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One thing limiting the development potential of the Mig-21 is that with the front mounted air intake, there is very little volume for the radar antenna. Some later Mig 21 variants did have a tiny radar dish mounted in the nosecone. With more and more emphasis on the electronics side of things, this is going to be a big handicap.
China's are basically where the MiG-21 would have evolved to.Chinese were also experimenting with the J-7FS and J-7MF, side elevations of the 1st third of A/C looking like that of the Crusader and E-fighter, respectively.
Good points.
Soviets were thinkering with the Ye-8, that was shaped sorta pre-F-16, plus canards. Unfortunately, engine choice - literary - killed the project. There was a lot more space for electronics in the front section of the aircraft there. Not having the air passage in the 1st third of the fuselage should also allow for a bit better fuel tankage.
Also, as noted in the post above by another member, the JL-9 shows how it could've been done.
Chinese were also experimenting with the J-7FS and J-7MF, side elevations of the 1st third of A/C looking like that of the Crusader and E-fighter, respectively.
Yes, it wasn't as easy as just moving the intake and problem solved. Early jet fighters had the intake at the front for good reason, namely access to undisturbed air over the flight envelope, and early jet engines were very picky about smooth inlet airflow. It took advances both in aerodynamics (specifically, inlet design) and engine design before inlets could be successfully moved backwards on the airframe.
Even the West wasn't always successful with this, see F-14A.
I don't think any modernist P&W ones would fit but a GE F404 or F414 might (with some engineering). Comparing to the R-25-300 as used in the MiG-21bs with the F404 and F414 we see the following:How would the MiG-21 do with a GE or P&W engine?
Tumansky R-25-300 | F404-GE-402 | F414-GE-400 | |
Length | 4.615m | 3.91m | 3.91m |
Diameter | 1.191m | 0.89m | 0.89m |
Dry Weight | 1,212 kg | 1,035 kg | 1,110 kg |
Military Thrust | 40.3 kN | 48.9 kN | 57.8 kN |
After burning Thrust | 69.6 kN (97.1 kN emergency) | 78.7 kN | 97.9 kN |
SFC | Military: 27.2 g/(kN.s) Afterburner: 63.6 g/(kN.s) Afterburner emergency: 94.4 g/(kN.s) | Military: 23 g/(kN⋅s) Full Afterburner: 49 g/(kN⋅s) | Military: Afterburner: |
Thrust-to-weight ratio | 5.6 (max afterburner) | 4.8 (dry) 7.8 (afterburner) | 9 (afterburner) |
P&W 1120 perhaps? Granted, it wasn't manufactured beyond a number of prototypes.I don't think any modernist P&W ones would fit but a GE F404 or F414 might (with some engineering).