Despite the PLA Navy’s first aircraft carrier, the CV-16 Liaoning, received its first two Shenyang J-15 H-MRCAs on November 23, 2012, the J-15s to this day haven’t been flight-tested in fully weaponised modes and in the recent series of fleet exercises, the J-15s were once again seen armed with only PL-8 WVRAAMs and PL-12 BVRAAMs. No ASCMs, no ALCMs, no rocket-pods, no LGBs, no LDPs, and no gravity bombs either. Definitely, therefore, all’s not well with the AL-31F turbofan-powered J-15s, i.e. they are underpowered, period.
Here is a splendid video-clip of the J-15 during the recent fleet exercises that were witnessed by the PLAN Chief, Admiral Wu Shengli:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJQG8jhiSsQ&hd=1
And below is a fairly accurate reportage of the challenges in turbofan R & D that both China and India are facing.
