JF-17 Thunder Vs Su-30 Mki Flanker-H DOGFIGHT | Digital Combat Simulator | DCS |

Summary

In this intense air combat video, the pilot of a JF-17 Thunder faces off against a Sukhoi 30MKI in a high-stakes dogfight. Equipped with Chinese PL-5 and PL-12 missiles, the JF-17 struggles to keep up with the superior maneuverability of the Sukhoi, which has Russian Archer missiles and the more advanced Astra missiles. The pilot details the challenges of engaging in close-quarters combat, especially with the JF-17's less effective gun and limited missile capabilities in such tight scenarios. Despite the odds, the pilot fights valiantly, but ultimately faces defeat after being hit by a deadly 30mm round from the Sukhoi.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video features a dogfight between the Chinese JF-17 Thunder and the Indian Sukhoi 30 MKI.
• 😀 The narrator uses a variety of missiles, including the Chinese PL-5 (Fox 2) and PL-12 (Fox 3), while the Sukhoi uses Russian-made weapons like the R-73 and Astra missiles.
• 😀 The JF-17 struggles in a dogfight due to its limitations, particularly its missile performance and gun design.
• 😀 The PL-5 Fox 2 missiles are critiqued for their slow seeker response and poor performance, especially in close combat.
• 😀 The JF-17's PL-12 Fox 3 missiles are more reliable, but still require sufficient space for effective engagement in a dogfight.
• 😀 The gun on the JF-17 is angled downward by 8 degrees, making it harder to hit targets during air-to-air combat.
• 😀 The Sukhoi 30 MKI has a significant advantage in maneuverability and missile performance, especially in close-range dogfighting.
• 😀 Despite these challenges, the narrator manages to secure a kill using the SD-10 Fox 3 missile after creating some separation from the Sukhoi.
• 😀 The narrator explains that the JF-17 is better suited for Beyond Visual Range (BVR) engagements, rather than close-range dogfights with flankers.
• 😀 In the final moments, the Sukhoi lands a hit with its 30mm gun, causing catastrophic damage to the JF-17 and ending the fight.
• 😀 The narrator concludes that the JF-17 is not ideal for fighting against a superior dogfighter like the Sukhoi 30 MKI, emphasizing the importance of tactics and weapon selection in combat.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the video script?

The primary focus of the video is a simulated dogfight between a JF-17 Thunder and an Indian Sukhoi 30MKI, showcasing the challenges and strategies employed by the JF-17 pilot, particularly in close-range combat and using different types of missiles.

What types of missiles are mentioned in the dogfight, and what are their characteristics?

The script mentions Fox 2 missiles (PL-5 and Astra), which are infrared-guided and less effective in dogfights due to long seeker lock times. It also mentions Fox 3 missiles (PL-12 and Astra), which are radar-guided and more reliable in Beyond Visual Range (BVR) combat.

Why are the Fox 2 missiles considered ineffective in this scenario?

The Fox 2 missiles are ineffective because they have long lock-on times, unreliable seekers, and are not high off-boresight, making them less effective once in a dogfight, especially against an aircraft like the Sukhoi 30MKI.

What challenges does the JF-17 face in close-range combat?

The JF-17 struggles in close-range combat due to its less capable missile systems, particularly the poor performance of the Fox 2 missiles, and the difficulty of using its gun, which is slanted downwards by 8 degrees, making it harder to hit targets effectively in dogfights.

How does the JF-17 pilot try to cope with the Flanker’s advantages in the dogfight?

The JF-17 pilot tries to minimize the Flanker’s advantages by staying tight in the one-circle fight, avoiding giving the Flanker space to maneuver, and attempting to use the Fox 3 missiles effectively at longer ranges while also trying to use the gun for close-in kills.

What is the significance of the JF-17's gun being slanted downwards?

The slanted downward positioning of the JF-17’s gun makes it difficult to use in air-to-air combat, as it is intended for air-to-ground use. This results in challenges when trying to lead the target, significantly hindering the aircraft’s effectiveness in a dogfight.

Why does the JF-17 pilot emphasize the importance of the missile range in the dogfight?

The pilot emphasizes missile range because, in this scenario, the JF-17's Fox 3 missiles (PL-12) are the primary weapon capable of hitting the Flanker at distance, whereas the Fox 2 missiles and gun are not effective in the tight maneuvering required in close combat.

What is the JF-17 pilot’s approach to handling the Flanker’s nose in combat?

The pilot’s strategy involves avoiding the Flanker’s nose at all costs because being in the Flanker’s nose cone range would expose the JF-17 to dangerous gunfire. The pilot uses evasive maneuvers like rolling to avoid the nose and stays close to the Flanker to prevent it from gaining an advantageous position.

What does the manual for the JF-17 recommend regarding its gun in air-to-air combat?

The JF-17’s manual recommends assuming that the aircraft does not have a functional gun for air-to-air combat due to the slanted positioning of the gun, which makes it extremely difficult to hit targets effectively in close combat.

What happens when the JF-17 gets hit by the Sukhoi 30MKI’s 30mm cannon?

When the JF-17 is hit by the Sukhoi 30MKI’s 30mm cannon, the damage is catastrophic, and the aircraft becomes uncontrollable, with the pilot eventually ejecting due to the aircraft’s inability to fly. The hit results in immediate loss of control and the aircraft’s system signaling it is 'done flying.'