Russian news agency TASS has stated, “We are expecting a response from China on our
offer to purchase modern weapons and military equipment manufactured in Russia, including
additional batches of Su-35 fighter jets”
Viewers may note that China already has 24 Sukhoi Su 35 but now want to add more.
This report was collaborated by Chinese military television channel which stated that China
may buy more Su-35s.
It is surprising since the Chinese have touted the indigenously manufactured Chengdu J-20
to be 5th generation fighter whereas Sukhoi Su 35 is a 4++ generation fighter.
Prima facia it seems China is buying an inferior fighter from a foreign nation when it has
a better homegrown one.
But things are not what it seems in the first look.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes why China plans to keep buying Russian Su 35s
from Russia when it has indigenous Chengdu J-20 5th generation fighter?
Let's get started.
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The Sukhoi Su-35 is single-seat, twin-engine, supermaneuverable aircraft, designed by the
Sukhoi Design Bureau and built by the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant.
The type was originally developed by the Soviet Union from the Su-27 and was known as the
Su-27M.
It incorporated canards and a multi-function radar giving it multi-role capabilities.
The first prototype made its maiden flight in June 1988.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union Sukhoi re-designated it as the Su-35 to attract
export orders.
In 2003, Sukhoi embarked on a second modernization of the Su-27 to serve as an interim aircraft
awaiting the development of the Sukhoi PAK FA (Su-57) program.
Also known as the Su-35, this version has a redesigned cockpit and weapons-control system
and features thrust-vectoring engines in place of the canards.
The type made its first flight in February 2008.
Although it was designed for export, the Russian Air Force became the launch customer in 2009,
with the production version designated Su-35S.
The aircraft has a top speed of Mach 2.25 and a range of around 3,600 km or 2,200 miles.
Beijing and Moscow started negotiations over the purchase of the Su 35 in 2011.
China signed $2.5 billion contracts for 24 Su 35 in November 2015 and became the first
international customer of the Su-35.
Su-35 is estimated to cost around $85 million per unit.
The first batch of four Su-35 fighter jets arrived at a flight training center of the
PLAAF in December 2016.
The second batch of 10 fighters was handed over in December 2017.
In April 2018, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense confirmed that the Su-35 had officially
entered service and are based in Guangdong province in southeast China.
It is interesting to note that China has about 3,000 aircraft – almost the size of the
U.S. Air Force – including 1,700 fighters which includes several hundred Chinese copies
of Russia’s 1960s-era MiG-21.
Some experts have reasoned that Su 35 will replace these older fighters whereas J 20
will form the tip of the spear for PLAAF.
But this logic is also not acceptable as Su 35 is an expensive jet with a price tag of
around $85 million and China can’t afford to replace its huge aging fleet with such
a fighter.
China’s state-controlled Global Times newspaper also cited a Chinese military analyst who
believes there are other reasons to buy the Su-35.
Fu Qianshao told the Global Times that “while China could indeed buy more Su-35s, they are
not meant to replace older Chinese jets because the Russian aircraft is too expensive and
China has too many old jets.
The replacement will most likely be done by domestically made warplanes”
Here are 3 real reasons that are behind China acquiring Su 35s.
Heart of every aircraft is its engine.
China has not perfected its indigenous WS-10 which is used for its Flanker clones; Shenyang
J-11 & J 15, let alone come close to finishing development of the next-generation WS-15 it
would need for the J-20.
Viewers may know J 11 & J 15 are illegal copies of Russian Su 27 & Su 33 respectively.
The WS 10 engine is underpowered and has been a major headache for China.
The WS-15 is currently thought to be in a ground-testing phase, though some reports
state that it has entered limited production.
Without the WS-15 engine, the J-20 can't cruise at supersonic speeds.
In fact, China has not demonstrated it can build any reliable jet engine even with designs
that it basically stole from Russia.
Building engines with indigenous design remains even more distant.
The Chengdu J-20 is thought to be powered by twin Russian-built Saturn AL-31F engines
found on the Sukhoi Su-27 and its Chinese knockoffs.
The addition of the Russian-built AL-41F1S series engines that power Su 35 might provide
a solution to Beijing’s engine issues.
According to multiple sources, China initially wanted to get the AL-41F1S as a stand-alone
product.
Radars are like eyes.
For any 5th generation fighter, radar is one of the most important components and will
be a decisive factor in case of any conflict.
Official information on radar type that the J-20 uses has not been released to the public.
There are indications that the J-20 carries an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar
(AESA).
Allegedly, the J-20 would be fitted with a Type 1475 radar (also referred to as the KLJ-5
), with 1856 transmit/receive modules.
There is no way to confirm that information because the PLAAF isn’t all that forthcoming
about sharing information concerning its developmental projects.
However, it is well known that China is lagging far behind in AESA radar technology.
Russian radar technology is way ahead of China’s & is considered one of the best in the world.
This is why Beijing wants Su 35, as it would gain valuable technical insights from the
Irbis-E radar.
In 2018, reports had emerged that a Sukhoi Su-30MKI of the Indian Air Force managed to
detect the Chinese Chengdu J-20 jet fighter.
Reports indicate that when the new Chinese jets were conducting flight training over
Tibet, Indian pilots on Russian-made Su-30MKIs managed to detect and track them from Indian
airspace.
The disclosure didn’t come from any independent analysts but from an official source.
Indian Air Force commander Arup Shaha said, "The Sukhoi's radar can see them.
The new Chinese jets are not so invisible after all.
No special technology is required to detect the J-20, as it can be detected by ordinary
radar stations.”
This has ignited debates that the J 20 is nothing more than a decorated 4++ generation
fighter.
Keeping this into account, it can be said that Su 35 is a far better fighter than Chinese
J 20s and China wants to deploy them for critical missions.
While the external design of the J-20 resembles a 5th generation fighter in several aspects,
it is handicapped in terms of engine, radars, and stealth.
Given the Kremlin’s previous experiences with selling China advanced technology, Moscow
has insisted on agreements to secure Russian intellectual property onboard the Su-35.
Vladimir Drozhzhov, deputy director of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation
said last year, “We established a Russian-Chinese working group for the purposes of practical
implementation of this agreement, which held a regular meeting in September this year”.
Also adding a few more will make the logistics more efficient for China.
Despite whatever agreement Beijing might have signed with Moscow, the Chinese have almost
likely bought the Su-35 to harvest the technology of its different components, apart from having
a small fleet of potent jets for combat roles.
But even knowing this, Russia is selling Su 35s because it is in dire need of funds as
its economy is in decline hit by many sanctions.
Also adding a few more will make the logistics more efficient for China.