Chapter 1046 Anti-stealth Ability

Originally, as the plane landed safely, cheers naturally broke out in the tower.

Except for some command posts that had to stay at their posts, most people were ready to go downstairs to welcome the triumphant return of the test flight team.

But with Wang Xiaomo's powerful words, the originally noisy hall became quiet almost instantly -

The strongest in the world, no doubt about it!

It can be summed up in just eight simple words, but it is enough for everyone to savor for a long time...

Even the aftertaste of half a lifetime.

In recent years, China has indeed achieved significant progress in many areas.

But after all, the starting point is too low, and it will take a relatively long process to implement the technology into the project.

Therefore, although some achievements have reached the world's leading level, when it comes to specific products, even the top models such as the WS-10, or the J-10 and J-11 can only be regarded as "reaching the world's leading level."

It means being on par with others.

Indeed, for China, which only finalized and mass-produced the J-7E ten years ago, being able to share the title of "world leader" with others is already a huge leap forward.

But after all, it is not as simple and straightforward as it is today.

The saying "There is no point in comparing with others. If we are going to surpass others, we should surpass the United States!" is still fresh in our minds, and now it has been realized ahead of schedule in the aviation system.

Not only that, the data link and air command system developed by Chang Haonan also completely made up for the shortcomings of the KJ-2000 model...

If there is anything regrettable, it is that due to the timeline constraints, we were unable to use the optically controlled phased array system that is currently being tested in full swing...

For this, we can only wait until the next generation of early warning aircraft is developed.

Opposite Wang Xiaomo, Qiao Chenqing, who came to inspect the maiden flight, was also shocked for a moment by Wang Xiaomo's determination:

"The most powerful early warning aircraft with comprehensive performance..."

He muttered to himself, then turned his head again and looked at the No. 2000-01 aircraft which had completed deceleration and was slowly heading towards the taxiway entrance on the runway.

It can be said that the soldiers of Qiao Chenqing's generation have spent most of their lives pondering how to defeat the strong with the weak.

During the most difficult years, the consideration was even how to use the J-6, which only had a machine gun, to fight against third-generation aircraft.

There was a time when even “missileization” seemed like an unattainable dream.

Now, I suddenly got a piece of equipment that is stronger than all my imaginary enemies...

For a moment, it even makes people feel a little at a loss.

"I remember when the project was launched, it was written that the effective detection range was 450km?"

Given Qiao Chenqing's position, it is not appropriate for him to be overly pretentious at a time like this.

So I had to shift the topic to the technical level.

"That number...is not really important."

Wang Xiaomo walked out the door while explaining:

"You know, in actual combat, the relative altitude, azimuth, RCS, movement trend of the target... all these will affect the detection effect of the radar. Our KJ-2000 uses a phased array system, plus a double-sided array of C-band and L-band, which can basically cope with all kinds of targets to the greatest extent possible."

"Even for stealth aircraft, since the focus of optimization is also on the X-band, it will be easier to detect when facing relatively low-frequency radars such as the L-band."

This point hit the nail on the head that Qiao Chenqing was most concerned about.

By this time in 2003, the YF22's flight test had entered the final stage.

As a model that began to be developed at the end of the Cold War, ATF has not been contaminated by many of the procrastination habits of US military industrial projects since the 90s.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the F22 will be officially put into mass production in two or three years at most.

By that time, the Chinese Air Force, which had just acquired the third-generation fighter jets a few years ago, would again be in a situation where it was lagging behind its opponents.

Although the F22 procurement volume has been cut again and again, it has dropped from the initial estimated four digits to around 200 today.

But stealth aircraft are, after all, a qualitative difference.

The B2 that was shot down in the Balkans a few years ago may have symbolized the end of stealth aircraft in the eyes of outsiders.

But only those who know the inside story will know how many extreme coincidences and new technologies are behind that achievement.

Instead, it proves the value of stealth aircraft.

So, when hearing Wang Xiaomo talking about anti-invisibility, Qiao Chenqing almost couldn't walk immediately:

"That means, even if the American F22 is officially put into service, we will have a way to deal with it?"

This question is not easy to answer.

So much so that the former hesitated:

"Well... if we only rely on a single method, there will still be hidden dangers when facing stealth aircraft. At least the detection accuracy of the L band is not enough, and due to the limitation of the physical size of the antenna, it is also difficult to install it on a fighter. It is better to achieve composite reconnaissance with multiple platforms and multiple detection sources, which happens to be the field where data links can play a role..."

At this time, Chang Haonan, who had been walking nearby but had not spoken, also added:

"And taking a step back, even if we can detect stealth aircraft with existing technology, stealth is only one of the many advantages of fourth-generation fighters... You should have seen the all-round advantages of third-generation fighters when facing second-generation fighters. The principle is the same."

"Anti-stealth technology can only reduce the advantage, but if we want to truly fight against fourth-generation fighters, we can only equip ourselves with fourth-generation aircraft."

"We are also equipped with fourth-generation aircraft..."

Qiao Chenqing put his hands behind his back and looked deeply into the sky, as if he was imagining that there was a fourth-generation fighter jet painted with the August 1st military emblem flying there.

The reason why he, who came from a political work background, was able to serve as acting Air Force Commander was largely due to the sudden deterioration of the health of his predecessor Liu Yaoshun.

Taking age factors into consideration, it is likely that he will be relegated to the second line in a few years.

Therefore, Qiao Chenqing felt that he would most likely not be able to see the day when China's fourth-generation aircraft would be put into service during his tenure...

……

The successful first flight is just the beginning of a long testing phase.

As the saying goes, the first flight is difficult, and finalization is even more difficult.

Due to the huge gap between KJ-2000 and KJ-200 in terms of aerodynamic structure and airborne equipment, it is difficult to refer to the relevant experience in the latter's development process.

Many things need to be started over again.

The most special one is naturally the command system that Chang Haonan is responsible for developing.

This is also the most essential difference between KJ-200 and KJ-2000.

The former simply moves a radar into the sky, and specific combat command and decision-making still need to be completed by ground command posts or front-line fighter jets.

The latter is a true air force combat center that integrates multiple functions such as reconnaissance, command, control, and communication.

There is also a huge difference in the levels of the two.

In actual combat, the KJ-200 only needs one major or lieutenant colonel-level officer to be responsible for uploading and issuing information.

However, a division-level commander may be needed on the KJ-2000 to ensure that it has the highest authority in the entire airspace.

Therefore, while the Gaofei Group was conducting high-density test flights on the aircraft itself, the team led by Chang Haonan also completed the software design of the airborne command system at the fastest speed.

In terms of steps, there is not much difference between software projects and hardware projects.

It should also be divided into principle verification, technical verification, engineering verification... and so on.

The only difference may be that due to the replicable nature of the code, there is no need to create an additional production prototype.

The current command system is in the process of transitioning from principle verification to technical verification.

In order to achieve this process as quickly as possible, Chang Haonan reduced the number of available nodes in the system from a maximum of 200 in the finished software plan to 20 without changing the underlying logic of the software, in order to speed up the development progress.

Anyway, this round is just a technical verification and does not require a complete restoration of the actual usage situation.

20 goals are definitely enough.

Thanks to this simplification, just twenty days after its first flight, the KJ-2000 command system was installed on the prototype in the form of an Alpha test version.

This also means that the model is truly fully functional.

Then the next step is to conduct airborne equipment tests together with combat aircraft...