I believe this graph can summarize the quoted thread somewhat on the fighter side of things comparing between PAF, IAF and PLAAF’s induction records of new tactical aircraft.

https://twitter.com/firezstarter1/status/1972761758172660152

From a capability perspective, the IAF had tremendous advantages vs PLAAF in the late 70s well going into the early 90s.

By the time the IAF was inducting Mirage 2000 and MiG-29 in 1986, the PLAAF had only began to induct J-7IIH, a fighter without a radar.

1 | A new SAM for the PLAN is featured in the coming VJ Day Parade.

It is likely that 2 such missiles could fit into a single UVLS cell on PLAN's numerous modern destroyers. Below is a rough estimation. 🧵
2 | The new SAM's form factor is very similar to the HQ-9C plus an additional solid rocket booster.

The HQ-9's navalized version, HHQ-9 and its variants are the backbone of PLAN's long-range SAM. It is natural for the new C variant to be navalize as well.

1 | A thread about different Z-10 variants.

Starting with the original design, Project 941 from 🇷🇺 design bureau Kamov. China paid Kamov USD 8.94M for the design work in the mid 1990s.

The money helped Kamov retain many of its technical personnel and kept it afloat after the fall of USSR.
2 | Z-10 prototype. Z-10 first flew in 2003, years after Kamov handed over the Project 941 design.

The PLA made many requirement changes to the Project 941.

Note these airframes flew with Pratt Whitney Canada’s PT6C67C engines.

1 | Compared to standoff guided munitions, the PLA has a relatively limited selection of non-standoff guided munitions.

Let's have a look. 2 | The first experience the PLA hve about laser guided bombs (LGBs) was gained in Vietnam as China sent hundreds of thousands of PLA soldiers, mostly anti-aircraft gunners and engineers to protect and repair critical infractures in the North.

1 | PLA air-launched stand-off munitions - part 2

Apart from air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs), the PLA also operates a selection of air-launched ballistic missiles (ALBMs).

Just like ALCMs, the first ALBM that the PLA publicly revealed is a very large missile referred to as KD-21. 2 | Due to its size and wright, we normally see only 2 missiles carried by a H-6K/J/N bomber.

Though, when carrying 2 KD-21s, the H-6 bombers generally have their pylons at wing roots, which are the ones with the strongest load capacity, empty.

It is likely an H-6 can carry up to 4 such missiles at the expense of range.

1 | The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict and the recent India-Pakistan conflict both highlighted that stand-off strike carried out by jets is very effective in penetrating modern IADSs consist of long-range SAM system.

Let's have a look at the 🇨🇳PLAAF's stand-off strike weapons. (Part 1)
2 | Let's start with the first generation of PLA's air-launched cruise missile (ALCM), the KD-63.

KD-63 uses the man-in-the-loop TV guidance as its terminal guidance method. With the weapon's operator using the camera footage uploaded by the missile to guide it to its target. Just like the Israeli Popeye.

1 | About 9 hours ago, a Chinese commercial satellite imagery provider, MizarVision published a fairly clear image of the PAF Nur Khan air base after strike showing minor damages without clear evidence of airframe loss.

From the image, there seems to be 2 locations showing different level of damages. 2 | The first location is a small courtyard near the apron where PAF's transportation aircraft are parked.

There are visible signs of burning and destruction of vehicles, possibly fuel trucks, which corroborates with the intense fire we saw during the night of the attack.

1 | Intercepting Brahmos: a limited discussion on missile defence capabilities worldwide that (possibly) can intercept this missile.

Brahmos is a very potent anti-ship / land attack missile. In the anti-ship role, its Mach 3 speed coupled with sea skimming profile at the terminal stage make it a very challenging target. 2 | Throughout the years since its first test launch in 2001, Brahmos has seen a range increase from MTCR-constraint 290km to sub 500km then to alleged 8-900km achieved in the latest test.

https://x.com/detresfa_/status/1748205314560987521

Don't know why when DRDO made this slide about laser DEW projects/products worldwide, high(er) energy systems from China were omitted.

So I added a few for those who are interested. Going back to DRDO's recently tested 30kW laser DEW, it adopts a rather interesting design of combining 6 separate laser modules producing 6 beams.

1 | PLAAF’s HQ-22 SAM system, a thread:

The HQ-22 is a medium-to-long range air defence system operated by the PLAAF.

-The battalion level (equivalent to a Patriot battery) is its basic firing unit.
-HQ-22 directly replaces the old HQ-2 & HQ-12 SAM systems.
-Retaining their 6 launchers per battalion setup.
-Each battalion operates 2 radars, an engagement radar and a target acquisition/early -warning radar.
-Other command, communication, and logistic equipment are also included. 2 | Here a SAM battalion in Xinjiang replaced its HQ-2 with HQ-22 around 2015/2016, a significant capability boost for the unit.

-HQ-2 is an improved version of the Soviet SA-2 (1957) with a main liquid fuel rocket engine, radio-command guidance all the way.
-HQ-22 brings 4 missiles per launcher compared to 1 for the SA-2.
-HQ-22 has significantly higher mobility on-road and with some limited off-road mobility.
-HQ-22 employs midcourse radio-command guidance and SARH terminal guidance.

1 | The best open source information about PLAN carrier operation comes from the Japanese MoD.

From data published by 🇯🇵's Joint Staff Office we can establish some baselines for PLAN carriers' sortie rate.

Note: daily sortie rate is averaged across observation window.

2 | By just looking at the data, it seems PLAN's carrier sortie rate has seen gradual improvement.

When Liaoning was deployed in Dec.2022, its daily fighter sortie rate peaked at 20 per day and can be as low as 5 per day at the end of the deployment.

1 | Blockading the Malacca Strait is thought to be the trump card India holds against China by many.
My 2 cents about the theoretical maximum strength the IN and IAF can commit to sustain a blockade & defend against China’s attempt to break through (assumptions, caveats apply). 2 | The main objective for the Indian Deployment is to protect 2 major air bases:
->Veer Savarkar International Airport
->Car Nicobar AFS
So IAF Su-30MKI with Brahmos & IN P8I can continuously project air power & carry out sea denial operations against PLAN.

1 | Similarities can be drawn between🇨🇳and🇮🇳 AEW&C programs.
->They both cancelled their initial attempts
->🇷🇺Beriev and 🇮🇱 IAI contributed significantly to both of their second attempts
->But China with its stronger economy, R&D capabilities created a expansive AEW&C family 2 | China started its first attempt for an AEW&C aircraft in 1969. Due to the lack of large airframes, they chose the Soviet B-29 copy, Tu-4 as the carrier. But the project is proved to be too difficult for them through the chaos of Cultural Revolution.

1 | 🇨🇳Flankers vs 🇮🇳Flankers
Beyond geopolitical tensions, the rivalry can also be traced to the roots of their lineage.
->🇨🇳Flankers originated from KnAAPO on the Amur River.
->🇮🇳Flankers started from IRKUTSK by Lake Baikal. 2 | Both countries adopted a from import to license production strategy.
->India started later
->Its Su-30MKI enjoyed tech superiority for almost a decade with PESA radar, TVC, French/Israeli avionics & weapons

Left Su-30MKI cockpit vs Su-27SK/J-11 cockpit

1 | A simple comparison of SSKs of 🇨🇳 PLAN & 🇮🇳 IN throughout history.

->China started its SSK force 14 years ahead of India
->India has access to a wider source of suppliers but it does not achieve self sufficiency due to lack of scale and commitment 2 | The Beginning

China received full technical details to license-produce at home during the height of Sino-Soviet cooperation.

Only 3 years after receiving its 1st sub from USSR, in 1957, PLAN commissioned its first domestically produced W-class SSK (Type 6603).

1 | This result is rather odd with many questions unanswered.

Did the strike package know the general location of the S-400 battery?

If so, why didn’t they stay below radar horizon and launch stand-off anti-radiation missiles beyond the range of 9M96E2 (120 km)

https://twitter.com/ajitkdubey/status/1816849885779345679

2 | The longer range interceptors used by S-400 (48N6E2/3, 40N6E) are all semi-active radar homing. As long as the aircraft fly below the radar horizon, they are safe from being illuminated.

If the strike package does not know the general location of the S-400,

Sister ships between 🇨🇳 PLAN and 🇮🇳 Indian Navy.

->PLAN and IN each operate a replenishment ship based on the Soviet Komandarm Fedko-class oiler
->🇨🇳 ship was built in 🇺🇦 and further constructed in 🇨🇳
->🇮🇳 ship was fully built and delivered by 🇷🇺
->Both commissioned in 1996 Here, for the PLAN ship, the hull of the former USSR ship Vladimir Peregudov was on its way from Kherson, Ukraine, to Dalian China, spotted in Singapore in 1993.

Credit: Malcolm Cranfield

1/n | Though not covered in 1999's FARP, the Indian Army's rocket artillery fleet suffered under the same inaction and piecemeal procurement up until 2016. In contrast, the PLAGF has made strides in inducting/improving long-range MRLS in large numbers with a significant lead. 2/n | The Indian Pinaka MRLS was leading in many areas in the early 2000s compared to Russian and Chinese systems.
-Modularized rocket pods for quick reloading and munition flexibility
-Saw combat during 1999 Kargil War even before finishing trials in 2002

Both the PLAGF and Indian Army are in the process of replacing their towed anti-air guns. The PLAGF is full-on replacing the PG-99 fleet with another self-propelled system. While the IA still keeps a significant place for L70 and other towed-L70-derived system(s). A long 🧵: 1/n | To achieve a high level of mechanization, towed AAGs will have little place going forward in PLAGF’s service. By end of this decade or latest by 2035, to meet the milestone laid out in PLA's modernization plan, the towed PG-99 would likely be phased out from the PLAGF.

1/n | The Bofors L70 and PG-99 are the most prevalent radar-guided towed AA guns in the Indian Army and PLAGF respectively. Here we would compare their effectiveness considering various factors. A long 🧵: 2/n | Here we can compare the structure and equipment of a PG-99 gun crew from the PLAGF and an L70 gun crew from the IA. On the surface, they are very similar, with 9-10 crew members, 1 gun, 1 generator trailer and 2 trucks.

1/n | The Bofors L70 40mm anti-aircraft gun is the most prevalent medium caliber AAG in service with the Indian Army. Combined with the Flycatcher fire control unit, it has been the backbone of the terminal air defense for the Indian Army for 4 decades and counting. A long 🧵: 2/n | The L70 gun works in tandem with the Flycatcher FCU to provide radar-guided, short-ranged air defence for the Indian Army (IA)’s armored, mechanized and infantry brigades and divisions. They are tasked with engaging low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, rotary aviation and PGMs.