China has claimed that its new J-15 combat jet nicknamed the ‘Flying Shark’ will operate from the aircraft carrier acquired in the recent past. It will have an operational radius of action of 1,000km in the strike role. Having undertaken its maiden test flight in August 2009, the aircraft carried out a successful landing on China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning in November 2012.
The J-15 combat jet is categorised as a third-generation carrier-borne fighter jet and has already entered service in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force. “The aircraft is close to the US F-18 Hornet fighter jet in terms of bomb load, combat radius and mobility,” said Sun Cong, the chief designer of the aircraft. In fact, Russia is somewhat irked as the J-15 resembles the Russian Su-33. While there has been progress in respect of the fire-control radar and guided missiles fitted on the aircraft, much work still needs to be done to improve its capability in electronic countermeasures.
Please wait...
