VIDEO: VFA-27 Royal Maces F/A-18Es; China's J-15 Flying Shark

A couple of military aviation videos that have been making the rounds the past couple of days:

The Royal Maces of Naval Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 27 present the teaser to their full-length 2013-2014 cruise video: "Shoot 'Em If You Got 'Em" - which is packed with more than 27 minutes of high-flying and fast-action. It will be made available at the NAF Atsugi Spring Festival, May 3rd. VFA-27 are one of four F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadron forward deployed to Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 on board the USS George Washington (CVN-73).

Meanwhile, China's state-owned military aircraft manufacturer Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has also released a promotional video called “Flying Sharks,” featuring the Shenyang J-15 aircraft, China's own carrierborne multirole fighter. Not as slick as the VFA-27 video, but it does give an insight on how far Chinese naval aviation has come. I do wish they'd cut out the (very) fake looking CGI bits though.

[EDITED] The Chinese military aviation data dump of 2014 continues

And the 2014 data dump on China's military aviation developments continue. Following closely on the recent hi-res pic of a J-16 in flight, we now have:

Shenyang J-15 S/N 556 carrying a Russian UPAZ-1A buddy refuelling store. Click on thumbnail for hi-res photo.

Xi'an H-6G Badger bomber carrying the YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missile.

Chinese Il-76MD in flight with a new high-bypass turbofan engine (WS-20?) mounted on the port inboard station. This will most likely be the engine that will eventually power the Y-20 airlifter, with the engine having started aircraft tests several months back and expected to enter into service in 2015.

Both the H-6G and Il-76 pictured are both test aircraft, belonging to the China Flight Test Establishment (CFTE) based at Xi'an-Yanliang.

[EDIT 09JAN2014]: And the reveals are not just restricted to fixed wing aircraft. Yesterday saw photos of a Harbin Z-19 light attack helicopter carrying what appears to be a roof-mouted radar similar to the Longbow millimetre wave radar carried by the AH-64D/E Apache. As Greg Waldron over at Flightglobal notes, we are not sure if the radar is a prototype, mockup or the real deal. But it does say a lot about China's ambitions. More pics here and here.

And not strictly 2014, but while most of the world was celebrating Christmas or nursing Boxing Day hangovers in 2013, China's Harbin Z-20, which has been likened by many to be a clone of the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, made its first flight.

All photos from the Chinese internet

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 30 Sept 2013

F-22A Raptor of the 525th Fighter Squadron

The F-22 folks at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, have devised a concept to rapidly deploy a contingent of four F-22s - supported by a C-17 - to any forward location and having the fighters combat-ready at the new location within 24 hours. PS. More of my F-22 photos.

Woah. Sections of the Chinese state-controlled media have lambasted the combat capabilities of the Shenyang J-15 when operating off the carrier Liaoning. However, as the linked Defensenews article makes clear, some of the criticism does not stand up to scrutiny. And the Flanker-family's limitations when operating in a STOBAR-configured carrier is already well-known.

VIDEO: J-15s carry out flight ops on Liaoning with various ordnance

Chinese state TV has carried out a piece on flight testing operations on board the Chinese Navy carrier Liaoning involving Shenyang J-15 飞鲨 (Flying Shark) carrierborne fighters carrying ordnance. Various J-15s took off and landed on the Liaoning in various loadout configurations including PL-8 Air-to-Air Missiles, YJ-83 anti-ship missiles and Type 250-3 250kg General Purpose free fall bombs.

The flights were to test the ability of the J-15 to operate from the Liaoning while carrying the various loadouts. The footage was reportedly shot on September 15.

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 06 Sept 2013

A screengrab off Chinese state television (above) shows what appears to be a Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark in Chinese Navy colours. The type had only previously been seen in primer or Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's markings.

The pivot continues. The U.S. Army will deploy 30 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters to South Korea beginning October. This nine-month, rotational deployment will be the first time OH-58Ds will be South Korea since they left in 2008.

The Republic of Korea Air Force will resume flying the KAI T-50 trainer after an interim report found no technical problems with the aircraft following a recent fatal crash.

VIDEO: J-15 operations on Liaoning and land-based ski jump

A second round of flight tests have concluded on board China's carrier, the Liaoning in June. During the cruise, pilots "executed several continuous take-off and landing exercises, making China one of the few countries in the world that can train its own carrier-borne jet pilots", according to a statement on China's defence ministry website. Five People's Liberation Army - Navy (PLAN) pilots and an unspecified number of deck crew have been certified for aircraft carrier operations, following the 25-day training deployment by the Liaoning. The following video is Chinese state broadcaster's CCTV-7's news piece of the recent cruise:

Like most aircraft carriers, hangar and other space inside the Liaoning is at a premium. It's very interesting to watch the (Russian) turntable rotating the J-15s once they've been struck down to the hangar deck via the elevators. Another point worth noting the tight clearances while on the elevator. The J-15's main landing gear was almost on the edge of the elevator (at 0:51 in the video), while the nose is almost scraping the edge of the flightdeck!

The piece also includes footage of J-15s taking off from a land base using a ski jump, most likely at the PLAN's base at Huangdicun, Liaoning Province (40°29' 51"N 120°39'25"E) which is used for training PLAN pilots in carrier operations with its ski jump(s) and a section of runway painted and marked like a carrier deck.

One last takeaway from the video is that J-15 serial number 554 with the shark artwork took part in this round of flight operations on the Liaoning, and appears to have been re-engined with the Russian Saturn AL-31F turbofan engine. It was seen before powered by the Chinese-built WS-10H turbofan. It would appear that the Chinese still do not have enough confidence in the WS-10H to perform carrier operations yet.

Clearer, better photo of Shenyang J-15 with shark artwork

Click on thumbnail for larger image

Remember the earlier post from October 2012 about Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark (歼-15 "飞鲨") serialled 554 carrying shark artwork on the vertical tail? Well here's a much clearer and better photo of it, courtesy of Weibo user @hdzhou117. Also worth noting is that this aircraft is powered by the Chinese Shenyang Liming WS-10 turbofan engine, in contrast with earlier (and some later) J-15s, which are powered by the Russian Saturn AL-31.

Note that the shark artwork is repeated on the front fuselage just after the serial number, and the aircraft lacks the photo calibration markings seen previously. It's unclear when this photo was taken.

PLAN J-15 Flying Shark conducts touch and goes on the Liaoning

Click on thumbnail for larger image

Photos of the Chinese Navy's new carrier Liaoning conducting air wing trials have been making the rounds of the internet the past few days. From the photos I've seen, at least two Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark (歼-15 "飞鲨"), serialed 554 and 556 have been conducting the trials, performing a series of touch-and-goes on the deck. From the lack of deployed arrestor hooks on the J-15s, it can be assumed no full-stop landings were conducted. In addition, at least one Changhe Z-8 helicopter (locally-built SA321 Super Frelon) is known to have landed on board.

The above photo shows J-15 554 making a pass above the ship. It is painted in overall grey (the other J-15, 556, was in yellow primer) and covered liberally with photo calibration markings, but what is most interesting is what what appears to be a partially obscured shark artwork on the vertical tail (see below) of the aircraft. I can't wait to see more photos!

China's carrier-based J-15 fighter photographed at base with ski jump

More photos have appeared of the Chinese Shenyang J-15 carrier-based fighter have appeared on the internet over the past few days, including a series of seemingly surreptitiously-taken photos shot of a J-15 taxiing past the photographer's location. The latest to appear is aircraft 553, while a surprisingly good quality photograph of aircraft 556 has also been seen on Chinese websites. British military aviation magazine Combat Aircraft Monthly has noted on Twitter that unconfirmed reports have said that up to 5-6 J-15s are currently undergoing testing.

(NOTE: Some of the following images have slightly higher-resolution versions available by clicking on the thumbnail)





In contrast with J-15s snapped earlier at a different location already painted and carrying national insignia, both 553 and 556 are in yellow chromate primer finish, and sport numerous photo calibration markings. Closeup shots of 553 also show a arrester hook peeping out from the lower rear fuselage.







Of some additional interest is the (unknown) base 553 was snapped at, of which a general overview can be seen here



But the noteworthy part is just to the left of the tower in the photos, which is



Various reports in the past few years (see here and here) have previously hinted at ski jumps being built at Chinese airbases, but this would be the first confirmation that one exists. This would also lend weight to the conclusion that the rumoured carriers China is/will be building, in addition to refurbishing the former Soviet Admiral Kuznetsov-class carrier Varyag will utilise the STOBAR method of launch and recovery of carrier-based fixed-wing assets.

PHOTO: Shenyang J-15 PLA Navy carrier-based fighter

High quality photos have been appearing on the Internet from China of the J-15 carrier based fighter being developed for the People's Liberation Army - Navy (PLAN). Click on the thumbnails for higher resolution images.

Possible J-15 on cover of Chinese naval magazine

Chinese magazine Modern Ships has published what appears to be a photo of the rumoured Chinese-built navalized Flanker (known as the J-15) on its front cover. (via China Defense Blog)

Russia Shrugs off Chinese Su-33 copy

Russia has admitted there is little it can do to prevent the Chinese from manufacturing a copy of the Su-33 navalised Flanker, reportedly known as the J-15 and believed to have made it's first flight in June.