China is Buying 24 Su-35s for $2 Billion, has Interesting(!) Implications

a reply to: Zaphod58

China doesn't have the tech to build a 5th gen

Are you saying China CANNOT build a 5th gen FIGHTER? Or do you mean cannot build a 5th gen fighter ENGINE?

Sorry. Caffeine isn't working well today.

a reply to: anzha

No, that's what the editor of the magazine, or website is saying.

“In particular, this applies to the engine — powerful and reliable, with variable thrust vector, as well as electronic warfare, which in turn makes our participation in the development of J-20 almost inevitable,” website Warfiles reported Frolov as saying.

sputniknews.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Its Sputnik News. It might have made more sense in Russian, but while I am definitely plugged into the Russophonic internet, but Russian might not be able to parse the original.

While Sputnik News can be used for leaks on subjects from the government, always take with a grain of salt. One you might need a C-5 to move.

a reply to: anzha

I always do. But at the same time, it makes sense that they would buy them and then use the engines to advance their own engine programs, and develop better engines for their own use. That AL-41 in the Su-35 is one of the most advanced fighter engines currently used in Russia. It's nowhere even close to Western engines in terms of reliability, with a 4,000 hour life cycle and 1,000 hour MBTO but it's a nice engine.

Is it materials deficiency or tolerance and assembly issues that seem to be the bugbears..?