-27 fighter fleet has repeatedly performed its signature stunt, the famous over-stall maneuver Cobra maneuver. At this air show, Russia's Su-27, Su-35 and MiG-29 fighters were absent. Famous military expert Zhang Zhaozhong wrote an article online and revealed that the J-10B, numbered 1034, is expected to become the first domestically produced fighter jet capable of demonstrating Cobra maneuvers.

Vector engines make up for shortcomings

Recently, multiple J-10B fighter jets have flown to Zhuhai. One of them, the J-10B with a fuselage number of 1034, has aroused more expectations than the J-20 on the mainland network. Because the tail nozzle of this No. 1034 J-10B is different from the ordinary J-10B. Replaced with a vector engine: the engine is equipped with a serrated vector nozzle.

Online information indicates that after fighter aircraft are equipped with vector nozzles, the aircraft can maneuver at large elevation angles and with an attack angle range of up to 180 degrees, and some can even achieve 360-degree rolls without blind spots. Previously, American and European experts have been criticizing the performance of the Chinese J-20 engine, questioning its inability to meet supersonic cruise speeds. Some experts believe that China's vector engine can be applied to the J-20 in the future to make up for this shortcoming. Online analysis believes that the vector engine equipped in the J-10B modification may be just a transitional model, but its appearance and equipment in the J-10 prove that China has overcome the technical problems of the vector engine, and with its rapid progress in the field of materials, it is only a matter of time before it surpasses Russia and catches up with the United States.

Heavy-lift launch vehicle Changjiu debuts

The air show on the 4th was enveloped by the huge roar of J-20 flight training. Reporters saw at the scene that various venues were undergoing final installation and debugging. There were multiple Y-20s on display. One was parked on the airport runway for flight show training, and the other was parked in the static display area for viewing. Fighters including the KJ-500 early warning aircraft and Y-9 arrived at the scene and were open to the public in the static display area.

At the China Aviation Industry Exhibition Hall, two fourth-generation fighter jets, the J-20 and the Falcon J-31, came face to face. In the exhibition, there are familiar star models such as the J-10 and J-15, as well as the AG600 large special aircraft that has just completed its first flight over water. It is worth mentioning that the reporter also saw the civilian version of the Y-20 at the scene. This large general transport aircraft named Y20F100 has a wingspan of 50 meters and a maximum load capacity of 65 tons.

In terms of aerospace exhibits, a new generation of launch vehicles was unveiled. Among them, the most eye-catching is the heavy-duty launch vehicle Long March 9, which has a height of more than 90 meters and a rocket body diameter of 10 meters. It is called a "science fiction-class" rocket. Zhang Zhi, chief designer of the Long March 9 rocket from the First Institute of Aerospace Science and Technology Group, said that the Long March 9 is planned to fly for the first time from 2028 to 2030. After the current development progress is successful, it can meet the tasks of China's deep space exploration, manned lunar exploration and other major national scientific and technological activities in the long term.

Domestic tilt-rotor UAVs can be put on ships in the future

Picture: Rainbow-10 is China's first entry into the field of large and medium-sized unmanned tilt-rotor aircraft\Internet pictures

UAVs represent a new development trend in future warfare. Recently, a tilt-rotor drone similar to the American V-22 "Osprey" has been circulated on the Internet. The chief designer of the drone, Ye Chuan, revealed in a Toutiao article that this drone, codenamed Rainbow-10 (CH-10), is China's first work in the field of large and medium-sized unmanned tilt-rotor aircraft.

Ye Chuan said that tilt-rotor drones not only have the vertical take-off and landing and hovering capabilities of helicopters, but also have the advantages of fast speed of fixed-wing aircraft, and have more tactical advantages than unmanned helicopters.

It is understood that the current Rainbow-10 UAV is mainly designed to meet the army's UAV combat needs. It can be easily installed in a small transport box and maneuvered. After assembly, it can conduct operational and tactical reconnaissance of targets within a range of 120 kilometers. Ye Chuan revealed that once this kind of drone is put on a ship in the future, it will be able to perform many maritime combat tasks, including verification and identification of targets. In addition, the next generation of large tilt-rotor drones are also being considered to further integrate surveillance and attack capabilities.

China is developing turboprop engines for drones

The 2018 Second Global Unmanned Systems Conference opened in Zhuhai on the 4th, attracting more than 1,500 professionals such as academicians and entrepreneurs at home and abroad to participate in the conference, aiming to carry out exchanges and cooperation with various countries and regions in terms of technical exchanges in the field of unmanned systems and artificial intelligence. The reporter learned from the conference that the Guangdong Provincial Institute of Aerospace Equipment Technology is developing prototype products such as special unmanned aerial vehicles and turboprop engines for unmanned aerial vehicles.

The "Yishen 7" (see picture) series of dual-use drones independently designed and manufactured by private enterprises, the entire fuselage is made of carbon fiber composite materials, and the aircraft has two models with a load capacity of 500kg and 50kg. It can not only meet the needs of logistics transportation, etc., but can also carry different weapons to meet the needs of military surveillance and combat, border and coastal patrol. (Reporter Fang Junming)

J-20 displays new paint and performs stunts

Picture: J-20 fighter jets undergoing platoon training on the eve of the 2018 Zhuhai Air Show\Internet pictures

The two heroes of the Chinese Air Force, the J-20 and the Y-20, will perform flight demonstrations at the Zhuhai Air Show. Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the Chinese Air Force, recently introduced that multiple J-20 fighter jets will perform flight demonstrations with new paint, new formations, and new postures.

On the morning of October 30, four J-20 aircraft flew over Zhuhai Jinwan Airport, causing a sensation. Online pictures show that two J-20 formations, each consisting of two fighter jets, conducted a low-altitude pass at the airport, and then one of them performed a single aerobatics display. On November 1, netizens discovered that four J-20s and one Y-20 formed a shocking formation and passed through the field.

Although the J-20 does not appear in the current flight display list, online articles generally speculate that it will conduct a flight display. The J-20 fighter is a new generation stealth fighter independently developed by China. It has the characteristics of strong stealth, strong maneuverability, and powerful combat. Its maximum range can reach 6,500 kilometers and its combat radius is 2,200 kilometers.

The Y-20 is a large-scale, multi-purpose transport aircraft developed by China on its own. It can perform long-distance air transportation missions for various materials and personnel under complex weather conditions.

The Chinese military pointed out that the Yun-20 was officially commissioned into the Air Force, achieving a major breakthrough in the independent development of strategic air delivery equipment and marking a new starting point for the strategic transformation and construction of the Air Force.

Russia’s advanced air-to-air anti-missile series will appear

The scale of Russia’s participation in China air shows is expanding year by year, and more and more types of weapons are displayed. This year Russian companies will display various types of modernized air-to-air missile series (short-range RVV-MD, medium-range RVV-SD, long-range RVV-BD). These missiles are equipped with the most advanced guidance systems and have better sensitivity and anti-jamming capabilities.

Among the anti-ship missiles promoted by relevant Russian companies to the world market, the most advanced one currently is the Kh-35 family, which includes the basic model Kh-35E and the improved model Kh-35UE with increased range. The latter will appear at the Zhuhai Air Show. The Kh-35 family of missiles is used to attack surface ships of all levels with a displacement of less than 5,000 tons. The missiles fly at a low altitude, so their stealth is very good. The flight altitude during the cruise segment, which takes the longest flight time, is no more than 10 to 15 meters above the water surface, and the final segment of the flight is only 4 meters.

The air show at this Zhuhai Air Show will welcome a new friend: the Saudi Eagle. According to CCTV reports, the Saudi Eagle flight demonstration team consists of seven Eagle MK65A trainer aircraft painted in white and green. This is the first time for the Saudi Eagles to come to China. They have toured throughout the Middle East before. In recent years, they have been present at the Farnborough Air Show and the Kuwait Air Show. The most famous action of the Saudi Eagle is to draw the national emblem of Saudi Arabia in the sky. This action has also been recorded in the Guinness World Records. Wonderful stunts such as the "Apollo Roll" are also their specialties. (Specially sponsored by BAIC)