China recently unveiled an enhanced version of the J-15 onboard fighter jet that just completed a test flight, with sources claiming that the aircraft's new missile pylon, infrared search and tracking system, radar and wings have all been upgraded, Global Time reports.
The new J-15 looks very different from the previous model, suggesting that it is an updated version, Eastday.com, the Shanghai-based news site was quoted as saying by the state-owned Global Times.
China's J-15 'Flying Shark' has begun to gain media attention as the PLA Navy prepares for global challenges and confrontation. China's sea-based capabilities are expected to improve significantly as its first aircraft carrier fighter jet, the J-15 'Flying Shark' appears in a new and improved avatar.
Experts said on December 16 that the modified J-15, which could potentially be catapult-operated, would play a major role in both China's old and new aircraft carriers.
A catapult is a device that allows aircraft to take off from a small area, such as a ship's deck, although it can also be used to create a land runway in exceptional circumstances. This is an assistance-based takeoff. This gives China's carrier-carried fighter more power in terms of operational and combat compatibility.
