Binkov's Battlegrounds

Zhuhai Airshow, to be held from 6th of November in China this year, has always been an important opportunity for both Chinese weapons manufacturers and Chinese military. They'd showcase various new technologies and weapons. This year is no different as various weapon systems have already been arriving there, preparing for the show. Recently a J-10B with thrust vector control engine was spotted there as well. J-10B testbed aircraft This is not the first time that particular plane or that engine was spotted. But previously the plane was tucked away at its home airbase, and images were nowhere near this clear. This time, the PLAAF, evident owner of the plane judging by the insignia on the plane, is actually showcasing the engine to the world. Flying demo at the airshow is likely, judging by the fact the plane arrived carrying some generator pods under wing. Importantly, the engine in question seems to be a variant of Chinese made WS-10 family. While in service on Chinese Fla...

The above photo of a promotional piece from Almaz-Antey suddenly started circulating in public. It may very well be the first time the long talked about 40N6 missile is seen, and alongside it, some of the data about it is unveiled. The promo graphics actually shows the 40N6E variant, with "E" usually standing for Export oriented version. That being said, usually the difference is mostly frequencies that radar / missile seeker uses, and perhaps some electronic counter measure modes being different/weaker. Occasionally aspects such as range may be different as well. The 40N6 was in development for a long, long time. In July of this year a news report came from Russian MoD that the missile finally completed its testing. That could mean it's on the verge of finally entering service. This unveiling of the export variant corroborates that. Overall, missile is very similar to 48N6 family. It's around 60 kg heavier and its dimensions are roughly similar (or potential...