Dispatch from Zhuhai: China's J-10 fighter is the real deal

ZHUHAI -- There is an\nold anecdote. The optimists around the world learn English. The pessimists,\nChinese. But down-to-earth study the Kalashnikov assault rifle.

I think it\nis time for the down-to-earth crowd to study their rifles using Chinese\nmanuals!

Two years\nago every important source told me, let's wait two years and see what comes of\nChina's\nnew J-10 fighter.

Now\neveryone I trust says the Chinese pulled it off, and the J-10 has proven a\ntremendously successful program.

I watched\nhow the J-10 flew over Zhuhai, in 30 degree Celsius temperatures and high\nhumidity.

The pilot\ndid none of the show tricks like post-stall or tail slide or pitch-back, but\nturns were very tight, initial rate of turn very high. It was clear there is a\nlot of potential in this airplane to achieve the same maneuvers more quickly.

The pilot\nrarely used afterburner and the degrees of canard deflection were small. Still,\nthe airplane flew very well. I reckon it will beat F-16C or MiG-29/SMT easily.

Chinese\nhave already completed over 100 J-10s and they have bought more Russian engines\nfor next series.

I do not\nthink they would buy more Flankers since the J-10 is as good as the Flanker, to\nsay the least.

Chinese\nmilitary said \"no\" to local engine makers and \"no\" to local makers of some key\nsystems, instead buying these critical items directly from Russia.

As for\nAWACS support, it is present with 4 A-50 equipped with KJ-2000 radars and it\nseems the Chinese have bought a special version of the Ka-31, although very\nmuch different from the Indian navy version. Apparently with a new radar.

If proper\ntactics are used, the PLAAF can beat Taiwanese opponents in conventional air\nwar. Unless the US\nmakes it into a full scale world-for-world battle, the central committee of the\nChinese Communist Party does have a chance.

(Photos: Vladimir Karnozov)