Threat of the Week
The Chengdu J-10 (NATO reporting name: Firebird, also known as Vigorous Dragon, is a single-engine, lightweight multirole fighter aircraft capable of all-weather operation, configured with a delta wing and canard design, with fly-by-wire flight controls,
and produced by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The airframe is constructed from metal alloys and composite materials for high strength and low weight, the airframe aerodynamic layout adopts a 'tail-less canard delta'
wing configuration. A large delta wing is mid-mounted towards the rear of the fuselage, while a pair of canards are mounted higher up and towards the front of the fuselage, behind and below the cockpit. This configuration provides very high agility, especially at low speeds,
and also reduces stall speed, allowing for a lower airspeed during instrument approaches. A large vertical tail is present on top of the fuselage and small ventral fins underneath the fuselage provide further stability.
A rectangular air intake ramp and a Splitter plate
(only on J-10A) are located underneath the fuselage, providing the air supply to the engine. Newer variants use a diverter less intake that does not require a splitter plate, and may reduce radar cross signature. Also under the fuselage and wings are 11 hardpoints,
used for carrying various types of weaponry and drop-tanks containing extra fuel. The retractable undercarriage comprises a steerable pair of nose-wheels underneath the air intake and two main gear wheels towards the rear of the fuselage.
The cockpit is covered by a two-piece bubble canopy providing 360 degrees of visual coverage for the pilot. The canopy lifts upwards to permit cockpit entry and exit. Due to the J-10's aerodynamically unstable design, a digital quadruplex-redundant fly-by-wire (FBW)
flight control system (FCS) aids the pilot in flying the aircraft.
The PLAAF currently fly multiple variants including the J-10A/B/C/S versions and have sucessfuly sold the jet overseas to the Pakistani Air Force.
Pakistan operates 20 of the J-10C export variants with another 16 jets on order. The J-10C variant is upgraded with WS-10B Chinese engines and equippped with PL-10 and PL-15 air-to-air missiles. Pakistan currently claims to have shot down Indian Rafale jets with their J-10C.
