China to get Russian Su-35s 4+ generation fighter starting in 2017 or 2018

China is likely to receive the first batch of Su-35 fighters from Russia between 2017 and 2018, if the contract can be signed this year, according to Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language military magazine based in Canada.

Russia has decided to sell only 24 Su-35 fighters to China. Since some of those fighters will be deployed to the tactical training center in Guangzhou, the article claims that fewer than 24 Su-35 are going to serve with frontline units of the PLA Air Force. At the same time, Su-30MKKs from those three regiments are likely to be transferred to other air force units.

The Sukhoi Su-35, aka Super Flanker, is a designation for two separate, heavily upgraded derivatives of the Su-27 ‘Flanker’. They are single-seat, twin-engine supermaneuverable multirole fighters, designed by Sukhoi.

Russia is supplying ‘standard’ Su-35s to China.

Some rate the Su-35s as a 4++ generation fighter. It about par with the fifth-generation fighter across all characteristics (except stealth technology).

SU 35s General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 21.9 m (72.9 ft)
Wingspan: 15.3 m (50.2 ft, with wingtip pods)
Height: 5.90 m (19.4 ft)
Wing area: 62.0 m² (667 ft²)
Empty weight: 18,400 kg (40,570 lb)
Loaded weight: 25,300 kg (56,660 lb) at 50% internal fuel
Max. takeoff weight: 34,500 kg (76,060 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Saturn 117S (AL-41F1S) turbofan with thrust vectoring nozzle
Dry thrust: 8,800 kgf (86.3 kN, 19,400 lbf) each
Thrust with afterburner: 14,500 kgf (142 kN, 31,900 lbf) each
Fuel capacity: 11,500 kg (25,400 lb) internally

Performance

Maximum speed:
At altitude: Mach 2.25 (2,390 km/h, 1,490 mph)
At sea level: Mach 1.15 (1,400 km/h, 870 mph)
Range:
At altitude: 3,600 km (1,940 nmi)
At sea level: 1,580 km (850 nmi)
Ferry range: 4,500 km (2,430 nmi) with 2 external fuel tanks
Service ceiling: 18,000 m (59,100 ft)
Rate of climb: >280 m/s (>55,000 ft/min)
Wing loading: 408 kg/m² (500.8 kg/m² with full internal fuel) (84.9 lb/ft² 50% fuel)
Thrust/weight: 1.126 at 50% fuel (0.92 with full internal fuel)
Maximum g-load: +9 g

Armament

Guns: 1× 30 mm GSh-30 internal cannon with 150 rounds
Hardpoints: 12 hardpoints, consisting of 2 wingtip rails, and 10 wing and fuselage stations with a capacity of 8,000 kg (17,630 lb) of ordnance, and provisions to carry combinations of:
Rockets:
S-25L laser-guided rocket
S-25 unguided rocket
B-8 unguided S-8 rocket pods
B-13 unguided S-13 rocket pods
Missiles:
Vympel R-27R/ER/T/ET
Vympel R-77 – the proposed R-77M, R-77T
Vympel R-73E/M, and R-74M
Kh-29T/L
Kh-31P/A
Kh-59ME
Bombs:
FAB-250 250-kilogram (550 lb) unguided bombs
FAB-500 500-kilogram (1,100 lb) unguided bombs
KAB-500L laser-guided bomb
KAB-1500 laser-guided bomb

SOURCES – WantChinaTimes, Wikipedia, Youtube