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Pic Courtesy: Internet<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ritu Sharma is a journalist, with a Master\u2019s Degree in Conflict Studies and Management of Peace from the University of Erfurt, Germany.\u00a0Her areas of interest include Asia-Pacific, the South China Sea, and Aviation history. She has been\u00a0writing on subjects related to defence, foreign affairs, and nuclear technology for the last 15 years. She has written for PTI, IANS and The New Indian Express. Presently she is writing for the EurAsian Times.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Her informative article on the subject was published on 13 Jan 2024 on “The EurAsian Times”<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n (Views of the author are her own)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Stolen Tech\u2019 From F-35 & F-22 Raptor, How Powerful IsChina\u2019s Newest FC-31 Gyrfalcon Stealth Jet?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The news about Pakistan showing interest in the Chinese FC-31 Gyrfalcon (formerly known as the J-31) has generated quite a buzz in South Asia, with military watchers talking about it altering the balance of power in the Indian subcontinent. But experts feel that, at best, it is a tempest in a teacup.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The grapevine about Pakistan\u2019s interest in purchasing FC-31 has been going on for some time. However, the Islamic Republic\u2019s lack of economic resources and choices to replace its ageing fleet of F-16s and Mirages make the Chinese fighter jet its only option. Its JF-17 fleet is also facing technical issues. The FC-31 is yet to enter the PLA-Air Force but the Pakistan Air Force has made its interest official.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Air Marshal Anil Khosla (retired), former Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force,<\/em> calls it \u201ca marriage of convenience\u201d. The sale to Pakistan will help China to claim the exportability of its aircraft. The aircraft with PAF will provide the Chinese manufacturer with a free trial ground. At the same time, it will help Beijing in exerting more control over Islamabad by making them more dependent,\u201d Khosla told the EurAsian Times.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The EurAsian Times decided to compare Indian Rafale \u2013 a 4.5 generation combat-proven fighter jet from the French aerospace maker Dassault Aviation; and FC-31 \u2013 the underdevelopment 5th generation fighter jet developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. On the face of it, both aircraft are twin-engine, single-cockpit, multi-role fighter jets.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Design & Capabilities: Rafale Vs J-31<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The design philosophy behind Dassault\u2019s Rafale (meaning \u2018Gust of Wind\u2019) has been to pack more punch in the fighter jet. The Rafale is one of the most advanced fighter jets of the present times and is designed to carry out omni-role missions. It can perform seven types of missions \u2013 Air-defence\/air superiority\/air policing, Reconnaissance, nuclear deterrence, Air-to-ground precision strike, Battlefield air strikes, anti-ship attacks, and buddy-buddy refuelling.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The French fighter jet features a delta wing with close-coupled canards that provide stability throughout the whole flight envelope. It improves Rafale\u2019s combat performance, even at a high angle of attack.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The airframe of Rafale extensively uses composite materials; they account for 70 per cent of the wetted area. This increases the max take-off weight to empty weight ratio compared with traditional airframes built of aluminum and titanium by 40 percent.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n On the other hand, the limited information about the FC-31 indicates that it was designed to provide close support and air-to-ground bombing. Its design also suggests that it might have been designed for carrier use.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many observers have noted the stark resemblance that the FC-31 has with the American F-35. The flat tail and twin engines of FC-31 seem to be derived from the F-22, and the front end resembles the F-35. This doesn\u2019t come as a surprise as the 2014 \u201cU.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission\u201d Congressional report cited a Defence Science Board finding that Chinese cyber-attacks have siphoned off crucial specs and technical details of a range of US weapons systems\u2014including the F-35.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Chinese composite material industry had a late start. Russia helped for some time, but sanctions have slowed the import of Radar Absorbent Material (RAM).<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The J-31 uses 3D laser-printed components in large amounts to save weight. The J-31 features advanced stealth technology, including a carefully designed shape and radar-absorbent materials, to reduce its radar cross-section and enhance survivability on the battlefield.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rafale Vs J-31: Engines<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n When it comes to engines, Rafale is powered by two Snecma M882 (Thrust to Weight Ratio: 5.68:1 dry and8.52:1 with afterburner) new generation turbofan engines generating 2\u00d775 kN of thrust and can achieve a maximum speed of Mach 1.8.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Besides ensuring a high serviceability rate, Dassault Aviation made some India-specific modifications to the 4.5-generation fighter jets. The modifications included an engine that can start up to 12000 feet. The specification caters to the threat India faces on its eastern border.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Within a few months of its induction, the IAF had Rafale fighter jets armed with MICA air-to-air missiles on their wingtips flying in Ladakh, its northernmost sector. Post heightened tension along the Indo-China border, India has been augmenting its capabilities to operate in the region.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In contrast, the FC-31 prototype was powered by two Russian engines, RD-93, with an afterburning thrust of2\u00d781 kN (Thrust to weight ratio: 4.82 dry, 7.9 afterburning). The engine\u2019s thrust-to-weight ratio indicates that the FC-31s engine is heavier and provides lesser thrust as compared to Rafale\u2019s lighter engines.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The engines could be the chink in FC-31\u2019s armour. After some time, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation replaced the RD-93 turbofans with new stealthy engines WS-13 from Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corporation. Beijing has offered the same engine for the technically troubled JF-17 exported to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), but Pakistan has refused.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe Chinese are trying hard to market their WS-13 engine. I am not sure if the engine is any good. But, PAF had refused to accept it for their JF-17s. Now, with J-31 as a sweetener, the WS-13 is going to find its way into PAF. Eventually, it might also find its way into PAF JF-17s,\u201d a source told the EurAsian Times.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There have been reports about the aircraft finally being fitted by the more modern WS-19 engines currently under development.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rafale Vs J-31: Armament<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n With its 10-tonne empty weight, the Rafale is fitted with 14 hard points (13 on the Rafale M). Five of them are capable of carrying heavy ordnance or drop tanks. The total external load capacity is more than nine tonnes (20,000 lbs.).<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Rafale has been cleared to operate a wide range of weapons, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, bombs, and guns. The Indian Rafales can deploy the Meteor very long-range air-to-air missile, the MICA air-to-air \u201cBeyond Visual Range\u201d (BVR) interception, the HAMMER rocket boosted air-to-ground precision-guided weapon, the SCALP long-range stand-off missile, laser-guided bombs, and classic non-guided bombs. The fighter jet has a 30 mm internal cannon that can fire 2500 rounds\/min. Meteor gives Indian Rafales the capability to shoot down enemy aircraft over 100 kilometres without having to cross the border. Rafales are going to be part of India\u2019s nuclear triad when Brahmos integrates with the platform.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In comparison, the Shenyang FC-31 stealth fighter can be fitted with one internal cannon, two internal weapons bays in the fuselage, and three payload hard points on each of the two wings. Each internal weapons bay can accommodate up to two missiles. The FC-31 could carry larger missiles like the YJ-12 anti-ship missile under its wings, but like with the F-35, at the cost of its stealth.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n FC-31Avionics Onboard<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Rafale is the first European combat aircraft to use an active electronic scanning radar, giving it greater situational awareness in detecting and tracking multiple targets.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rafale\u2019s \u201cmulti-sensor data fusion\u201d has earned accolades for reducing pilot workload and increasing situational awareness within and outside the boundaries of the combat sphere. Rafale allows the pilot to act as a true\u201ctactical decision maker\u201d rather than being only a sensor operator.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Indian Rafales are equipped with the Thales Areos recon pod, which can be used from a high-altitude stand-off distance and even at extremely low levels. But it is also integrated with Israeli Litening Pod to maintain commonality with other fighter jets in IAF, such as Mirage-2000, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29 UPG, and SPECAT Jaguar.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The single-seated cockpit of the Shenyang FC-31 is confined by a two-piece transparent canopy to enhance the pilot\u2019s visibility during flight. It is also designed to use the KLJ-7A Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA)radar by Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology (NRIET) and Distributed Aperture System (DAS)optical early warning system.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Stealth<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The FC-31 is essentially designed with increased stealth features. The Indian Rafale F3R boasts Spectra and a low-band jammer that can jam the frequency of any radar and become invisible. \u201cIt is a dichotomy. The Rafale can jam the radars to become invisible, but if the moment a stealth aircraft uses its jammer, he will be caught on the adversary\u2019s sensors,\u201d another military aviation specialist opined.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The French aircraft maker also catered to the Indian demand for a different Jammer and enhanced radar capabilities like Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR) mode, Doppler Beam Sharpening, and synthetic aperture Radar modes in Radar. It also has Ground Moving Target Track modes in the Radar.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Indian Rafale also has the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor that differentiates it from its French counterpart. The IRST gives an edge to Rafale to detect and track airborne targets and the sensor can be used in conjunction with the radar or independently. This is a passive system and doesn\u2019t emit any radiation of its own. It gives Rafale the capability to detect other targets while remaining undetected.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Combat Development<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first Rafale F1 was delivered to the French Navy exactly a decade later, on May 18, 2001. Since then, France has deployed this combat jet in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Syria, and Mali, where it flew its longest mission in 2013, spanning nine hours and 35 minutes. From Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq, and Syria, Rafale jets \u201coutclassed\u201d its enemies everywhere and have never-ever been shot down.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In 2011, French Air and Space Force and French Navy Rafale fighters were successfully engaged in coalition operations over Libya. They were the first fighters to operate over Benghazi and Tripoli. During the Libyan conflict, hundreds of targets \u2013 tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery emplacements, storage dumps, command centres, and air defence systems (fixed and mobile SAM launchers) \u2013 were hit with controlled accuracy by Rafale aircrews.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This column is still blank for FC-31 and probably the sale to PAF will help the Chinese aerospace makers to script a few achievements under this head.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Conclusion<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n In the words of Air Marshal Khosla,<\/em> \u201cShould India take cognizance of the development in the neighbourhood \u2013Yes. Should India be worried \u2013 No. Instead, India should address the issue.\u201d The retired Vice-Chief of the IAF doesn\u2019t advise diversifying the already diverse inventory of the force to meet the challenge; he suggests accelerating indigenous projects like Tejas Mk2 and Advanced Multi-role Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Also, the IAF could go in for two more squadrons of already tested, selected, and inducted Rafale aircraft.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Suggestions and value additions are most welcome<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For regular updates, please register here:-<\/span><\/p>\n