Chengdu J | j 10 lavi
BackgroundUntiltheadventoftheJ-20stealthfighter,theChengduJ-10wasthepinnacleofindigenousChinesefighterdesign.Itisasingleenginedelta-canardagilemultirolefighterwhichwasallegedtobeacloneoftheIAILavidesign,enhancedthroughallegedaccesstoPakistaniF-16Aexamples.EvencursorycomparisonoftheJ-10andLaviindicatesthatLavi-cloningisnotthecase,evenifthefighterssharethesamegeneralconfiguration[1],[2].ThenoseandverticaltailshapearehowevernearenoughtotheF-16toraiseseriousquestions.DevelopmentoftheJ-10commence...
Background Until the advent of the J-20 stealth fighter, the Chengdu J-10 was the pinnacle of indigenous Chinese fighter design. It is a single engine delta-canard agile multirole fighter which was alleged to be a clone of the IAI Lavi design, enhanced through alleged access to Pakistani F-16A examples. Even cursory comparison of the J-10 and Lavi indicates that Lavi-cloning is not the case, even if the fighters share the same general configuration [1], [2]. The nose and vertical tail shape are however near enough to the F-16 to raise serious questions.Development of the J-10 commenced in 1988, with the first prototype flying in 1996, and production planned to commence in 2005. The J-10 occupies the same niche as the F-16C/D/E/F and the Rafale, being smaller than the F/A-18E/F and Eurofighter. It is to form the low end of a hi-lo mix with the Su-27SK/J-11/Su-30MKK and be used for air combat and strike roles, replacing the J-6, Q-5 and J-7 in frontline combat regi...