"Fierce Dragon" Seen As F-16, MiG-29 Competitor

Chinese officials reported the first successful test flight Friday of that country's new Xiaolong/FC-4 "Fierce Dragon" fighter.

The aircraft was flown by a test pilot for 16 minutes. Chinese media sources report no problems were encountered during the flight.

The FC-4 represents the third generation of FC fighter jets, and is reportedly the first of the series to carry guided missiles. The aircraft is the culmination of a development program that began in 1999, according to Xinhua, and was built by China Aviation Industry Corporation I(CAIC-I), the Chengdu Aircraft Group Corp. and China Aero Technology Import and Export Corporation.

Previous FC-1 (shown above) and FC-3 aircraft -- like the FC-4, based on the since-cancelled Russian MiG-33 -- were also assembled primarily in Pakistan, whereas the FC-4 is billed as an all-China-assembled aircraft.

The FC-4 will also use a Chinese-built engine, whereas earlier variants use a Russian RD-93 powerplant.

The single-seat, single-engine FC-4 is said to be comparable to the F-16 and the MiG-29, offering range of 3,500 km (2,100 miles) and a top speed of Mach 1.6.

Once the aircraft passes flight test parameters, the Chinese air force will reportedly take delivery of as many as 200 FC-4s, with Pakistan slated to receive as many as 150 earlier FC-3 models. China is also considering offering the FC-4 for sale on the international market.

FMI: www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/avic.htm