Y-8 Testing platform indicates J-20 has same level avionic system with F-22

2012-07-11 –(China Military News by china-defense-mashup.com) The No.  “728″ Y-8 electronic test aircraft are testing the next generation of PLA military avionics, and a number of aviation enthusiasts guess that the aircraft is testing airborne electronic systems and fire control system for J-20 fighter. One of the most interesting is a longer nose nose simulated fighter phased array radar and two small wings stretched out forward two main wings. Some netizens have speculated it is a Chinese fighter jet for the first time using L-band wing leading edge AESA radar antenna, some users think that this is the J-20 fighter ICNI ((Integrated Communication, Navigation and Identification) system which is similar to the F-35.

After preliminary analysis, combined with foreign aircraft photos, I guess the two wings may be the domestic ICNI system test facility, it is a proof of China’s fourth-generation stealth aircraft new generation integrated avionics system.

From the Y-8 avionics test aircraft pictures of the flight, airborne CNI systems may be related to the F-22 ICNI similar integrated RF systems, communications / navigation / identification of common signal processing systems, system installation basically the same, are installed inside the wing for a flight test, so the relevant structure, the installation of the antenna, wing aerodynamic parameters, the structure would affect wing within the environment-related electronic systems. Therefore, the test wing also in the F-22 Boeing 757 and F-35 Boeing 737 test machine above to see. Airborne CNI systems tests show that the design of J-20 stealth higher, CNI embedded antenna does improve the stealth of the J-20, increasing its overall combat capability, and also by transplanting the existing fleet of F-10, J-11 combat above, the same can effectively improve their combat capability.

Air test for airborne ICNI systems, indicating that Chinese J-20 stealth combat aircraft development is proceeding in an orderly advance of laying a solid foundation for the early designs have been finalized to equip our troops.

We know the fighters Friends of the machine and an external command to boot the system with the application operational efficiency can play out, how to boot the system with the Friends of the machine or external command linked, which requires airborne communication navigation and identification systems, the initial fighter’s system is very simple, only one communication system, but more and more as technology development, system types of fighter, but also increasingly complex, a modern combat aircraft The CNI system may include communications systems, tactical air navigation system, instrument landing and IFF system, the system is more and more a contradiction with the requirements of the combat aircraft for the size and weight of the related systems.

Third generation Fighter’s airborne communication, navigation and identification system used in the design method is time to design a functional device that way, and the resulting series of questions. First they get the equipment are some relatively independent, each completed a specific tactical functions to each other can not be substituted equipment would have resulted in excessive airborne communications, navigation and identification system equipment, the space of modern combat aircraft is limited, and weight sensitive, even though heavy combat aircraft also want to minimize the number and weight of the related systems in order to increase the load and range. In addition, different systems may be designed by more than one contractor, even to complete the same tactics enabled devices, it may be not identical. In this way, the type of device is complicated, and the surge in the number of devices. Thereby increasing the product design, procurement and maintenance costs, embodied in the following aspects: (repeat could have been no repeat of the design in the design of each new function device; a feature, a device can not be function expansion, to extend must be redesigned; between the various functional devices can not replace each other, and thus to ensure that failure to prevent sudden loss of function can only increase the backup device; ‘non-standard parts of the logistical support required for proliferation and maintenance of the required The cost of spare parts and maintenance personnel training costs increase; as a function of a device, so that each functional systems need to have their own dedicated test support equipment.