China's J-7 fighter-bomber was once a high-profile "flying leopard" that was hotly discussed. However, due to its incompatibility with the needs of modern warfare, little attention has been paid in recent years, and it is even rumored that it has been decommissioned. Now, the focus of heated discussions among military fans has shifted to the possible J-26 "** people". Although rumors spread on the Internet that the J-26 is being developed intensively, official sources have not confirmed its existence.
But why are people so convinced that this fighter-bomber will be available?First of all, taking into account the development of China's national defense, a new generation of more advanced fighter-bombers is imperative. The fundamental reason for the elimination of the J-7 is its backwardness, the lack of maneuverability of fighters and the bomb-carrying capacity of bombers, putting it in an embarrassing situation.
In view of the lessons of the J-7, some people believe that the J-26 will greatly improve its survivability, and while focusing on stealth, it can also have a certain bomb-carrying and supersonic penetration capabilities. Such fighter-bombers will not be phased out in the future. Stealth is crucial in modern warfare, for example, the American B2 bomber and F22 fighter are stealth aircraft, and the latest B21 bomber will continue this characteristic.
Stealth aircraft can play a key role on the battlefield and become the "ghost god of war". China currently has very limited stealth aircraft, and although the H-20 is considered a stealth bomber, its actual launch time has not yet been determined. And China's latest model of the 6 master transformation potential is close to the limit, therefore, China needs stealth bombers like the J-26 to fill this gap, and is expected to become China's main striking force.
Therefore, the appearance of the J-26 is very likely. Over the past 20 years, the United States has had plans to develop an FB22 fighter-bomber based on the F22 fighter platform and uses a number of advanced technologies. However, due to the high cost of the F22 fighter and the immaturity of stealth aircraft technology at that time, this project did not continue.
Some people believe that China's J-20 fighter is based on the American F22 fighter, so it is reasonable to develop the J-26 fighter-bomber based on the J-20 platform. This number is most likely also for this reason.
In addition, the US "1954" military ** once published an article titled "China has big plans for its JH-xx stealth bomber", detailing that China may be developing a new combat stealth bomber, which should refer to the J-26.
In addition, according to the development of China's national defense strategy, today China is vigorously displaying the J-20 fighter, which is almost equivalent to admitting that the J-20 is no longer the most advanced aircraft. This may mean that there has been a major breakthrough in the development of the J-26, which will soon be put into service with the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Based on the above factors, the existence of the J-26 is very likely, but it is still difficult whether it will really appear. After all, all news is subject to official releases.
If new strategic needs arise in the future, this fighter-bomber may be shelved. Or due to technical difficulties, the project could not be continued and was eventually canceled. However, we can assume that if China does launch this fighter-bomber in the future, what role will it play?
The J-26, built on the J-20 platform, hypothetically has a larger take-off weight, which may reach 50 to 70 tons, compared to the J-20's maximum take-off weight of about 37 tons, making it the largest fifth-generation fighter in the world. The J-20 has a limited built-in magazine capacity and can only carry 6 air-to-air missiles, while the J-26 is different, it has higher requirements for carrying capacity.
The issue of the weight of China's new ** fighter-bomber J-26 has attracted widespread attention. The weight requirements for this release are very suitable for a fighter-bomber with stealth. It doesn't fail stealth because the aircraft is too heavy, and it also makes it flexible. It is worth noting that the J-26, as a **fighter-bomber, cannot be plugged in if it wants to ensure stealth**, so the built-in magazine required is relatively large.
In terms of endurance, the J-26 can fly up to 8,000 kilometers at a time without refueling, and can even take off directly from China to strike at the US mainland with a single in-flight refueling. This makes the J-26 likely to become one of the few Chinese strategies that can directly threaten the U.S. mainland.
In addition, due to its slender fuselage and relatively large built-in magazine, the J-26 should be able to accommodate some of China's medium and large anti-ship missiles, thus also having a significant advantage in anti-ship. The survivability brought by stealth performance makes it relatively safe after completing the strike mission. In the future, the J-26 may also cooperate with other advanced aircraft to form a large-scale strike group to further increase the strategic deterrence of the enemy.
However, in order to realize these ideas, it is necessary to wait for the official announcement of the J-26 and its inclusion in the formation of Chinese Air Force aircraft.