Thursday, November 13, 2014

New Chinese J-15 Naval Aircraft Being Modified for CATOBAR Aircraft Carrier Operations

China is developing a new variant of the J-15 carrier-based fighter modified for catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) operations, according to images posted on the Xinhua website.

China's only operational carrier, Liaoning (CV-16), has a short take-off but arrested recovery (STOBAR) configuration based on a ski jump and arrestor cables. The J-15 developments pictured suggest that China's second generation of indigenous carriers will employ a CATOBAR configuration instead.

While the images on Xinhua have been blurred to prevent identification of the research organisation, a version of the photo posted elsewhere online shows the name 'China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation [CASIC] 704 Research Institute' on the J-15's fuselage.

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