Chinese purchase of Su-35

Taipei Times is reporting a deal for 24 Su-35 at $1.5 billion.



If accurate, I see it as a win/win. Russia needs foreign participation in its combat aircraft programs and it can't hurt for China to have access to the ultimate evolution of a platform they've invested significant resources and trust in.

Here's an edited re-post of my thoughts regarding the reported deal, first expressed on 03-08-2012:

I can suggest a fundamental basis for a Chinese interest in acquiring the Su-35.

The Su-35 is the ultimate Russian evolution of the T-10 platform which is the basis of more combat aircraft variants currently evolving in the Chinese system than is any other aircraft. These variants include: the J-11B, BS, J-15, and J-16. With this many resources invested in the evolution of this platform, and with the investment going forth into the foreseeable future, I don't think it unreasonable to consider that the Chinese would be interested in obtaining access that would allow them to achieve detailed examinations of adaptations that the Russians applied to achieve their ultimate evolution of the platform. This would allow them to conduct comparative analyses of the Su-27 platform evolution in the Russian and Chinese systems and could provide technical information useful to their ongoing evolution of the platform.

My 2 cents!

I know its off topic, but I have often wondered if formal joint ventures between the big Russian and Chinese Aviation companies will ever be on the cards. Personally I can see a lot of benefits for both the respective domestic militaries and for the export business.

I say this as there is still a curious syntax cross over, from where we discuss Western Planes and Engines in terms of say Lockheed, Boeing, BAE, Mirage, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney etc, but revert to Russian or Chinese when discussing companies from these countries.

I see a joint venture as being able to break the perception barrier and to present Shenyang, Chengdu, Sukhoi, Mig etc as major international aviation companies in their own rights.

I think someone from another forum sum up very well. Every year after Zuhai Airshow, this kind of rumour always surface up. Without China comfirmation, we can safely say its fake news fabricate by Russians for marketing plot.

Airshow China 2006 airshow
Russia's Sukhoi markets new multi-role fighter at Chinese air show
Ria Novosti,Russia ^ | 31/ 10/ 2006
*ttp://en.rian.ru/russia/20061031/55256972.html

Airshow China 2008 airshow
..corresponding department confirmed that negotiations with China regarding Su-35 have been conducted..
*ttp://www.kommersant.com/p895011/The_first_visit_of_President_Medvedev_to_China/
*ttp://trishulgroup.blogspot.com.au/2008/11/airshow-china-2009-first-impressions.html

Airshow China 2010
Russia ready to sell Su-35 fighter jets to China
*ttp://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20101116/161359301.html

5 months ago, 2012
Russia Close to Sign Su-35 Fighter Deal With China
*ttp://en.rian.ru/world/20120306/171780246.html

Airshow china 2012

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SampanViking said:

I know its off topic, but I have often wondered if formal joint ventures between the big Russian and Chinese Aviation companies will ever be on the cards. Personally I can see a lot of benefits for both the respective domestic militaries and for the export business.

I say this as there is still a curious syntax cross over, from where we discuss Western Planes and Engines in terms of say Lockheed, Boeing, BAE, Mirage, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney etc, but revert to Russian or Chinese when discussing companies from these countries.

I see a joint venture as being able to break the perception barrier and to present Shenyang, Chengdu, Sukhoi, Mig etc as major international aviation companies in their own rights.

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Good point!!!

I had actually edited my post to specify AVIC I instead of China or Chinese, but then reverted it back to the original ethonym designator. But, I hadn't even thought to specify Sukhoi as opposed to Russian.

Point taken!!!

I agree with your assessment. Don't you think that both Russia's and China's aircraft industries have been, so far, hindered in this regard by the influences of command economies versus, so called, "free markets"?

And, actually, as opposed to the programs you've mentioned, I'd expect Shaanxi and Xian, and Antonov and Tupolev to be at the forefront as they are more involved in projects that can be more easily applied to civilian markets.

SampanViking said:

I know its off topic, but I have often wondered if formal joint ventures between the big Russian and Chinese Aviation companies will ever be on the cards. Personally I can see a lot of benefits for both the respective domestic militaries and for the export business.

I say this as there is still a curious syntax cross over, from where we discuss Western Planes and Engines in terms of say Lockheed, Boeing, BAE, Mirage, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney etc, but revert to Russian or Chinese when discussing companies from these countries.

I see a joint venture as being able to break the perception barrier and to present Shenyang, Chengdu, Sukhoi, Mig etc as major international aviation companies in their own rights.

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I don't see any benefit of China doing collabration with Russian firms. First of all Russian has too much ego, it will hindered any progress. They just want to dig as much money as possible from any Sino-Russian co-operation because they are badly lacking funds in development.

As for China, money is essentially what they have alot. You can see the 10billion yuan they are going to invest in engine development by AVIC. China are doing very well and fast. What they are doing are on the right track. Currently the dual use of civilian technology absorbed into military are doing them great benefits for aviation development.

I'll see it when China confirms it, so far it is just one sided news from Russia, and even they said the contract will be signed in 2014. I hope China is not playing them along to buy time to taking the attention away from all of their new Flanker developments such as J-15 J-16 etc... maybe start negotiation with Russia to take some heat of it, after all they are all illegal copies.

jackliu said:

I'll see it when China confirms it, so far it is just one sided news from Russia, and even they said the contract will be signed in 2014.

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you're probably right, jackliu! the second independent clause of the first sentence (edit: and, the final paragraph) reveal Taipei Times' subtext quite clearly.

WE NEED MORE F-16s NOW!!!

Subedei said:

you're probably right, jackliu! the second independent clause of the first sentence reveals Taipei Times' subtext quite clearly.

WE NEED MORE F-16s NOW!!!

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In this case, I think China should offer to sell them some J-10... no joke, this would be the ultimate geopolitical maneuver.

btw, this kind of stuff gets reported in one place and another place catches on to it and report it again. Until we see it confirmed by actual signing and delivery, this rumour just will keep dragging on.

The fact that this keeps going on means they are obviously continuously having conversations about it. Other wise, we would not see the Russians announce they are about to sell Su-35s to China every few months. But as with Su-33, there is no proof this ever happened.

So, why are they talking? It's really hard to say. I personally think it would be stupid for China to purchase Su-35 when they got other programs more deserving of funding, but it wouldn't be the end of the world.

But since this news have been reported for so long and nothing ever happened. You would need overwhelming amount of evidence to show that this is actually happening. Otherwise, it's just continued reporting of something that may happen and it gets tiring.